Ephemeris: 03/12/24 – The story of the twins of Gemini

March 12, 2024 Comments off

This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Tuesday, March 12th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 46 minutes, setting at 7:45, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:57. The Moon, 2 days past new, will set at 11:07 this evening.

A week ago I talked about how to find the constellation of Gemini the twins above and to the left of the constellation Orion. Today I’ll talk about their story. Gemini the twins are fraternal twins, Castor and Pollux. Their namesake stars are the brightest in Gemini, with Castor above and the brighter Pollux below and left. Pollux was fathered by the god Zeus who raped his mother in the Leda and the Swan incident, while Castor was fathered by a mortal. They both went on the quest for the Golden Fleece with Jason and the Argonauts. Unfortunately Castor was killed. Pollux loved his brother so much he petitioned Zeus for him to die also and join Castor in the underworld. Instead, Zeus placed them both in the sky where we see them as Gemini.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT–4 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Finder chart for Gemini for about 8 pm tonight, March 12. Showing the stars without annotations, then with lines, then with Gemini art provided by Stellarium. Created using Stellarium, LibreOffice Draw, and GIMP.
An uncredited photograph of a statue of Castor and Pollux. I don’t know which one is which.

Ephemeris: 03/11/2024 – The Moon and the month

March 11, 2024 Comments off

This is Ephemeris for Monday, March 11th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 43 minutes, setting at 7:44, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:59. The Moon, 1 day past new, will set at 9:44 this evening.

Tonight’s one-day old moon can be seen in the West shortly after sunset. Astrophysicist Dr. Rebecca Smethurst has a channel on YouTube under the name Dr. Becky. She calls it a toenail moon, because it looks like a toenail clipping. If you look real close, the rest of the Moon may be there. It’s not your eyes playing tricks on you, it’s the Earth shining on the Moon, illuminating the night side of it. For those using lunar calendars this would be day one or two of the lunar month. Since astronomically the Moon was new at 4 am yesterday morning our time. Folks in Europe and Asia may have seen the Moon in the sky last night. The Islamic lunar calendar requires the actual sighting of the new moon to start the month.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT –5 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

The Moon as it might appear in the western sky about half an hour after sunset tonight
The Moon as it might appear in the western sky about half an hour after sunset tonight, March 11th 2024. At that time the Moon will be 40 hours past its conjunction with the Sun which we call new moon. However, in ancient times, or for those using a lunar calendar, the new moon is the first sighting of the Moon after conjunction with the Sun or after its disappearance from the morning sky. Created using Stellarium.

A note: being a leap year I will have more than my normal amount of posts about the calendar and problems with the calendar.

Ephemeris: 03/08/2024 – We’re one month away from the last Great American Eclipse for the next 21 years

March 8, 2024 Comments off

This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for International Women’s Day, Friday, March 8th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 33 minutes, setting at 6:40, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:05. The Moon, 2 days before new, will rise at 7:01 tomorrow morning.

We are exactly one month from our total solar eclipse this year, so I hope you’ve gotten your eclipse glasses or whatever else you need to safely view the Sun, or make plans to drive to the path of totality. This weekend we have a time change, spring forward to daylight savings time. It’s something I don’t look forward to, because it pushes the darkness in the evening out one more hour later. Not only does the sunset later each night, but we mess with the clocks to make it even later. By the end of June and early July twilight doesn’t officially end until after midnight. Then we only get 4 1/2 hours of darkness anyway if the Moon wasn’t out.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT –5 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Image of the eclipse2024.org overview of its interactive eclipse map showing the path of totality. Click or tap on the map to enlarge it. Credit eclipse2024.org via NASA.gov.
What I think about Daylight Saving Time. Visualized by Salvador Dalí.
What I think about Daylight Saving Time. Visualized by Salvador Dalí.

Ephemeris: 03/07/2024 – There’s a unicorn in there somewhere

March 7, 2024 Comments off

This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Thursday, March 7th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 30 minutes, setting at 6:39, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:06. The Moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 6:35 tomorrow morning.

The constellation of Monoceros the unicorn is located in an area of sky to the left of Orion so it’s in the south at 8 pm, inside the Winter Triangle of stars, Betelgeuse in Orion; Sirius in the Great Dog, Canis Major; and Procyon in Canis Minor. If you don’t see anything there, it’s OK. Nobody sees real unicorns any more anyway. Are there any real unicorns? Anyway, there’s a great number of nebulae here in the Milky Way that runs through it, which unfortunately are too faint to be seen with amateur telescopes. However, it is a gold mine for amateur astronomers who are also astrophotographers using time exposures to record the faint nebulae here, including the famous Rosette Nebula!

