Idaho Skies Transcript for March 9th, 10th, and 11th

RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for March 9th, 10th, and 11th. We’re your hosts, Rachel...

PAUL
...and Paul.

RACHEL
The last quarter moon visits star clusters and Saturn this weekend.

PAUL
When the moon rises after midnight of the 9th and 10th, it will only be half full.

RACHEL
This is the best lunar phase for binocular users.

PAUL
So scan along the terminator, or boundary between lunar day and night to see its many craters and mountains.

RACHEL
The long shadows cast by the rising sun make small lunar details visible through binoculars.

PAUL
After midnight on the 10th, scan the region around the moon with your binoculars.

RACHEL
You’ll see several fuzzy patches and even small clumps of stars.

PAUL
These are some of the many nebulae and star clusters surrounding the moon.

RACHEL
This region of the sky is particularly rich in star clusters and nebula because it’s close to the galactic center.

PAUL
Which is where most of the galaxy’s stars are located

RACHEL
Stargazers will also notice there’s a mellow-yellow star to the moon’s left that doesn’t twinkle like the other stars.

PAUL
It’s Saturn, the solar system’s sixth planet.

RACHEL
Orangish Mars is located the same distance from the moon, but on the moon’s right.

PAUL
And like Mars, Saturn is too far away to appear as anything other than a star in binoculars.

RACHEL
But if you have a telescope, or even spotting scope, you can see its rings and largest satellite.

PAUL
That large satellite is Titan, the second largest in the solar system.

RACHEL
And a telescope only needs 25 magnification to see both the rings and Titan.

PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 9th, 10th, and 11th of March.

RACHEL
Be sure to read our blog for additional information. It’s at idahoskies.blogspot.com.

For Idaho Skies this is Rachel...

PAUL
...and Paul.

RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.