To get the best possible results with my astrophotography, I try to plan ahead to shoot as many astronomical events as I can. Here are some of the opportunities you’ll have in the next month:
March 3/4: Mars at Opposition. Mars will be as close as it gets to the earth, and will rise in the evening as the sun sets.
March 5: Mercury may be visible shortly after the sun sets through March 12, but on March 5 it reaches it maximum distance from the sun.
March 7: The nearly-full moon will rise just before sunset. Mars will rise right behind the moon in the evening sky.
March 8: Full moon.
March 9: The nearly-full moon will set just after sunrise.
March 10 – 20: Venus and Jupiter Conjunction
March 12: Arguably the best day of the Venus – Jupiter conjunction, as Jupiter will be just above Venus.
March 21: Thin crescent moon rises shortly before sunrise.
March 22: New Moon. March 21-24 will be good nights for star trail photography!
March 24: Thin crescent moon sets shortly before sunset.
March 24-25: Conjunction of Venus, Jupiter and the crescent moon.
I’ll be out shooting with 25-30 of my photographer friends in Anza Borrego State Park and Death Valley National Park in the March 2-10 timeframe, and soon I’ll be announcing photowalks for April, May and June. The best place to catch my announcements will be on Google+:
http://www.Gplus.to/JeffSullivan
Comments
Thanks for the great info, Jeff. I will be there March 8th with a G+ gang and will try to get the moonrise at sunset. Any location ideas for the moonrise?
Thanks!
-Grayson
Some great info here Jeff – thanks for sharing
I just found your blog and enjoy seeing the moon…lately here on the East End of Long Island, the moon has been rising brilliantly over the bay down the street from my home…might want to check out this neck of the woods!
Absolutely amazing. The Bad Astronomy blog recommended this site – and – Wow!