Carnegie Skywatch (Mar/Apr 1997)

by Martin Ratcliffe
The biggest event in the skies during March and April is the appearance of Comet
Hale-Bopp, which may prove to be the brightest comet in over two decades. If you�re
looking at it from a city location, the comet may appear fuzzy and faint. From a
more rural location away from city lights, it will appear bright. The comet is best
viewed in the dawn sky during early March, and then in the evening sky from late
March through early April. During the dawn hours of March an hour before sunrise,
it lies far to the left of Jupiter, a brilliant planet low in the east. In early April
the comet is expected to be a relatively bright object low in the northwest after
sunset. If the tail develops as expected, it will appear to extend upwards from the
comet�s head. See the Highlights section of this magazine for instructions on photographing
Comet Hale-Bopp.
To find out more, visit the Carnegie Science Center�s Henry Buhl, Jr. Planetarium,
where the show Comet: From Ice to Fire includes updates and the most recent live
images of the comet direct from the World Wide Web.
Partial Eclipse of the Moon
A major partial eclipse of the moon occurs during the evening of March 23. More
than 90 percent of the moon will be eclipsed, making it almost total. The eclipse
begins at 9:58 p.m. EST and will reach its maximum point at 11:39 p.m. EST. As a
bonus, the eclipse will help you to see Comet Hale-Bopp. As the eclipse progresses
the sky will darken, resulting in a better view of the comet�s tail on the northern
horizon.
Planets
Also during March and April, look for these planets:
Mercury�The innermost planet never strays far from the sun, but in early April
you can catch a view of it 45 minutes after sunset below the Plieades star cluster
in the west. It looks like a bright star. A crescent moon is nearby on April 8 and
9.
Mars�The red planet is at its best, visible all night and shining bright in the
constellation of Leo. It rises in the east at sunset, climbs high in the south around
midnight, and sets around sunrise. It will be almost as bright as Sirius, the brightest
star in the night sky.
Jupiter�If you�re an early riser in March, you�ll see Jupiter, the largest planet
in the solar system, as the bright object low in the east before dawn. Look also
for Comet Hale-Bopp to Jupiter�s far left. Notice that in April the comet has passed
into the evening sky, and Jupiter has climbed higher in the morning sky.
Using the Star Map
As the night progresses, the stars will slowly move from east to west, circling
around the pole star due to the Earth�s rotation. Because the Earth is also moving
around the sun, the stars appear a bit farther to the west at the same time each
night. Below are the approximate times that this star map will match the sky:
March 1, 11:00 p.m.; March 15, 10:00 p.m.; March 31, 9:00 p.m.; April 15, 8:00
p.m.; April 30, 7:00 p.m.
Martin Ratcliffe directs the Henry Buhl, Jr. Planetarium & Observatory at Carnegie
Science Center. Star Map by John French, producer, Henry J. Buhl, Jr. Planetarium.