Idaho Skies Transcript for March 16th, 17th, and 18th

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for March 16th, 17th, and 18th. We’re your hosts, Paul...

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
The moon is new just after midnight on the 17th.

RACHEL
And that means its only 38 hours old on the evening of the 18th.

PAUL
But wait, there’s more.

RACHEL
That’s right. If you look for the moon on the 18th, you’ll also see Mercury and Venus close by.

PAUL
Since the moon is barely a day and a half old, it’s a very thin crescent.

RACHEL
Meaning it’s difficult to see without binoculars.

PAUL
So at around 7:30 PM on the 18th, aim your eyes at the low west.

RACHEL
You’ll find that Venus is pretty easy to locate, since it’s so bright.

PAUL
Mercury however, will be a little more difficult to see for two reasons.

RACHEL
Because Mercury is only half the size of Venus and it’s much less reflective.

PAUL
That means you’re looking for a darker world when you search for Mercury.

RACHEL
But in Mercury’s favor, it’s only half the distance from Earth than Venus.

PAUL
Still, Mercury is about 40 times fainter than Venus on the 18th.

RACHEL
And located a little ways above the upper right of Venus.

PAUL
Next, search for the moon, which is nearly the same distance away from Venus as is Mercury.

RACHEL
But the moon is located to the left of Venus.

PAUL
Seeing both Mercury and the thin crescent moon will be easier if you use a pair of binoculars.

RACHEL
However, you can’t use them until after the sun has set.

PAUL
Good luck and may you be successful on your astronomical quest.

RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 16th, 17th, and 18th of March.

PAUL
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @IdahoSkies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps.

For Idaho Skies this is Paul...

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.