Caribbean Compass Yachting Magazine - February 2022

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FEBRUARY 2022 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 30The Sky from Mid-February to Mid-Marchby Jim UlikObserving the planets in the night sky has taken a downturn this period. It maynot be a favorable time for some and the closest planets can only be seen in the predawnsky. Meteor showers have also slowed. Earth will not pass through large areasof debris left behind by asteroids or comets this period.On the other hand there are at least 41 known asteroids that will make a closeapproach to Earth this period. The largest asteroid to pass by could have a diameterup to 1.3 km (4,265 feet). While no known asteroid larger than 140 metres in sizehas a significant chance to hit Earth for the next 100 years, only about 40 percentof those asteroids have been found as of October 2021.Dr. Teddy Oglethorpe: Madam President,this comet is what we call a planet-killer.Dr. Randall Mindy: That is correct.President Orlean: So how certain is this?Dr. Randall Mindy: There’s one hundredpercent certainty of impact.President Orlean: Please, don’t saya hundred percent.Secretary of the Interior: Can we just callit a potentially significant event?Kate Dibiasky: But it isn’t potentiallygoing to happen. It is going to happen.Dr. Randall Mindy: Exactly. Ninety-ninepoint seven eight percent, to be exact.Jason Orlean: Oh, great. Okay, so it’s nota hundred percent.Dr. Teddy Oglethorpe: Well, scientistsnever like to say one hundred percent.President Orlean: Call it seventy percent,and let’s just, let’s move on.Kate Dibiasky: But it’s not even close toseventy percent.President Orlean: You cannot go aroundsaying to people that there’s a hundredpercent chance that they’re going to die.You know? It’s just nuts.— Dialog from the movieDon’t Look Up (2021)Wednesday, February 16thThis period begins with a cluster ofplanets rising in the east. Just beforesunrise Venus appears as the MorningStar. Mars can be found just to the south,or right, of Venus. In a few minutes Mercurywill climb above the horizon. The messengerof the Roman gods reaches its greatestwestern elongation or separation from theSun this morning.The next five days will be the lastopportunity to spot Jupiter in the westernsky. Jupiter will be located just over the horizon at dusk on its way to align with theSun. In one month it will return as a morning planet sharing the sky with Venus,Mars, Saturn and Mercury.Friday, February 18thA Near Earth Object (NEO) named 2018 CW2 makes a close approach to Earthtoday (see Image 1). The asteroid will zip past at 91,500 km/h (57,000 mph). It willreach its close approach at approximately 0500 hours. No worries, contrary to someIMAGE 1THE CARIBBEAN SKY: FREE SHOW NIGHTLY!posts or headlines, 2018 CW2 will not impact Earth. The asteroid crosses Earth’sorbit about every eight months. The next close approach to Earth will occur onFebruary 20th, 2024. However, its orbit is constantly being altered by gravity whenit passes near Venus and Mercury.Wednesday, February 23rdThe Moon will transition into its third quarter phase throughout the day. The thirdquarter moment occurs long after the Moon sinks below the western horizon. Typicalfor this period most celestial events occur very early before sunrise or while hiddenon the opposite side of Earth.Path of asteroid 2018 CW2Sunday, February 27thThere is a conjunction between the Moon, Mars and Venus in the eastern sky. Thetrio can be seen in line for about two hours prior to sunrise. Further to the east Mercuryand Saturn can be seen along the ecliptic or great circle apparent path of the Sun.Continued on next pageCENTENARIO & CO.S.A.• YACHTS AGENT FOR PANAMA• CANAL TRANSITCLEARING IN/OUT• ALL PANAMANIANFORMALITIES & REGISTRATIONEdificio 791-X La Boca Ancon,Balboa Panama, Republic of PanamaTel: (+507) 6676-1376 Erick Galvezinfo@centenarioconsulting.comwww.centenarioconsulting.comBest recommended agent in Panama by cruisers!