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT –5 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

I call this my Monoceros the unicorn non finder animation, showing first just the stars as they’re seen in the sky then the boundary of Monoceros as determined by the International Astronomical Union. As you can see there’s not many naked eye stars in there. Then lines connecting the stars from Stellarium and finally the artist’s rendition of the Unicorn. Created using Stellarium and GIMP.
The Rosette Nebula photographed by Dan Dall'Olmo
The Rosette Nebula, NGC 2244, is an accurate description of this nebula. The stars in the center cause the hydrogen gases to glow red. The hottest and brightest young stars give off ultraviolet light which causes the gases to fluoresce. Also, the stellar winds from these stars blows away gases from the center, so star formation stops. Leaving a beautiful rosette in the sky. Unfortunately it’s too faint to see with the telescope visually, however it is a wonderful target for astrophotographers. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Credit: Dan Dall’Olmo, a member of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society.

Ephemeris: 03/06/2024 – Where have the naked-eye planets wandered off to this week?

March 6, 2024 Comments off

This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, March 6th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 27 minutes, setting at 6:37, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:08. The Moon, 3 days past last quarter, will rise at 6:03 tomorrow morning.

Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week, and see what planets are left. Saturn, and Mercury are gone, too close to the Sun to be seen. Jupiter will be in the west-southwest at 8 this evening. It will set at 11:25 pm in the west. Jupiter will be visible in the evening for only about another month or so. Venus, the morning star, will rise in the east-southeast at 6:23 am, but its brilliance is diminished by the bright twilight and its low position in the sky. It will be very low in the east-southeast at 6:45 am. Mars might be impossible to spot, being a bit to the right and above Venus. A pair of binoculars, at least, will be needed to spot it. It is about the width of the field of binoculars from Venus.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT –5 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Jupiter seen with the bright stars of winter in the southwestern sky at 8 pm tonight, March 6th 2024
Jupiter seen with the bright stars of winter in the southwestern sky at 8 pm tonight, March 6th 2024. Currently, it is to the right of the stars of winter. But by the end of this year when it appears again in the evening sky Jupiter will be among the stars of winter, actually to the east of Aldebaran. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using Stellarium.
Venus, Mars and the Moon as they will be positioned at 6:30 am or about 40 minutes before sunrise. Tomorrow morning March 7th 2024
Venus, Mars and the Moon as they will be positioned at 6:30 am or about 40 minutes before sunrise. Tomorrow morning March 7th 2024. They will probably not be visible from our latitude of 45° north. However, the farther south one is the higher they will appear in the sky and the angle between Venus and the Moon will be steeper. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and moons at 8 pm
We are down to one naked eye planet worth looking at in a telescope, and that is Jupiter. This is Jupiter and its moons as they would appear at 8 pm tonight, March 6th 2024. Jupiter and its moons are tilted at an angle as they would appear in the sky due to the angle of the ecliptic to the western horizon. In previous views, where I’ve looked at more than multiple planets at a time, I’ve shown them in relationship to the ecliptic or plane of the Earth’s orbit. Jupiter’s apparent diameter is 35.8 seconds of arc. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on March 6, 2024. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 6th. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp app and GIMP.

Ephemeris: 03/05/2024 – Finding Gemini the twins

March 5, 2024 Comments off

This is Ephemeris for Tuesday, March 5th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 24 minutes, setting at 6:36, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:10. The Moon, 2 days past last quarter, will rise at 5:22 tomorrow morning.

The constellation of Gemini the twins can be seen high in the south at 8 pm tonight. It’s located above and left of the constellation of Orion. The two brightest stars at the upper left of the constellation have the twin’s names. They are Castor, the one to the upper right and Pollux the brighter one to the lower left. I tend to see the constellation as the two lines of stars from Castor and Pollux running down toward Orion as a silhouette of these two boys standing together. Others see them as two stick figures. At the bottom of the line of stars emanating from Castor, what I consider Castor’s foot, is a lovely star cluster which is visible in binoculars as a little fuzzy spot, but a telescope will show a great number of stars here called Messier 35 or simply M35.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT –5 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Finder chart for Gemini
Finder chart for Gemini for about 8 pm tonight, March 5. Showing the stars without annotations, then with lines, then with Gemini art provided by Stellarium. Created using Stellarium, LibreOffice Draw, and GIMP.
Enlarged view of Castor's foot
Enlarged view of Castor’s foot, as might be seen in a pair of binoculars, showing the location of Messier 35, marked as M35. There are more stars here than it shows, especially in a telescope. I left the constellation lines and art in to relate to the finder image above. Created using Stellarium.

