The constellation Leo the Lion strides into our evening skies as a harbinger of spring constellations. The Vernal Equinox occurs on March 20 this year. Equal hours of daylight and darkness are upon us.
Leo the Lion embodies the spring season in our imaginations, equal to the celebrity of Orion the Hunter in wintertime. Studying the star map, above, we might imagine the Lion pursuing the Hunter, soon to overcome the giant who is losing dominance in the celestial sphere. By superimposing the Winter Circle, detailed below, and the sky view, above, in our mind’s eye, we have a map with the identities of the alluring stars and planets at the change of season.
Brightest points of light in top diagram: Jupiter crystalline white high in the southwest early, setting in the west-northwest after midnight. Mars appears as a burnished pink point of light beyond Leo the Lion mid-sky overhead at 9:15 p.m. Mars is underneath Castor and Pollux. Locate the Big Dipper high overhead, its handle “arching to Arcturus,” a bright golden star.
This diagram is included as a late-night constellation guide with the signature charm of illustrations by H. A. Rey. Seek out his exciting astronomy books suitable for all ages: “Find the Constellations” and “The Stars – A new way to see them.”
Sunset is close to due west at 6:59 p.m. today, the 15th. Venus, following sundown, will disappear very soon from the evening sky. The goddess planet sets in the west at 8:11 p.m., visible close to the horizon.
A postscript in celebration of the total lunar eclipse observed overnight Thursday, March 13, and Friday, March 14:
