OutdoorsMarch 22, 2013

Commentary Tom Niemann

Tom Niemann
Starweek
Starweek

Question of the week

The first full moon to follow the March equinox faithfully shines in front of what constellation?

The answer will be in next week's column.

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION: What is the great circle dividing the sky into northern and southern hemispheres?

ANSWER: The imaginary celestial equator is a great circle dividing the sky into northern and southern hemispheres. The celestial equator wraps the sky directly above Earth's equator. At the equinox, the sun crosses the celestial equator, to enter the sky's northern hemisphere.

WINNER: Jim Adams of Clarkston.

Answers may be emailed to starweek@lmtribune.com, dropped off at the Tribune or mailed to Lewiston Tribune, Starweek, 505 Capital St., Lewiston, ID 83501. Entries must be at the Tribune by noon Monday. Please include your mailing address. The winning entry is drawn from a pool of all correct answers and will receive a sky map for the current month.

TODAY - Comet PanSTARRS is barely visible to the unaided eye and only if you know exactly where to look. That's low in twilight, just a little to the right of due west, about 45 minutes after sunset. The comet is now fading even as it gains a bit more altitude. Bring binoculars or a low-power wide-field telescope.

SATURDAY - Hercules climbs into prominence during spring. Most of its stars clear the northeastern horizon by about 11 p.m. Look for a pattern of four moderately bright stars that look like a shield. This pattern, the Keystone, represents Hercules' body.

SUNDAY - The bright star Regulus, which represents the heart of Leo, the lion, stands above the moon this evening. Regulus is much hotter than the sun, so its surface shines pure white compared to a yellowish tint for the sun.

MONDAY - Three bright stars form a tall triangle in the east by about 10 p.m. The brightest is yellow-orange Arcturus, the third-brightest star in the night sky. Spica is far to the right of Arcturus, with Regulus high above and to the right of Spica.

TUESDAY - Now that spring is here, Orion is in the southwest after dark and leaning over to slide soon down to the horizon. Orion's three-star belt is turning nearly horizontal. He is framed by the two brightest star-like points in the sky: Jupiter off to his right and Sirius to his left.

WEDNESDAY - Saturn, located in the constellation Libra, rises in the east-southeast around 11 p.m. Watch for it rising well to the lower left of Spica and farther to the lower right of brighter Arcturus. Saturn shines highest in the south in the early morning hours, more or less between Spica to its right and Antares farther to its lower left. Saturn's rings are now tilted a wide 19 degrees from our line of sight.

THURSDAY- Tonight's waning gibbous moon - like any waning gibbous moon in early spring - rises a good while after dark. Watch for it to ascend over your eastern horizon a few hours after nightfall. The moon will rise earlier after sunset in the Southern Hemisphere because the recent March full moon was their first full moon of autumn, their Harvest Moon.

International Space Station

Today

Appears at 4:43 a.m. 58 degrees above NNE

Disappears at 4:44 a.m. 24 degrees above NE

Appears at 6:16 a.m. 11 degrees above WNW

Disappears at 6:21 a.m. 19 degrees above NE

Saturday

Appears at 3:54 a.m. 16 degrees above ENE

Disappears at 3:54:20 a.m. 16 degrees above ENE

Appears at 5:27 a.m. 20 degrees above WNW

Disappears at 5:30 a.m. 21 degrees above NE

Sunday

Appears at 4:38 a.m. 41 degrees above N

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Disappears at 4:40 a.m. 24 degrees above NE

Appears at 6:12 a.m. 11 degrees above WNW

Disappears at 6:16 a.m. 26 degrees above NE

Monday

Appears at 3:50 a.m. 19 degrees above NE

Disappears at 3:50:20 a.m. 19 degrees above NE

Appears at 5:23 a.m. 16 degrees above NW

Disappears at 5:26 a.m. 22 degrees above NE

Tuesday

Appears at 4:34 a.m. 32 degrees above N

Disappears at 4:36 a.m. 20 degrees above NE

Appears at 6:08 a.m. 10 degrees above WNW

Disappears at 6:12 a.m. 31 degrees above NE

Wednesday

Appears at 3:46 a.m. 18 degrees above NE

Disappears at 3:46:20 a.m. 18 degrees above NE

Appears at 5:18 a.m. 14 degrees above NW

Disappears at 5:22 a.m. 27 degrees above NE

Thursday

Appears at 4:30 a.m. 30 degrees above NNW

Disappears at 4:31 a.m. 22 degrees above NE

Appears at 6:04 a.m. 10 degrees above WNW

Disappears at 6:08 a.m. 43 degrees above E

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Niemann may be contacted at starweek@lmtribune.com.

Daily headlines, straight to your inboxRead it online first and stay up-to-date, delivered daily at 7 AM