TSTW 3/27/08
Thursday, March 27
The International Space Station will move from SSW to E from about 7:46 to 7:51 p.m. It reaches its highest point in the sky (23° altitude) around 7:48 p.m., during civil twilight.
The Iridium 53 satellite will flare to -6 magnitude around 9:09 p.m. at azimuth 105° (ESE) and altitude 50°, in Leo near Zosma ( Leo).
The International Space Station will move from W to SW from about 9:21 to 9:23 p.m. It reaches its highest point in the sky (34° altitude) around 9:23 p.m., in Perseus, where it disappears into the shadow of the Earth. P = 95 minutes.
Friday, March 28
The Moon rises at its most southerly point along the eastern horizon this lunation at 1:50 a.m.
ATV 1, the Jules Verne, will move from SW to ENE from about 8:04 to 8:09 p.m. It reaches its highest point in the sky (66° altitude) around 8:07 p.m., in Cancer during nautical twilight. The Jules Verne is scheduled to dock with the International Space Station on 3 April.
The International Space Station will move from SW to ENE from about 8:08 to 8:13 p.m. It reaches its highest point in the sky (73° altitude) around 8:11 p.m., near Pollux in Gemini during nautical twilight.
Saturday, March 29
Last Quarter Moon; rises 2:41 a.m.; transits 6:52 a.m.; sets 11:06 a.m.; = -27°
Earth Hour, 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. Turn off your lights for one hour to demonstrate you want to minimize human impact on the global environment.
The International Space Station will move from W to NE from about 8:30 to 8:36 p.m. It reaches its highest point in the sky (40° altitude) around 8:33 p.m., near Cassiopeia during astronomical twilight.
Mars is very near Mebsuta ( Gem) tonight.
Mars is 90° east of the Sun (eastern quadrature) and therefore at its most gibbous phase (89.9% of full) tonight.
Sunday, March 30
Jupiter is near the Moon this morning before dawn.
The International Space Station will move from WNW to NNE from about 8:53 to 8:57 p.m. It reaches its highest point in the sky (21° altitude) around 8:55 p.m., between Cassiopeia and Cepheus as astronomical twilight ends.
The 14.9-magnitude asteroid 663 Gerlinde may pass in front of the 13.3-magnitude star 2UCAC 35341094 in Orion for up to 4.2 seconds around 10:13 p.m. For more info, visit http://asteroidoccultation.com/asteroid.htm.
Monday, March 31
The Struve region of the Moon (western part of Oceanus Procellarum) will be unusually well-presented (due to libration) this morning before dawn.
Daylight saving time began in the U.S. for the first time, 90 years ago (1918).
The International Space Station will move from W to NE from about 7:40 to 7:45 p.m. It reaches its highest point in the sky (41° altitude) around 7:42 p.m., during civil twilight.
Tuesday, April 1
The International Space Station will move from WNW to NE from about 8:02 to 8:07 p.m. It reaches its highest point in the sky (22° altitude) around 8:05 p.m., in Cepheus during nautical twilight.
Wednesday, April 2
The Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) was launched 10 years ago (1998).
The Selenographical Journal (1878-1882), the first magazine devoted to lunar studies, was first published 130 years ago.
The 13.8-magnitude asteroid 187 Lamberta may pass in front of the 13.0-magnitude star 2UCAC 43416046 in Auriga for up to 5.5 seconds around 10:55 p.m. For more info, visit http://asteroidoccultation.com/asteroid.htm.
Individuals, businesses, and governments around the world are being asked to turn off as many lights as possible between 8:00 and 9:00 p.m. local time Saturday evening, March 29. This symbolic gesture is meant to show that a lot of people are ready to do something substantial to minimize our carbon footprint and reverse global climate destabilization rather than simply rearranging the deck furniture on the Titanic or ignoring the problem altogether. In fact, a surprising number of climate change denialists still exist, despite overwhelming scientific evidence that human civilization is having a profound and even irreversible impact on the world's ecosystems and climate. If you haven't seen it yet, I encourage you to view Oregon high school science teacher Greg Craven's ten-minute YouTube video on global climate destabilization at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF_anaVcCXg.
Though not specifically emphasizing outdoor lighting and light pollution, Earth Hour 2008 does afford astronomers and nighttime enthusiasts an opportunity to build awareness about the rapid destruction of the nighttime environment that is occurring worldwide. Unfortunately, due to the ill-conceived Energy Policy Act of 2005, daylight saving time now begins on the 2nd Sunday in March instead of the 1st Sunday in April, so for a large portion of the U.S., the entire hour of Earth Hour 2008 occurs during evening twilight. Such is the case for Dodgeville, Wisconsin. Earth Hour begins during nautical twilight, and astronomical twilight doesn't end until 9:01 p.m., one minute after Earth Hour is over. I hope the organizers of future Earth Hours (an annual event) will start picking dates and times when twilight is over for most populated locations and the Moon isn't above the horizon. That way, we can give a lot of people a slightly better view of the night sky than they usually have, if only for an hour.
I hope you'll participate.
