By Dan Hicks

Ridiculously hyped as a “spectacular configuration” of all other seven planets in our solar system, but noteworthy nonetheless, is Cranbrook’s early evening sky upon March’s advent, featuring five planets and a waxing crescent moon (see star charts below).

Of the four planets setting in the west at 19:00 MST, only Venus, radiant at magnitude -4.4, is readily apparent, observing Mercury at magnitude -0.9 will require binocular assistance for most people, but by March 1, our waxing crescent moon will have “waxed” into a clearly visible heavenly entity.

A separate segment of our late winter planetary parade, naked-eye visible planets Mars and Jupiter will be high to the south; Uranus among them, except that viewing our ice giant seventh planet requires optical assistance.

Lead image: Waxing crescent Moon and Venus set together in the southwest amid Russian olive branches, Cranbrook. Dan Hicks photo

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