Ephemeris: 03/04/2024 – The evening skies are a-changing

March 4, 2024 Comments off

This is Ephemeris for Monday, March 4th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 21 minutes, setting at 6:35, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:12. The Moon, 1 day past last quarter, will rise at 4:30 tomorrow morning.

Tonight at 8 pm Orion is in the south. This will be the last month that we will be able to enjoy Orion in the evening sky, because by month’s end he will begin to dip low in the west in the evening twilight. Even though it’s not quite spring, the central constellation of that season, Leo the lion, is already rising in the east. It has cleared the horizon at 8 this evening. The backwards question mark of Leo’s head, mane and front part of his body is easily spotted in the east now with the bright star Regulus at the bottom. The Big Dipper is in the northeast, also rising higher, and signaling via the Anishinaabek constellation there of the Fisher Star, announcing the maple sugaring season.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT –5 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Looking at three star groups at 8 pm: The Big Dipper, Leo and Orion
Skies in transition.
Looking to the east-southeast at 8 pm we look at three star groups or constellations. From left to right we have the Big Dipper and the Fisher Star in the northeast. Centered in the east we have Leo the lion. And on the right, just west of south, we have Orion the central winter constellation. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Credit: Stellarium, and using LibreOffice Draw, and GIMP.

Ephemeris Extra: 03/03/2024 – Tips for viewing the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse

March 2, 2024 Comments off

What is a solar eclipse?

Solar eclipses or eclipses of the Sun occur in about one in six new moons. However, one must be in the right part of the Earth to see them, which is why they may seem rare.

In a solar eclipse the moon’s shadow is cast upon the Earth. Because the Sun is a disk, the Moon’s shadow is fuzzy with sometimes a dark core. The fuzzy outer part of the shadow is called the penumbra. Observers there will see the Sun partially covered by the Moon, a partial eclipse. Observers in the dark core of the shadow are in the umbra, and see the face of the Sun completely covered by the Moon, a total eclipse. The maximum length of totality is never more than about seven minutes. Maximum for this eclipse will be 4 minutes 28 seconds in Mexico. The maximum length of the partial eclipse would be about 2 ½ hours.

Image of the eclipse2024.org overview of its interactive eclipse map showing the path of totality. Click or tap on the map to enlarge it. Credit eclipse2024.org via NASA.gov.

What can be seen?

Solar corona
A composite image of something like 70 exposures of the Sun’s corona taken by Scott Anttila, former president of the GTAS.

The outer three layers of the Sun are potentially visible to us: photosphere, chromosphere, and corona. The photosphere is the bright ball of the Sun we normally see. Looking at it for any length of time will cause blindness. Never look at the Sun’s photosphere without an approved solar filter. The other two layers can be seen during the totality of a solar eclipse. A thin red layer of gas with flame-like protrusions called prominences just above the photosphere and can normally be seen in a Hydrogen Alpha solar telescope, but easily seen in binoculars just after totality starts and before it ends. The corona is a silvery white extended solar atmosphere that can be seen out to several solar radii out from the edge of the Moon. Its shape changes hour to hour, and sometimes minute by minute.

All around you strange things happen as the Sun is covered by the Moon.

