The Night Sky for March 2012
Interesting things that Bellatrix Orionis is hoping to observe in the night sky this month.
Visual guide from Hubble
Planets
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Mercury – can be found in the constellation of Pisces and is at magnitude -0.4. It is best viewed on Monday 5 March at 1900UT. |
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Venus – is best viewed on Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 March from 1930UT and can be found in the constellation of Aries. Venus is at magnitude -4.1 |
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Source: Hubblesite.org |
Mars – Can be found in the constellation of Leo and is at magnitude -1.2. It is best placed to view on Saturday 3 March at 0030UT. |
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Source: Hubblesite.org |
Jupiter – Can be found in the constellations of Aries and is at magnitude -2.0. It's best placed to view on Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 March from 1930UT. |
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Source: Hubblesite.org |
Saturn – Is in the constellation of Virgo and is best placed to view on Saturday 31 March at 0100BST. |
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Source: Hubblesite.org |
Uranus – Is best placed to view on Sunday 4 March at 1845UT and can be found in the constellation of Pisces. |
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Source: Hubblesite.org |
Neptune – Is not visible this month. |
Dwarf Planets
Pluto – Is in the constellation of Sagittarius and is at visual magnitude +14.2.
Ceres – Is in the constellation of Cetus with a visual magnitude of +9.2.
Pallas – Can be found in the Constellation of Aquarius and is at visual magnitude +10.2.
Juno – Is in the the constellation of Scorpius with a visual magnitude of +11.1.
Vesta - Is in the the constellation of Aquarius with a visual magnitude of +8.2.
Meteor Showers and Comets
No meteor showers this month.
78P/Gehrels can be found in the constellation of Aries and is at a visual magnitude of +12.8
C/2009 P1 Garradd can be found in the constellation of Ursa Minor at the beginning of March. It is at magnitude +7.8 and can be seen in binoculars.
Monthly Sky Challenge
Thursday 1 March
NGC7000, the North American Nebula is a bright nebula found in the constellation of Cygnus. It has a visual magnitude of +4.00 and can be observed with binoculars.
First quarter Moon.
2 March
M27, the Dumbbell Nebula is a planetary nebula found in the constellation of Vulpecula. It has a visual magnitude of +7.09 and can also be observed using binoculars.
Saturday 3 March
NGC884, Chi Persei is an open cluster in Perseus with a visual magnitude of +6.09. It's part of the cluster (with NGC884) that marks the scimitar of Perseus.
Sunday 4 March
Alpha Piscium, Alrischa is a variable double star in Pisces with a visual magnitude of 3.81 and +2.92. It's the third brightest star in the constellation and both stars are blueish white, though it's very difficult to resolve as two separate stars.
Monday 5 March
M1, the Crab Nebula is a bright nebula in the constellation of Taurus and is at visual magnitude +8.39. This is probably the most famous supernova remnant in the known sky and is thought to be centuries old. The Chinese first recorded observations of the remnant were in 1054. The Crab Pulsar, which is a rotating neutron star is at the centre of the Crab Nebula..
Tuesday 6 March
NGC869 is an open cluster in the constellation Perseus with a visual magnitude of +5.33. The star cluster marks the scimitar that Perseus used to decapitate Medusa.
Wednesday 7 March
M31, the Andromeda Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Andromeda and is at visual magnitude +3.36. A telescope will be necessary to resolve any detail..
Full Moon.
Thursday 8 March
NGC6992, the Eastern Veil Nebula can be found in the constellation of Cygnus. It is at visual magnitude +5.00 and is another part of the supernova explosion which happened between 5,000 and 8,000 years ago..
Friday 9 March
M52 is an open cluster in the constellation of Cassiopeia with a visual magnitude of +6.90.
Saturday 10 March
Alpha Aquilae, Altair is a double star in Aquila with a visual magnitude of +0.93 and +9.72.
Sunday 11 March
M87 (NGC4486), Virgo A is an elliptical galaxy in Virgo with a visual magnitude of +8.63. This is the largest and brightest of the Virgo-Coma Galaxy Cluster. The galaxy is also a strong radio source.
Monday 12 March
M11, the Wild Duck Cluster is an open cluster in the constellation of Scutum and has a visual magnitude of +5.80 and is visible with binoculars.
Tuesday 13 March
NGC6543, the Cats Eye Nebula is a planetary nebula in Draco with a visual magnitude of +8.10. To resolve the bright blue disk and central star a large telescope would be required.
Wednesday 14 March
M48 is an open cluster in Hydra with a visual magnitude of +5.80. If you have good seeing conditions you may be able to observe this with the naked eye, though binoculars would be a better option.
Last quarter Moon.
Thursday 15 March
Beta Monocerotis is a variable double star in the constellation of Monoceros with a visual magnitude of +4.63 and +5.44.
Friday 16 March
M37 (NGC2099) is an open cluster in Auriga with a visual magnitude of +5.59.
Saturday 17 March
NGC1535 (sometimes called Cleopatra's Eye), a planetary nebula in the constellation of Eridanus. Has a visual magnitude of +9.39 and will need a large telescope to reveal any details.
Sunday18 March
Omicron Ceti, Mira is a long period pulsating variable double star in Cetus with visual magnitudes of +9.55 and +4.9. It's probably the best know of it's type>
Monday 19 March
Alpha Orionis, commonly known as Betelgeuse is a variable double star with a visual magnitude of +0.56 and +14.57. The star can be seen with the naked eye though a great deal of magnification will be required to separate the two stars.
Tuesday 20 March
NGC 2244 is an open cluster in Monoceros with a visual magnitude of +4.80. It's often listed as part of the Rosette Nebula and cluster.
Wednesday 21 March
M44, the Beehive Cluster is an open cluster in Cancer with a visual magnitude of +3.09 and is visible to the naked eye.
Thursday 22 March
M79 (NGC1904) is a globular cluster in Lepus with a visual magnitude of +7.73.
New Moon.
Friday 23 March
NGC2392, the Eskimo Nebula or Clown Face Nebula. A planetary nebula in the constellation of Gemini with a visual magnitude of +9.19. A larger telescope is required to see details within the nebula.
Saturday 24 March
M96 (NGC3368) is a spiral galaxy in the constellation of Leo with a visual magnitude of +9.22. The galaxy can be found near the middle of the constellation and forms a pair with M95.
Sunday 25 March
M78 (NGC2064) is a bright nebula in Orion and is considered to be the brightest reflection nebula in the sky. It has a visual magnitude of +8.30. It resembles a faint comet and if you have good conditions you should be able to make it out with a pair of binoculars, though a small telescope will show you the two illuminating stars.
Monday 26 March
M38 (NGC1912), the Starfish Cluster in Auriga is an open cluster with a visual magnitude of +6.40.
Tuesday 27 March
Alpha Leonis, Regulus is a double star in Leo with a visual magnitude of +1.40 and +8.18.
Wednesday 28 March
M46 (NGC2437) is an open cluster in the constellation of Puppis with a visual magnitude of +6.09. It can be observed with a pair of binoculars and has at last 150 stars in the cluster with magnitude of 10 to 13.
Thursday 29 March
M33 (NGC598), the Pinwheel Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in Triangulum. It has a visual magnitude of +5.80 and can be seen with binoculars, though is barely visible to t he naked eye.
Friday 30 March
Melotte 111 is an open cluster in Coma Berenices with a visual magnitude of +1.79. It contains approximately 40 stars with magnitudes from 4.35 to 10.5.
First quarter Moon.
Saturday 31 March
M104 (NGC4594), the Sombrero Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in the constellation of Virgo with a visual magnitude of +8.17.
