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Home , Aldebaran, Capricornus, Taurus (constellation)

DAVIS PLANETARIUM

StarmapMARCH/APRIL 2021 601 Light Street • Baltimore’s Inner Harbor

410.685.5225 • www.marylandsciencecenter.org

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MAGNITUDE is a measure of a ’s brightness. TO USE MAP: The lower the number, the brighter the star Hold the map in front of you so that the direction you are facing is on the 1st or brighter star bottom. The on the lower half on the map will match up with the stars 2nd magnitude star in the sky. The center of the map is directly overhead in the sky. 3rd magnitude star and star pattern names are all capitalized. Names of stars have only the first 4th or fainter magnitude star letter capitalized. The map is valid within an hour of: 11:30pm Mid-March EDT : 9:30pm Mid-April EDT The imaginary path of the through the . of the surround the Ecliptic and the and planets appear along it. DAVIS PLANETARIUM

CELESTIAL HIGHLIGHTS StarmapMARCH/APRIL 2021 Mars near , March 3-6 – In early March, Mars is moving below the Pleiades. This cluster has a shape like a IN THE MARCH/APRIL SKY small question mark in the sky of six to seven stars, found in the constellation , the . The cluster can be found by taking Mar 3-6 Apr 4 ’s belt stars and following them up in the sky past the red Mars near Pleiades cluster Last Quarter Moon star . From night to night, Mars will be moving eastward (See Celestial Highlights) Apr 6 below and left of the cluster. Mar 5 Moon below Saturn Last Quarter Moon (morning) Daylight Saving Time begins, Sunday, March 14, 2:00 am – Remember to turn your clocks forward one hour before going to Mar 6 Apr 7 bed Saturday night! Mercury at greatest Moon below elongation (morning) (morning) Moon near Mars and Pleiades, Thursday, March 18 and Friday, Mar 9 Apr 11 March 19 – As the Moon is taking its trip around the Earth for the Moon near Saturn (morning) New Moon it is making a close approach with Mars and the Pleiades a star cluster, in the constellation Taurus. Look to the west on Mar 10 Apr 17 March 18, the Moon will be below and left of the Pleiades star Moon near Jupiter and Moon near Mars cluster. The following day, the Moon will be just to the left of Mercury (morning) (See Celestial Highlights) Mars, which is above and to the right of the red star Aldebaran. Mar 13 Apr 18 Both Aldebaran and Mars will look like red colored dots in the New Moon Mercury in sky, Aldebaran will be slightly brighter and twinkle, while Mars Mar 14 with the Sun will not be twinkling. Daylight Saving Time begins Apr 19 (See Celestial Highlights) Moon near Vernal , Saturday, March 20, 5:22 am – The Vernal Equinox marks the first day of spring. The are the only Mar 18 Apr 20 two days each year when the sun rises due east and sets due west Moon near Pleiades cluster First Quarter Moon everywhere on Earth! If you happen to be standing at the Earth’s (See Celestial Highlights) Apr 21/22 at noon during the Equinox, you will see the sun pass Mar 19 Moon near Regulus directly overhead. Moon near Mars Apr 25 Moon near Mars, Friday, April 16 and Saturday, April 17 – The Mar 20 Moon near Spica crescent Moon makes its closest approach to Mars for the month Vernal Equinox Apr 26 on April 17 and will also be close to Mars on April 16 in the (See Celestial Highlights) constellation Taurus. Mar 21 Apr 30 The bi-monthly STARMAP is available on the web at First Quarter Moon in conjunction https://www.mdsci.org/learn/resources/starmaps/ Mar 22 with Sun Moon near Pollux CROSBY RAMSEY MEMORIAL OBSERVATORY INFO 410-545-2999 Mar 26 For the health and safety of our guests, the Observatory is Venus in conjunction with temporarily closed. the Sun Mar 28 Full Moon Mar 29 Moon near Spica

MERCURY VENUS MARS JUPITER SATURN When: When: When: When: When: Before sunrise, until late Not visible Evening sky Before sunrise Before sunrise March Where: Where: Where: Where: Not visible, April Not visible Southwest to West East to Southeast East to Southeast Where: Constellation: Constellation: Constellation: Constellation: Very low in East, March Not visible Taurus, Constellation: Capricornus, Aquarius,