1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,320 Howdy stargazers and welcome to this episode of Star Trails. 2 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:17,560 I'm Drew and I'll be your guide to the night sky for the week starting March 9th through 3 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:19,360 the 15th. 4 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:24,160 This week a total lunar eclipse turns our full moon blood red. 5 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:30,160 We say goodbye to Saturn for a while and a newly launched space telescope promises to 6 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,000 redefine how we see the universe. 7 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:38,800 So grab a comfortable chair under the night sky and let's get started. 8 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,360 First up let's check in with our neighbor, the moon. 9 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:47,760 This week our lunar cycle moves from a waxing gibbous phase to a brilliant full moon on 10 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:51,240 the early morning of March 14th. 11 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:56,600 This month's full moon is known as the Worm Moon, a name passed down from Native American 12 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:58,040 tribes. 13 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:03,880 It marks the thawing of the ground and the return of earthworms, an important sign that 14 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:06,440 spring is right around the corner. 15 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:12,240 And this year's Worm Moon is going to be extra special because it's also bringing us a total 16 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:14,640 lunar eclipse. 17 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:19,880 On the night of March 13th into the early hours of March 14th we'll witness a total 18 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:26,600 lunar eclipse, sometimes called a blood moon, owing to the eerie reddish hue the moon takes 19 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,120 on during totality. 20 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:34,440 A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth comes directly between the sun and the moon, casting 21 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:37,560 a shadow that darkens the lunar surface. 22 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,720 There are three phases of a lunar eclipse. 23 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:45,840 The penumbral phase begins around midnight, eastern standard time. 24 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:50,840 The moon starts to move into earth's outer shadow causing a slight dimming that's hard 25 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:53,080 to notice with the naked eye. 26 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:59,600 The partial eclipse begins after 1am when the moon enters the darker inner part of the earth's 27 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:06,360 shadow, the umbra, and a bite-like shadow appears on the lunar surface. 28 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:14,400 Totality begins around 2.30am EST when the moon is fully covered by earth's umbral shadow. 29 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:19,440 Dying red due to sunlight scattering through earth's atmosphere. 30 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:24,480 That deep red color happens because earth's atmosphere filters out shorter wavelength 31 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:30,760 blue light and bends the longer wavelength red and orange light toward the moon. 32 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:35,760 Essentially, it's the same reason why sunsets look red. 33 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:41,280 If you want to catch this phenomenon, head outside after midnight on March 13th into 34 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:43,240 March 14th. 35 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:48,560 As the event progresses, the moon will appear high in the sky, making it easy to watch from 36 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,560 anywhere with clear weather. 37 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:56,720 Visible planets this week include our usual suspects, minus Saturn, which is now in the 38 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:58,600 sun's glare. 39 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:03,480 You may be able to catch Mercury in the western sky just after sunset. 40 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:11,040 You'll need a clear view of the horizon as it's very low and it sets not long after sunset. 41 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:16,600 Being brightly as the evening star, Venus will be prominent in the western sky after 42 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:18,160 sunset. 43 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:23,040 Right now it's the third brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon. 44 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:29,040 However, as the month progresses, Venus will move closer to the sun and become less visible, 45 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,560 eventually transitioning to the morning sky. 46 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:36,440 Jupiter continues dominating the southern sky in the evening. 47 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:42,320 It will be high overhead as darkness falls, setting in the early morning hours. 48 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:47,200 Its brightness makes it easily observable with the naked eye, and good binoculars or 49 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:51,960 a telescope can reveal its four largest moons. 50 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:55,920 Mars is high in the sky in Gemini after sunset. 51 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:05,080 Look for its reddish hue to distinguish it from nearby stars. 52 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:09,560 Today marks the beginning of daylight saving time for many listeners. 53 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:15,520 Clocks will spring forward one hour in many regions, meaning sunset will happen later 54 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,160 in the evening. 