Ella Rose Mast Newsletter – March 1988

Ella Rose Mast Newsletter – March 1988
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HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE COMET WHICH THROUGH JANUARY AND FEBRUARY has been streaking through the sky from the Big Dipper to Cassiopeia? It is closest to the sun on February 28.

This comet’s name is Tempel-Tuttle. It has been here before, ever so often. And is the source of the Leonid meteorite shower. Thus, the comet this year is pointing out the message of Cassiopeia. And we gave you that story last year. But Cassiopeia, remember, is the ultimate climax for the Andromeda story. The lady (Israel) crowned, cleansed and reigning with her king.

In March, the moon occults both Aldebaran and Jupiter. If you are from the Mississippi, west, this will take place in broad day light. In the east the star Aldebaran should be plainly seen on March 4th. The moon will be high in the sky and you should be able to see the orange star reappear from behind the moon’s bright glare of the sunlit lunar edge.

On March 26th, this occultation will only be seen by easterners. Among bright planets, only Mercury and Venus are better placed than usual for viewing this month. But a penumbrae eclipse and several close pairings of the moon with objects make for added interest. Mercury (the U.S.) Has its best evening apparition of the year for mid-northern latitude viewers. For 40 degrees North, the planet reaches maximum altitude on March 20.

Mercury is not alone in the western evening sky. Mars is above and Saturn far above it.

By March 10, Mercury lies less than a degree from Mars. And on March 28, the slender moon is just a few degrees left of Mars with Saturn and Mercury above them.