August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse sky
Time-lapse of the eclipse shadow passing during the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse near Fayette, MO. Animated GIF, created from my video.
Bea's temperature chart
Bea’s temperature chart of the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. From data taken by Bernadette Farrell. Note that the horizontal axis not to scale. We noticed a cool breeze near totality.
  • The temperature will drop as the Sun is covered. It will be interesting to record the drop and recovery before, during and after the eclipse. Even a deep partial eclipse like what we’ll see locally will show a drop.
  • Nearing totality the Sun’s light will appear somewhat yellow in hue. The revealed part of the Sun when it is mostly covered by the Moon is cooler and yellower than the central part. This is called limb darkening.
  • As totality approaches and the sky darkens, streetlights will turn on.
  • Also Chickens and other birds will go to roost. In the country cocks will crow before and after totality. Mosquitoes will think it’s twilight and will come out in mosquito prone areas for a snack.
  • Shadow bands will be projected on flat smooth surfaces in near maximum phases of the partially eclipsed Sun. These are very subtle and are caused by atmospheric turbulence and the nearly pinpoint illumination by the Sun. It took me four total eclipses in order to be able to spot the effect on the tarmac of an airport. The nearest analog of this is seeing the shadow pattern on the bottom of a swimming pool on a sunny day, but very much fainter.
  • Look for Venus (15° lower right) and Jupiter (30° upper left) of the Sun during totality. Just before, during and after totality look around at the sky and the incoming and outgoing umbral shadow.
  • Check out the colorful horizon effects.
Prominences and inner corona photographed during the February 26, 1979, total solar eclipse. My photograph.
Baily’s Beads at the end of totality of the March 7, 1970, solar eclipse. My photograph. This was 54 years and one month before this upcoming eclipse, 3 saros periods before this upcoming eclipse. This interval is called an exeligmos.

Viewing the partial solar eclipse

How not to view a partial solar eclipse
Eclipse glasses
These are eclipse glasses which can be gotten for a couple dollars or less.
They are especially difficult to use, especially for people who wear glasses and can’t remove them because they are near-sighted.
Personally I do not recommend them, instead relying on one of the projection methods.
Be especially careful about children using them.
Remember the ISO 12312-2 compliance that should be printed on them.

Never look directly at the partially eclipsed Sun without an approved solar filter. Solar filters must comply with ISO 12312-2 and transmit no more than 0.0032% of sunlight, and preferably less. Items sold as Eclipse viewing glasses must state that they comply with ISO 12312-2. People like me who wear glasses will find gaps above and below the frames of these filters where the Sun can get in, so must be used with extreme caution. No eclipse is worth your eyesight. The damage caused by looking directly at the Sun may not be known for several days after exposure, then it’s too late. I never use these filters, and prefer to project the Sun’s image on a white screen.

Oops, the caption at top should read 4 of my solar eclipses. I didn’t use it for my first eclipse in 1963. Anyway, binoculars or other telescope can be used. To aim it, use the shadow of the telescope on the ground.

Pinhole projection is an easy way to project the Sun’s image. Depending on how far you want to project the image the larger the pinhole the farther and larger (and dimmer) the image can be. “Pinholes” up to 1/4 inch and maybe even half an inch can be used if you’re projecting it 10 feet or more. One can even use a mirror in an envelope with a small hole punched in it with the paper punch to project the sun’s image on the shady side of a building. That way many people can view the eclipse safely. Also try different size holes to get the best combination of size and brightness of the image. Unlike the illustration above it is best to mount the mirror on a tripod, or other support somehow, rather than holding it to keep the image steady. Using this method, the Sun’s motion due to the Earth’s rotation can be seen. Also, large sunspots may also be visible.

"Pinhole" viewing techniques
“Pinhole” viewing techniques. Credit NASA.

Local Circumstances

Local eclipse times for Traverse City: Starts (first contact) 1:58 p.m. Maximum 3:12 p.m. 89% covered Ends (last contact) 4:25 p.m. Times for other localities in northern Michigan will be within a minute or two of these values. It may be a minute or two after first contact for the first bite of the Moon to become discernible.

Eclipse2024.org provides an interactive map of the April 8, 2024 eclipse on the Internet to allow the display of eclipse times for any location: https://eclipse2024.org/eclipse_cities/statemap.html

The maximum of the eclipse as it might be seen from Traverse City at 3:12 pm, August April 8th 2024. 89% of the sun will be covered. The closer one is to the path of totality the more of the sun will be obscured. The times of the eclipse will be within a few minutes for Northern Michigan. Created using Stellarium.

Eclipse2024.org provides an interactive map of the April 8, 2024 eclipse on the Internet to allow the display of eclipse times for any location: https://eclipse2024.org/eclipse_cities/statemap.html.

Ephemeris: 03/01/2024 – Mr. Eclipse to give a presentation about April’s Total Solar Eclipse

March 1, 2024 Comments off

This is Ephemeris for Friday, March 1st. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 11 minutes, setting at 6:31, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:17. The Moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 1:09 tomorrow morning.