55 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:23,840 Great news for evening activities, but it does push back our prime star-gazing hours. 56 00:04:23,840 --> 00:04:29,480 This shorter observation window means you'll need to wait an extra hour for darker skies 57 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:33,120 to see fainter stars and deep sky objects. 58 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:37,320 The lunar eclipse won't be affected since it's happening in the early morning before 59 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,880 daylight interferes. 60 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:41,640 So plan accordingly. 61 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:46,880 If you're used to heading out at 8pm to see the night sky, you may now have to wait until 62 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:57,720 closer to 9pm for the best views. 63 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:03,960 Last week NASA launched an ambitious mission designed to map the entire sky. 64 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:13,600 The Sphere X mission that stands for Spectrophotometer for the History of the Universe, Epic of Reionization, 65 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:22,360 and ISIS Explorer, is a new space telescope designed to conduct an all-sky infrared survey. 66 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:28,600 The goal is to provide astronomers with an unprecedented view of the cosmos. 67 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,640 Sphere X was scheduled to be launched last week. 68 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:34,800 At the time of this recording, it hadn't yet gone. 69 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:39,760 But this mission will help answer fundamental questions about the origins of the universe, 70 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:45,800 the formation of galaxies, and the distribution of water and organic molecules in the Milky 71 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:47,000 Way. 72 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:52,720 Unlike traditional space telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope or Hubble, 73 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:59,240 which focus on deep-sky observations of specific targets, Sphere X will systematically scan 74 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:04,600 the entire sky multiple times over its two-year mission. 75 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:10,040 The telescope will capture near-infrared light, allowing it to detect objects obscured by 76 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:16,240 dust, including galaxies, nebula, and regions where new stars are forming. 77 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:22,400 Sphere X will also perform spectroscopy on every part of the sky it observes. 78 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:27,680 This means it will split incoming light into different wavelengths, revealing detailed 79 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:32,840 information about the composition and distance of objects in space. 80 00:06:32,840 --> 00:06:39,400 The mission's instrument will collect spectra from more than 450 million galaxies and 100 81 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,680 million stars within the Milky Way. 82 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:49,880 One of Sphere X's primary objectives is to explore the earliest moments of cosmic history. 83 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:54,880 Scientists believe that tiny quantum fluctuations during the Big Bang led to the formation of 84 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:59,320 galaxies and large-scale structures in the universe. 85 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:05,520 By mapping these structures across vast cosmic distances, Sphere X will provide insights into 86 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:10,680 how the universe evolved from its infancy to the present day. 87 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:16,960 The epoch of re-ionization marks the period when the first galaxies and stars formed, lighting 88 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:20,680 up the universe after the cosmic dark ages. 89 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:27,200 By analyzing infrared light from ancient galaxies, Sphere X will help astronomers understand when 90 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:33,360 and how this process unfolded, shedding light on one of the most mysterious eras in cosmic 91 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:35,240 history. 92 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:42,320 The program will also play a crucial role in studying the origins of life-related molecules. 93 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:48,240 By mapping water ice and organic compounds in interstellar clouds, the mission will help 94 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:54,760 scientists determine where these essential building blocks of life exist in our galaxy. 95 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:59,840 Understanding their distribution is vital to uncovering how planets, including Earth, 96 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:04,600 formed and whether life might exist elsewhere in the universe. 97 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:10,360 By capturing a 3D map of cosmic evolution, Sphere X will help answer some of astronomy's 98 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:16,880 biggest questions, offering new insights into the birth of galaxies, the origins of water, 99 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:25,040 and the structure of the universe itself. 100 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:29,720 If you found this episode helpful, let me know and feel free to send in your questions and 101 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:30,720 observations. 102 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:36,720 The easiest way to do that is by visiting our website, startrails.show. 103 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:40,160 This is also a great way to share the show with friends. 104 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:44,240 Until next time, keep looking up and exploring the night sky. 105 00:08:44,240 --> 00:09:01,280 Clear skies, everyone!