This would have been our evening to set up telescopes in Monrovia at
Myrtle & Lime in Library Park. But it seems we'll be dealing with clouds
and a rainy Sunday again.
If you're reading this somewhere with clear sky, there's a treat that
doesn't require a telescope. The moon will cross in front of one of the
brightest stars in the sky, Aldebaran, tonight. It's an early evening
event, with disappearance expected at 7:08 p.m. in Los Angeles, and
reappearance at 8:27 p.m.
We won't get to see the event tonight from Monrovia, but there's a great
description and graphics in Jane's "What's Up" podcast for March. Find
it here on the JPL web site:
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/video/details.php?id=1460
Sky and Telescope also has a good article for astronomy enthusiasts
here:
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/aldebaran-occultation-march-4-2017/
For the next week or two, enjoy bright Venus in the western sky. If you
have a chance to observe Venus with binoculars or a small telescope,
you'll be able to see it shrink into a narrower crescent, all while
getting larger and wider as it swings towards the earth. Inferior
conjunction happens on March 25, and not many days after that it will
become the "morning star" instead of the "evening star."
Best regards,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://mojo.whiteoaks.com