— Continued from previous pageMonday, February 28thVenus has reached its highest altitude in the morning sky. At sunrise the secondbrightest object in the night sky will be 38 degrees above the horizon. The smallsliver of the Moon has relocated to an area of sky near Mercury and Saturn. Mercuryis the brighter object above Saturn.Wednesday, March 2ndA planetary pair can be seen about ten degrees above the eastern horizon thismorning. The separation between Mercury and Saturn is less than one half degree.The planets may appear as one object unless binoculars are used for viewing.The Moon is passing close to the Sun throughout the day. The New Moon andJupiter are both lost in the Sun’s glare. Look for the Moon to reappear in two daysas it transitions away from the Sun.Thursday, March 3rdThe pi Virginids variable shower peaks tonight. Meteors can be seen from thisshower from February 13th to April 8th. The radiant breaks the eastern horizon at1930h but the best time to catch a shooting star is after 2100h. Look straightoverhead from a dark location for the best viewing opportunity. There will not be anyinterference from moonlight.Tuesday, March 8thThe Moon has relocated close to the Seven Sisters. Generally six or seven stars canbe seen in the cluster of stars comprising Pleiades. A pair of binoculars will revealmore stars. This could be a good time to identify some landmarks on the Moon.Image 3 identifies the location of six Apollo landing sites (in yellow) and four of theMoon’s seas.Mare Nectaris - Sea of NectarMare Fecunditatis – Sea of FertilityMare Crisium – Sea of CrisisMare Tranquillitatis - Sea of TranquilityTonight could be an opportunity to search for the “Lost Pleiad.” In addition toSeven Sisters, the cluster of stars includes their parents, Atlas and Pleione. Can youidentify the missing Pleiad? Reasons for seeing fewer than seven Pleiads has beenhistorically associated with Merope, Electra or Celaeno. The mythical Electra wasconsidered missing because she veiled her face at the burning of Troy. Merope wasostracized for marrying a mortal. Was the “Dark One,” Celaeno, absent after beingstruck by a thunderbolt? Even the mother star Pleione was considered the LostPleiad. Visually Pleione gets lost in the glare of the star Atlas.Saturday, March 12thMars and Venus have appeared close since the beginning of February. Thismorning the planets will reach their closest apparent position in the predawn sky.Over the next few days Mars and Venus will move towards Saturn. The three planetslie in the constellation Capricornus.Sunday, March 13thThe Moon is about halfway between First Quarter and its Full Moon phase. Tonightthe Moon will make a close approach to Pollux, the brightest star in the constellationGemini. Pollux is located off the dark side of the Moon towards the northeast.Monday, March 14thToday is Pi Day. This evening the γ-Normid meteor shower reaches its peak. Thisshower originating from an area near the constellation Norma (the carpenter’ssquare) will be active from February 25th to March 28th. Meteors from thisshower will radiate out of the south. The best viewing will be after 0400h, afterthe Moon sets.Tuesday, March 15thYesterday the Moon passed through the constellation Cancer. Tonight it holds upin Leo near the “Heart of the Lion.” Regulus is almost exactly on the ecliptic, the pathof the Sun. It will rise south of the Moon riding the ecliptic throughout the night.In the NewsArtemis 1 is the first integrated test of NASA’s deep space exploration systems. Thespacecraft, though built for humans, will be unmanned. This will be the launchingof the most powerful rocket in the world. The preliminary launch date is March 12th,2022. It will travel beyond the Moon, 280,000 miles from Earth.* All times are given as Atlantic Standard Time (AST) unless otherwise noted. Thetimes are based on a viewing position in Grenada and may vary by only a few minutesin different Caribbean locations.Jim Ulik sails on S/V Merengue.Above: The Moon meets the Seven Sisters in the constellation Taurus.Below: Some Lunar landmarks identified on the night Pleiades meets the Moon.IMAGE 2 IMAGE 3FEBRUARY 2022 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 31BOAT PAINT & STUFFTime Out Boat Yard Saint MartinNext to the French BridgeANTIFOULING SPECIALIST:PPG Amron COPPERCOATPermanent Antifouling(10 years and more…)Fiberglass + Epoxy & Polyester ResinsEpoxy primer + Polyurethane Top CoatPhone: + (590) 690 221 676info@boatpaintstuff.comwww.boatpaintstuff.comGRENADINESSAILS& CANVAS • BEQUIAServices provided:NEW SAILSSAIL REPAIRSU/V COVERS& FOAM LUFFSBIMINI, DODGERS& AWNINGSDINGHY COVERSUPHOLSTERYTRAMPOLINESSTACKPACKS &LAZY JACK SYSTEMSBEST CUSTOM-MADE DINGHY CHAPSTel: (784) 457-3507 / 457-3527 (evenings)e-mail: gsailsbequia@gmail.com VHF Ch16/68
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Caribbean Compass Yachting Magazine - February 2022

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