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March 1894

4 LAST QUARTER MOON, 11:53 A.M.
11 Sun eaters the constellation tees.
12 NEW MOON, 3:05 Am.; very low in the west, ultra thin "your" moon, 16 hours past New Moon at sunset on the East Coast. 13 Mothering Sunday (4th Sunday in Lent, a brief lessening of Lent in which boys can go back to visit their mothers).
14 Mars-Saturn conjunction.
17 St. Patrick's Day.
18 Mercury at greatest western elongation in dawn sky but not very high in us.
19 The swallows return to San Juan Capistrano.
20 VERNAL EQUINOX 8:28 P.m.; FIRST QUARTER MOON, 7:14 Am.; Sun embers astrological sir Aries let the equinox).
22 Indian (Sake) New Year 1916.
24 Mercury, Saturn conjunction.
25 Feast of the Annunciation, or Lady Day hire angel Gabriel tells Mary she will give birth to Jesus.)
27 Palm Sunday; Passover; FULL MOON (Worm Moon, Crow Moon, Crust M0011, or Sap Moon), 6:09 Am.
29 Moon rises in south-southeast, directly below Jupiter, several hours after sunset

Astronomy Almanac, 1994

January was a month of few special events in the heavens, but the rest of 1994 offers a variety of celestial wonders. The May solar eclipse is the most visible event for the contiguous United States to occur in several decades. The impact of a large comet on Jupiter this July has never before been witnessed, and may have never even occurred in the thousands of years of human history.

Eclipses: Three of 1994's four eclipses will be visible from all 50 states except for Alaska and Hawaii. The first, on May 10, is an "annular eclipse" of the Sun as seen from a wide band bisecting the country from New Mexico to Maine, and a large partial eclipse for the rest of the country. Most Americans will notice an impressive darkening of sky and landscape. (Remember: Only look at the Sun with proper protection.) I will give details about making such observations and the eclipse in general in the upcoming issue.

If you want to see a total eclipse of the Sun in 1994, check astronomical magazines for tours to South America to view the total solar eclipse there on November 3.

Meanwhile, this year's lunar eclipses include a small partial eclipse on May 25 and a large penumbra (almost partial) eclipse on November 18. Neither will be spectacular, but both will still be good examples of the shadow of the world we live on, touching the face of the Moon.

Planets and Conjunctions: This will be a very intriguing year to watch Jupiter and Saturn by telescope, and-at certain times— Venus, Mars, and Mercury with the naked eye. We will be treated to an unusual number of close "conjunctions" (i.e., meetings) of planets with each other and with the Moon and stars.

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