Tonight’s meeting of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will start at a special time, 7 pm, at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory, because we will join the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society via Zoom for a talk by Fred Espenak formerly of NASA. He is known as Mr. Eclipse and of course he will be talking about the April 8th total solar eclipse. Fred Espenak has been responsible for NASA’s eclipse website through the 2017 total solar eclipse. He’s chased the shadow of the Moon around the world. Now retired, he hosts two websites. One of which is mreclipse.com. The observatory is located south of Traverse City on Birmley Road between Garfield and Keystone roads.

You may also join the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society meeting directly: Follow this link to register for Zoom. They have room for 500 people on Zoom, and they’d like to max that out!

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT –5 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

The diamond ring effect
The diamond ring effect at the end of totality with just a bit of the sun’s photosphere peeking around the edge of the moon. This photograph was taken by me during the July 10th 1972 total solar eclipse seen from Prince Edward Island.
The path of the April 8th 2024 total solar eclipse across the US.
The path of the April 8th 2024 total solar eclipse which will pass from southwest to northeast across the United States from Texas to Maine. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. This image is part of an interactive eclipse map at https://eclipse2024.org/eclipse_cities/statemap.html. Credit: Eclipse2024.org.

Ephemeris: 02/29/2024 – Previewing March Skies

February 29, 2024 Comments off

This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Thursday, February 29th, the Leap Day or intercalary day. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 8 minutes, setting at 6:30, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:19. The Moon, 3 days before last quarter, will rise at 11:59 this evening.

Let’s look at the skies for the month of March. The Sun will pass the celestial equator as the promising season of spring will begin. Daylight hours in the Interlochen/Traverse City area and will increase from 11 hours and 11 minutes Tomorrow to 12 hours 45 minutes on the 31st. The altitude, or angle, of the Sun above the southern horizon at local noon will be 38 degrees tomorrow and will ascend to nearly 50 degrees on the 31st. Spring will start on the 19th at 11:07 p.m. Part of the fault for that early date is the switch to daylight saving time this early in the year a while back. The Gregorian calendar reform of 1582 will keep the vernal equinox from falling much further back. So spring will come a bit early this year, calendar-wise.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT –5 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

March Evening Star Chart

Star Chart for March evenings, 2024
Star Chart for March 2024 (10 pm EDT, March 15, 2024). Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp program.

The planets and stars are plotted for the 15th at 10 p.m. EDT in the evening and 6 a.m. for the morning chart. These are the chart times. Note that Traverse City is located approximately 45 minutes behind our time meridian. (An hour and 45 minutes behind our Daylight Saving Time meridian during EDT). To duplicate the star positions on a planisphere (rotating star finder) you may have to set it to 45 minutes or 1 hour 45 minutes earlier than your current time.

Note the chart times of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. are for the 15th. For each week before the 15th, add ½ hour (28 minutes if you’re picky). For each week after the 15th, subtract ½ hour. For planet positions on dates other than the 15th, check the Wednesday planet posts on this blog.

March Morning Star Chart

Star Chart for March mornings, 2024
Star Chart for March mornings, 2024 (6 a.m. EDT March 15, 2024). Click on image to enlarge. Created using my LookingUp program.

For a list of constellation names to go with the abbreviations click here.

  • Pointer stars at the front of the bowl of the Big Dipper point to Polaris the North Star.
  • The leaky bowl of the Big Dipper drips on Leo.
  • Follow the arc of the handle of the Big Dipper to the star Arcturus, and
  • Extend it as a spike to Spica.
  • The Summer Triangle appears in red.

