A Total Eclipse, a Partial Eclipse and the Return of Spring

By Matthew Johnson

Since the December winter solstice, the frigid weather has continued in the Norfolk Icebox. But the earth’s orbit is carrying us toward the warmer and longer days where we will reach the point in our orbit termed the vernal, or spring equinox, on March 20, at 5:01 a.m. The sun will be directly over the equator as the earth rotates under its sunshine.

On the equinox (from the Latin for “equal”), we have an almost equal 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. The equinox heralds the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. On the equinox, Earth is halfway between winter and summer, heading towards the latter.

Since late December, the earth has added about three minutes to the length of each day. Thus, by month’s end we will have gained three hours and 26 minutes more daylight since December’s shortest days. Additionally, Daylight Savings Time will occur on March 9, at 2 a.m., so remember to manually set all timepieces forward by one hour.

Planets

As March gets underway, Saturn and Neptune will have drifted quite close to the sun, with Venus not far behind, leaving Jupiter, Mars and Uranus to dominate the night sky. At this time, Mercury can be observed if one has a view of the western horizon. It will appear very bright, having followed the setting sun, and will be the bright object below the moon and Venus. Mercury will continue to be visible up to March 10, appearing to the lower left of brilliant Venus. Jupiter can also be viewed in the constellation Taurus just below Aldeberan, the red/orange star referred to as the “eye of the bull,” located in the “Hyades” cluster of stars. Around March 8, Mars can be viewed in the constellation Gemini just to the left of its two brightest stars, Castor and Pollox. After March 20, Venus will begin to disappear behind the sun, to later reappear in the morning skies.

Moon Phases:
March 6: First quarter (right half of moon illuminated).

March 14: Full moon. Total lunar eclipse on March 13-14.

March 22: Last quarter (left half of the moon illuminated).

March 29: New moon. Partial solar eclipse (no visible moon). The best time of the month to observe faint objects such as distant galaxies and star clusters are the few days before and after the new moon, as there will be no moonlight to interfere.

March’s full moon was known by Native American tribes as the Worm Moon, which refers to the fact that earthworms and grubs tend to emerge from their winter dormancy at this time of year, attracting robins and marking a sign of spring. It is also referred to as the Sap Moon, for the time when sugar maples begin to produce sap for maple syrup and sugar candy.

Asteroids and NEOs:
The terms asteroids and NEOs are new headings. Most asteroids are found orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. They range in size from Vesta, about 390 miles in diameter, to those smaller than 30 feet across. They have no atmosphere and are rocky remnants of the formation of the early solar system. According to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, there are 1,439,180 asteroids fitting this description. NEOs (Near Earth Objects) are comets and asteroids that have been nudged by the gravitational attraction of nearby planets into orbits that allow them to enter the earth’s neighborhood. They are composed mostly of water ice with embedded dust particles. There has been a great deal of interest in asteroids passing near to Earth. For now, there is little worry about impact. Stay tuned for future comments on specific asteroids, the variety of programs tracking their orbits and the planning missions to mine and deflect them away from a collision with Earth.

Public Event: View the Total Eclipse of the Moon
On the evening of Thursday, March 13 and continuing into the early morning of March 14, the moon will be eclipsed as the earth blocks the sunlight that normally illuminates the moon. This can be viewed from all the lower 48 states. The eclipse will last 6 hours and 3 minutes. It will begin at 11:57 p.m. and end at 6:03 a.m.

During a lunar eclipse, the moon is still partially illuminated, displaying a deep reddening instead of becoming dark or invisible like a total eclipse of the sun. A lunar eclipse is not as dramatic as a solar eclipse.

Matthew Johnson will lead a lunar eclipse viewing event for the public, sponsored by Aton Forest, beginning at 11:30 p.m., on March 13. For more information on the location and items to bring, visit the town website at www.norfolkct.org. 

Public Event: View the Partial Eclipse of the Sun
Do not look at the sun without the proper certified filters and lenses.

On Saturday morning, March 29, the sun will be partially eclipsed as the moon passes between it and the earth. This partial eclipse will begin at 6:30 a.m., will reach a maximum at 6:41 a.m., and will end around 7:10 a.m. The entire eclipse will last less than 30 minutes.

Matthew Johnson will lead a partial solar eclipse viewing event for the public, sponsored by Aton Forest, beginning at 6:30 a.m., on March 29. This event should be observed from an open eastern horizon, as the sun will rise slightly partially eclipsed. Thus, a clear view to the east when the sun is rising is necessary. For more information on the event location and items to bring, visit the town website at www.norfolkct.org.