Each Monday, I pick out North America’s celestial highlights for the week ahead (which also apply to mid-northern latitudes in the northern hemisphere), but be sure to check my main feed for more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and more.
The Night Sky This Week: March 11-17, 2024
With a new moon on Sunday, this week will see the emergence of our satellite as a slender crescent. At its slimmest on Monday evening, visible in the west, just after sunset, the crescent moon will become much easier to see on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, when it will display “Earthshine” and be close to Mercury and Jupiter. Its first sighting will kick-off Ramadan, the month-long sunrise-to-sunset fast observed by devout Muslims all over the world. It will also signal that North America’s total solar eclipse is just a single lunar orbit away.
Best of all, once you’ve seen the moon in the evening, you’ll have the rest of the night to enjoy an inky, black, dark sky.
Here’s everything you need to know about stargazing and astronomy this week:
Monday, March 11: Youngest Crescent Moon
Tonight, right after sunset, a 3.6%-lit slim crescent moon will be visible in the southwestern sky but will sink very quickly after. You’ll need a low western horizon and a pair of binoculars to scan the still-bright twilight sky to find it. Mercury will be just below, while Jupiter will shine brightly above.
Tuesday, March 12: Crescent Moon and ‘Earthshine’
A 9%-lit slim waxing crescent moon will be visible in the southwestern sky just after sunset, slightly higher than last night and in the sky for somewhat longer. Look for “Earthshine” on the crescent moon’s dark side—sunlight reflected from Earth’s ice-caps and clouds onto the moon’s surface. Far above the moon will be Jupiter.
Wednesday, March 13: Crescent Moon And Jupiter
An 18%-lit slim waxing crescent moon will be visible in the southwestern sky just after sunset, less than four degrees from bright planet Jupiter. Just above the pair will be Uranus.
Thursday, March 14: Crescent Moon And Pleiades
A 27%-lit waxing crescent moon will be visible in the southwestern sky for a few hours, shining right next to the Pleiades (pronounced “plee-er-deez”), the most spectacular open cluster of stars in the night sky. It consists of around 800 stars, yet they get the nickname the “Seven Sisters” because seven are bright enough to be made out quickly with the naked eye. Six are easy. Nearby will be orangey Aldebaran, the brightest star in the constellation of Taurus and about 65 light-years from the solar system.
Saturday, March 16: First Quarter Moon
Tonight, it’s a First Quarter Moon when our natural satellite reaches 50% illumination as seen from Earth. It’s an iconic sight, but it does restrict stargazing in the 10 night after as moonlight strengthens as it waxes towards its full phase. However, a First Quarter Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight, making afternoon moon-viewing and late-night stargazing possible.
Object Of The Month: M81 And M82 Galaxies
Ursa Minor and Ursa Major are home to two galaxies that look stunning in an 8-inch telescope. M81 (Bode’s galaxy) is a large spiral galaxy about 12 million light-years from Earth and is one of the brightest galaxies in the night sky. M82 (the Cigar galaxy) is a starburst galaxy also about 12 million light-years from Earth and is known for its high star formation rate. Its stars can be glimpsed in a telescope’s same field of view as small, diffuse patches of light northwest of Dubhe in the Big Dipper.
Stargazing Tip Of The Week: ‘Da Vinci Glow’ Explained
The dim light visible on the dark limb of a crescent moon, “Da Vinci glow,” is named after the 16th-century Italian astronomer Leonardo Da Vinci, who first observed it. It’s also called “Earthshine” and “planet-shine” because it originates not on the moon but on Earth. “Ashen glow” is another name for the sight. The sunlight is reflected by Earth’s clouds and ice onto the moon, creating a faint glow. The phenomenon is only visible when a slim crescent moon is observed, which can be seen each night this week. According to NASA, it varies in strength throughout the year as clouds and ice vary.
The times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums like Stellarium and The Sky Live. Check planet-rise/planet-set, sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset times for where you are.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