Twilight Limits, Nautical and Astronomical

      EST        
  Morning Twilight Evening Twilight Dark Night Moon
Date Astro. Nautical Nautical Astro. Start End Illum.
2024-03-01 5h43m 6h17m 19h37m 20h11m 20h11m 0.65
2024-03-02 5h41m 6h15m 19h38m 20h12m 20h12m 1h09m 0.55
2024-03-03 5h40m 6h13m 19h39m 20h13m 20h13m 2h20m 0.44
2024-03-04 5h38m 6h12m 19h41m 20h15m 20h15m 3h28m 0.34
2024-03-05 5h36m 6h10m 19h42m 20h16m 20h16m 4h30m 0.23
2024-03-06 5h34m 6h08m 19h43m 20h17m 20h17m 5h22m 0.14
2024-03-07 5h32m 6h06m 19h45m 20h19m 20h19m 5h32m 0.07
2024-03-08 5h30m 6h05m 19h46m 20h20m 20h20m 5h30m 0.02
2024-03-09 5h29m 6h03m 19h47m 20h21m 20h21m 5h29m 0.00
      EDT        
2024-03-10 6h27m 7h01m 20h48m 21h23m 21h23m 6h27m 0.01
2024-03-11 6h25m 6h59m 20h50m 21h24m 21h45m 6h25m 0.05
2024-03-12 6h23m 6h57m 20h51m 21h25m 23h07m 6h23m 0.12
2024-03-13 6h21m 6h55m 20h52m 21h27m 6h21m 0.20
2024-03-14 6h19m 6h54m 20h54m 21h28m 0h29m 6h19m 0.30
2024-03-15 6h17m 6h52m 20h55m 21h30m 1h48m 6h17m 0.40
2024-03-16 6h15m 6h50m 20h56m 21h31m 3h02m 6h15m 0.51
2024-03-17 6h13m 6h48m 20h58m 21h32m 4h07m 6h13m 0.61
2024-03-18 6h11m 6h46m 20h59m 21h34m 5h00m 6h11m 0.70
2024-03-19 6h09m 6h44m 21h00m 21h35m 5h41m 6h09m 0.78
2024-03-20 6h07m 6h42m 21h02m 21h37m 0.86
2024-03-21 6h05m 6h40m 21h03m 21h38m 0.92
2024-03-22 6h03m 6h38m 21h04m 21h40m 0.96
2024-03-23 6h01m 6h36m 21h06m 21h41m 0.99
2024-03-24 5h59m 6h34m 21h07m 21h43m 1.00
2024-03-25 5h57m 6h32m 21h08m 21h44m 0.99
2024-03-26 5h55m 6h30m 21h10m 21h46m 0.97
2024-03-27 5h53m 6h28m 21h11m 21h47m 21h47m 22h51m 0.92
2024-03-28 5h50m 6h26m 21h13m 21h49m 21h49m 0h00m 0.86
2024-03-29 5h48m 6h24m 21h14m 21h50m 21h50m 0.79
2024-03-30 5h46m 6h22m 21h15m 21h52m 21h52m 1h10m 0.70
2024-03-31 5h44m 6h20m 21h17m 21h53m 21h53m 2h18m 0.60

Twilight calendar was generated using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).

See my blog post: Twilight Zone for the definitions of the different periods of twilight here: https://bobmoler.wordpress.com/2019/09/27/

NASA Calendar of Planetary Events

     Date   Time EST  Event
Mar 1 Fr Venus: 24.3° W
3 Su 3:16 am Moon-Antares: .4° S
3 Su 10:24 am Last Quarter
4 Mo 9:03 pm Moon South Dec.: 28.5° S
7 Th 11:59 pm Moon-Mars: 3.5° N
8 Fr 12:01 pm Moon-Venus: 3.2° N
Time EDT
10 Su 2:06 am Moon Perigee: 356900 km
10 Su 4:00 am New Moon
11 Mo 9:18 pm Moon Ascending Node
13 We 9:01 pm Moon-Jupiter: 3.6° S
14 Th 10:54 pm Moon-Pleiades: .4° N
17 Su 12:11 am First Quarter
17 Su 6:31 am Neptune Conjunction
17 Su 10:45 am Moon North Dec.: 28.5° N
19 Tu 2:44 am Moon-Pollux: 1.6° N
19 Tu 11:07 pm Vernal Equinox
20 We 4:03 am Moon-Beehive: 3.8° S
21 Th 6:06 pm Venus-Saturn: .3° N
23 Sa 11:44 am Moon Apogee: 406300 km
24 Su 5:59 pm Mercury Elongation: 18.7° E
25 Mo 3:00 am Full Moon
25 Mo 3:13 am Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
26 Tu 12:07 am Moon Descending Node
26 Tu 3:40 pm Moon-Spica: 1.6° S
30 Sa 10:24 am Moon-Antares: .3° S
Apr 1 Mo Venus: 16.8° W

All event times are given for UTC-5:00: Eastern Standard Time before the 10th or UTC-4:00 Daylight Saving Time thereafter.

Sky Events Calendar by Fred Espenak and Sumit Dutta (NASA’s GSFC),
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SKYCAL/SKYCAL.html

If you go to the above site you can print out a list like the above for the entire year or calendar pages for your time zone.

Note that the site is now kept up for archival purposes. Fred Espenak retired from NASA several years ago and has his own site, AstroPixels, which contain the same information: http://astropixels.com/almanac/almanac.html.

