Easter

Firstly please forgive me for failing you all so dismally last week when I forgot to record Scilly Stars, needless to say it was the best week we’re going to get for at least 10,000 years, with at least 48 vivid comets and 3 supernovas, sadly this week is a little more humdrum. Though saying that it’s not that bad, firstly we have a full moon on Friday. This is the full moon that dictates when Easter falls. You may have noticed that Easter flips around rather annoyingly, and apparently randomly, though it’s not the least bit random. Last year it fell on the 24^th of April, the latest it can be is the 25^th; the earliest is 22^nd of March. This is how it works, Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. So if there is a full moon on the equinox, the 21^st of March which also happens to be a Saturday, then Easter Sunday is the next day on the 22^nd. This year it’s a bit more rational and falls on the 8^th. If you don’t like it then blame Moses because its all based on the Jewish Passover, which is a celebration of the alleged escape of the Jews from Egypt, it may be time to move on a bit.

Venus and Jupiter are still very bright in the Western sky after Sunset, Jupiter is getting lower all the time now, but Venus is holding it’s position as it moves closer the Earth, it doesn’t set now until after 11, which is very late for Venus.

Mars and Saturn rise well before Venus sets, Mars is quite high in the SE after Sunset, very bright and very orange, it’s getting dimmer everyday now as it moves away from us, Saturn rises at 9 shortly before Jupiter sets. Tonight Mars is a little to North of the moon, and on Friday when the Moon is full it’s just to the south of Saturn. I’ve put some guides on the blog if you need a little help spotting them.

Well we’re is Aries now as are Uranus and Neptune, which means they’re on the other side of the sun, which means if you are Aries you may well have an encounter with an amorous goat this week, I can’t be too specific about precisely where and one, but be prepared. 

And that was your night sky for the week ending on the 100^th day of the year and the 100^th anniversary of the Titanic leaving port in Southampton. If your unfamiliar with the story she struck an ice berg and sank a few years later, but mercifully Kate Winslet survived, but less positively so did her fiancée who was frankly a bit of a cad.