Sky Lights ~ Aries

Mars is seen overhead, high in the west at 8:00pm. The planet sets around 3:00am at the beginning of Aries and by its end at 2:00am. The Red Planet lies above (east of) and between red Betelgeuse and red Aldebaran; these three form the shapeshifting Red Triad. Compare the color and brightness of each. The Red planet is now moving eastward toward the bright Gemini Twin stars, Castor and Pollux, forming another shapeshifting triangle! Mars Path 3/08 ~ 4/5 9pm Sky Chart

Saturn and Regulus pair up high in the the southeast at nightfall; they set at 6:00am in the beginning of Aries and by its end at 4:15am. During Aries watch the golden planet's retrograde motion (12/19/07-5/1/08) move it westward closer and closer to Regulus the blue-white heart star of Leo the Lion. 4/5 9pm Sky Chart Saturn is 2.5x brighter than Regulus. As predawn Saturn sets in the west, Jupiter rises in the east. 4/5 4am Sky Chart Saturn's rings are closing toward their 2009 edge-on view.

Jupiter is brilliant as it ascends above the predawn southeastern horizon, outshining any nearby stars or planets. It rises in the southeast at 3:40am in the beginning of Aries and by its end at 2:00am. As it nears Earth and opposition 7/9/08, Jupiter grows bigger and brighter in our sky. Jupiter remains located at the eastern border of the constellation Sagittarius throughout 2008. Early April Map ~ 4/15 6:30am Sky Chart

Venus rises within 30 minutes of the Sun during Aries and is too deep in the solar glare to be easily seen from the Northern Hemisphere. 4/15 6:30am Sky Chart BTW: Observers in the Southern Hemisphere see the planet 90 minutes before sunrise. Venus reaches superior conjunction 6/9.

Mercury is lost in the glowing embrace of the Sun during Aries. It reaches superior conjunction 4/16. Mercury reappears in the evening sunset sky in late April, when it gives its best performance for 2008.

Capella is the very bright star in the northwest setting in the beginning of Aries at 4:00am and by its end at 2:00am. It is the brightest star seen the most often. Spring Star Map

The Pleiades star cluster can be seen sinking in the west in the early evening. Look for the line-up, west to southwest, of the sparkling blue-white Pleiades, red Aldebaran and brighter red Betelgeuse. Winter Star Map In 2008 the Red Planet lies above (east of) and between the two red stars, completing the Red Triad. 4/5 9pm Sky Chart The Pleiades set about 12:15am in the beginning of Aries and by its end at 10:15pm. Springtime Pleiades

Orion The Hunter is found with the winter stars sinking in the southwest at sunset. The stellar giant fully sets in the beginning of Aries by 1:30am and by its end at 11:30pm. Use Orion's stars to navigate this area of the sky. Winter Star Map Orion helps one find the Winter Triangle and the Great Winter Hexagon.

Sirius the brightest star in the heavens can be seen high in the south as the sky darkens. Sirius sets in the beginning of Aries around 1:00am and by its end at 11:00pm.

Regulus and Leo the Lion spring up in the east at sunset.

Arcturus, a bright golden star, can be seen low on the eastern horizon at 9:00pm. Use the handle of the Big Dipper to arc down to Arcturus from there spike down to blue-white Spica in the south! Big Dipper Navigation

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