Sun and Moon Rising and Setting Events

LU              Ephemeris of Sky Events for Interlochen/TC
March, 2024 Local time zone: EST
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| DATE | SUN SUN DAYLIGHT| TWILIGHT* |MOON RISE OR ILLUM |
| | RISE SET HOURS | END START |PHASE SET** TIME FRACTN|
+=======================================================================+
|Fri 1| 07:19a 06:31p 11:11 | 07:34p 06:16a | Rise 01:09a 66%|
|Sat 2| 07:17a 06:32p 11:15 | 07:35p 06:14a | Rise 02:19a 57%|
+------+-----------------------+----------------+-----------------------+
|Sun 3| 07:15a 06:34p 11:18 | 07:37p 06:12a |L Qtr Rise 03:28a 46%|
|Mon 4| 07:14a 06:35p 11:21 | 07:38p 06:11a | Rise 04:30a 36%|
|Tue 5| 07:12a 06:36p 11:24 | 07:39p 06:09a | Rise 05:22a 26%|
|Wed 6| 07:10a 06:37p 11:27 | 07:41p 06:07a | Rise 06:03a 16%|
|Thu 7| 07:08a 06:39p 11:30 | 07:42p 06:05a | Rise 06:35a 8%|
|Fri 8| 07:06a 06:40p 11:33 | 07:43p 06:04a | Rise 07:01a 3%|
|Sat 9| 07:05a 06:41p 11:36 | 07:44p 06:02a | Rise 07:24a 0%|
+------+-----------------------+----------------+-----------------------+
| EDT | Time Change | | |
|Sun 10| 08:03a 07:43p 11:39 | 08:46p 07:00a |New Set 08:22p 1%|
|Mon 11| 08:01a 07:44p 11:43 | 08:47p 06:58a | Set 09:44p 4%|
|Tue 12| 07:59a 07:45p 11:46 | 08:48p 06:56a | Set 11:07p 10%|
|Wed 13| 07:57a 07:47p 11:49 | 08:50p 06:54a | Set 12:28a 18%|
|Thu 14| 07:55a 07:48p 11:52 | 08:51p 06:53a | Set 01:47a 28%|
|Fri 15| 07:54a 07:49p 11:55 | 08:52p 06:51a | Set 03:01a 38%|
|Sat 16| 07:52a 07:50p 11:58 | 08:54p 06:49a | Set 04:06a 48%|
+------+-----------------------+----------------+-----------------------+
|Sun 17| 07:50a 07:52p 12:01 | 08:55p 06:47a |F Qtr Set 04:59a 58%|
|Mon 18| 07:48a 07:53p 12:04 | 08:56p 06:45a | Set 05:41a 68%|
|Tue 19| 07:46a 07:54p 12:08 | 08:58p 06:43a | Set 06:13a 77%|
|Wed 20| 07:44a 07:56p 12:11 | 08:59p 06:41a | Set 06:38a 84%|
|Thu 21| 07:43a 07:57p 12:14 | 09:00p 06:39a | Set 06:59a 91%|
|Fri 22| 07:41a 07:58p 12:17 | 09:02p 06:37a | Set 07:16a 95%|
|Sat 23| 07:39a 07:59p 12:20 | 09:03p 06:35a | Set 07:32a 98%|
+------+-----------------------+----------------+-----------------------+
|Sun 24| 07:37a 08:01p 12:23 | 09:04p 06:33a | Set 07:48a 100%|
|Mon 25| 07:35a 08:02p 12:26 | 09:06p 06:31a |Full Rise 08:39p 100%|
|Tue 26| 07:33a 08:03p 12:29 | 09:07p 06:29a | Rise 09:44p 97%|
|Wed 27| 07:31a 08:04p 12:33 | 09:09p 06:27a | Rise 10:50p 93%|
|Thu 28| 07:30a 08:06p 12:36 | 09:10p 06:25a | Rise 11:59p 88%|
|Fri 29| 07:28a 08:07p 12:39 | 09:11p 06:23a | Rise 01:09a 80%|
|Sat 30| 07:26a 08:08p 12:42 | 09:13p 06:21a | Rise 02:18a 72%|
+------+-----------------------+----------------+-----------------------+
|Sun 31| 07:24a 08:09p 12:45 | 09:14p 06:19a | Rise 03:21a 62%|
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
* Nautical Twilight
** Moonrise or moonset, whichever occurs between sunrise and sunset

Created using my LookingUp for DOS output as text.