Observations 3.2

3/3/10
9:15 PM
Planets: Mars, nearly overhead
Constellations: Auriga, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Cassiopeia, Gemini, Orion, Perseus, Taurus
Stars: Aldebaran, Betelgeuse, Orion's top shoulder on the left, Capella, Castor, Pollux, Procyon, Rigel, bottom right of Orion, and Sirius, which was bright blue and twinkling
Other: the kids in Auriga, the Pleiades (M45) in Taurus

3/6/10
Astronomy Night
7 PM - 9 PM
Planets: Mars, Saturn
With the telescope, I could see greenish color of Saturn and the rings on either side of the planet.
Constellations: Andromeda, Auriga, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Cassiopeia, Columba, Gemini, Leo, Lepus, Monoceros, Orion, Perseus, Ursa Major and the Big Dipper, Ursa Minor and the Little Dipper
Stars: Aldebaran, Betelgeuse, Capella, Castor, Mintaka, Polaris, Pollux, Procyon, Rigel, Sirius
Other: the Hyades, the kids, the Pleiades
Through binoculars, I saw the brighter stars of the Pleiades and many others in the cluster.
With a telescope, I saw the white dwarf companion stars of Sirius and Rigel. They were difficult to see, and looked like small white dots next to the brighter, larger companions.

3/8/10
9:00 PM
Planets: Mars
Constellations: Auriga, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Gemini, Lepus, Orion, Taurus
Stars: Aldebaran, Betelgeuse, Capella, Castor, Pollux, Procyon, Rigel, Sirius
Other: the Hyades, the kids, Orion's Belt, the Pleiades

3/21/10
9:30 PM
The Moon was a waxing crescent.
Planets: Mars overhead, Saturn about 30 degrees above the horizon to the east
Constellations: part of Andromeda, Auriga, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Gemini overhead, Leo and the sickle, high up when facing east, Orion to the southwest, Perseus, Ursa Major and the Big Dipper
Stars: Betelgeuse, Capella, Procyon, Regulus, Rigel, Sirius

3/22/10
10 PM
First quarter Moon
Planets: Mars, Saturn to the east
Constellations: Auriga, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Gemini, Leo and the sickle overhead towards the east, Ursa Major
Stars: Capella, Procyon, Regulus, Sirius

3/23/10
11 PM
First quarter Moon
Planets: Mars, faint because of the Moon, Saturn to the east
Constellations: Bootes, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Corvus, Gemini, faint because of the Moon, Leo, Orion was about 30 degrees above the horizon towards the west, Ursa Major, Virgo
Stars: Castor, Denebola, Pollux, Procyon, Regulus, Sirius

3/25/10
10 PM
The moon was at the waxing gibbous phase; it was too cloudy to see much.

APOD 3.8

Detailed View of a Solar Eclipse Corona
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100316.html

This is a picture of the Sun's corona during the 2008 total solar eclipse. The corona is normally not visible because of the brighter photosphere. Solar prominences and complex layers of gas in changing magnetic fields can be easily seen in this picture. The corona extends millions of kilometers into space. It is nearly 200 times hotter than the photosphere but is significantly less dense. It is not completely clear why the corona is so much hotter than the solar surface.

APOD 3.7

JWST: Mirrors and Masked Men
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100312.html

The James Webb Space Telescope is an international effort led by NASA. It was named after NASA's second administrator. It is an infrared space telescope and will replace some of Hubble's functions. It is intended to be able to see some of the most distant objects in the universe, and has four main goals: to find some of the original light created by the first galaxies and stars after the Big Bang, to study the formation of galaxies, to study the formation of stars, and to study planetary systems and the origins of life. The JWST is planned to be launched an an Ariane 5 rocket in 2014. It will orbit the Sun between the Sun and Earth, synchronized with Earth's orbit. The telescope has a 21.3-foot primary mirror with eighteen segments. The technicians in the picture are preparing some of the mirror segments.