Idaho Skies Transcript for March 13th and 14th

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for March 13th and 14th. We’re your hosts, Paul…

RACHEL
…and Rachel.

PAUL
The first quarter moon passes very close to the M-35 star cluster on the 14th.

RACHEL
This means stargazers will have two excellent binocular targets on Thursday night. The moon shows its best detail when it’s at the first quarter phase. Best of all, many of these details are visible through modest binoculars. For example, stargazers will see that the moon’s southern hemisphere is packed with craters. 

PAUL
It’s packed because the lunar southern highlands are old. This part of the lunar surface dates back to a time when the inner solar system was dense with orbiting planetesimals. These planetesimals were the building blocks of planets 4.5 billion years ago. And after the planets finally solidified from the solar nebula, there were still plenty of planetesimals left over. 

RACHEL
It may have been the shifting positions of Jupiter and Saturn that sent many of these remaining planetesimals careening inward. Their impacts left scars on all the inner planets, none escaped this heavenly rain. However, Venus and Earth have erased all of those impact scars through weathering. Mars still has some, but Mercury and the moon still maintain their scars. 

PAUL
Stargazers viewing the impact scars from what astronomers call the late heavy bombardment should also look for star cluster M-35 on the 14th. The star cluster is 3.5 degrees above the moon. To find it, place the moon at the bottom of your binoculars’ view. The star cluster will then be straight up and in the center of your view.

RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 13th and 14th 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.