2024, March 16: Late Winter Taurus Moon

March 16, 2024: After sundown, look for the Late Winter Taurus Moon high in the western sky.  Find bright Jupiter and Uranus through a binocular.

Moon and Venus, 2020
Photo Caption – The crescent moon appears near Venus as the brilliant planet approaches the star Elnath.

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by Jeffrey L. Hunt

Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:00 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 6:57 p.m. CDT.  Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program.

Tomorrow daylight exceeds nighttime.  Today, daylight’s length is 11 hours, 59 minutes.  Traditionally, the equinox is associated with the day of equal daylight and nighttime. On the occurrence of the equinox in three days, daylight’s length is already 12 hours, 7 minutes long.

Summaries of Current Sky Events
Summary for Venus as a Morning Star, 2023-24

Here is today’s planet forecast:

Morning Sky

Morning Planets

The sky has no bright planet that is easy to see, although three planets are in morning twilight.  Mars rises first, 67 minutes before the sun.  The planet is dim, but visible with a binocular, in a clear, uncluttered sky over 4° above the east-southeast horizon at 40 minutes before sunrise.

Venus rises 26 minutes later.  While bright, the planet is immersed in brightening twilight.  Just 20 minutes before daybreak, it is 3° above the horizon, and over 10° to the lower left of Mars, although the Red Planet is washed out by the bright light.

Spotting Saturn, rising 24 minutes before the sun in the approaching light of daybreak, is a “lost cause.”

Evening Sky

Mercury and Jupiter

Late Winter Taurus Moon
Chart Caption – 2024, March 16: At 45 minutes after sundown, Mercury and Jupiter are visible in the western sky.

After nightfall, Mercury continues its climb into the western sky. In a week it appears farthest from the sun, making its best evening appearance of the year. At 45 minutes after the sun sets, the planet is 6° up in the west.  It is bright and easily visible, although a binocular is helpful with its initial identification.

Mercury appears higher each night for the next week, peaking at nearly 10° in altitude – height above the horizon – at this time interval after sunset.

Bright Jupiter is higher in the sky, over 30° to the upper left of Mercury.

The nearly half-full moon is high in the southwest, over 40° to the upper left of the Jovian Giant.  The moon is at its First Quarter phase at 11:11 p.m. CDT.

Late Winter Taurus Moon

Late Winter Taurus Moon
Chart Caption – 2024, March 16: One hour after nightfall, Jupiter and the nearly half-full moon are in the western sky.

As the sky darkens further, dimmer stars are visible.  The moon is to the upper left of the star Elnath, Taurus’ northern horn.

The starry Taurus resembles its namesake.  The Bull’s head is made by Aldebaran, nearly 30° to Jupiter’s upper left, and the Hyades star cluster.  The bovine has two long horns.  The southern point is dotted by Zeta Tauri.  The Pleiades star cluster rides on the back.  With this moonlight, use a binocular to see the stars that make the Bull.

Binocular View: Jupiter and Uranus

2024, March 16: Through a binocular, Jupiter and Uranus are in the same field of view.
Chart Caption – 2024, March 16: Through a binocular, Jupiter and Uranus are in the same field of view.

With the binocular look for Jupiter and Uranus in the same field of view.  Place Jupiter toward the lower right portion of the field.  Uranus is toward the upper left, to the upper left of dimmer 53 Arietis (53 Ari on the chart).  Note the star Rho (ρ Ari) inside a triangle of three dimmer stars, to Uranus’ lower right. While the moon is waxing, watch Jupiter open a gap on the star Omicron (ο Ari) and approach Sigma (σ Ari).

Jupiter sets over four hours after sundown and before midnight.  The moon sets four hours later.

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