• Mark Lovewell

Moon Holds Water

The moon slips into our evening sky in the coming week following New Moon on Sunday. It is moving from the zodiacal constellation Aries into Taurus. On Thursday night, the crescent moon crosses over the star cluster Hyades, the head of the Bull.   

Have you ever heard the phrase “the moon holds water?” This is the time of year when the crescent moon is positioned in a way that it looks like it can hold water between the cusps, between its horns.

To think of it another way, while the moon is setting, it looks like it is lit from below.

A moon that can hold water is yet another symbol of the shift in our season. In the earliest years of farming, growers used a number of signs in the sky to transition from season to season, including the moon’s position in the sky.

Jupiter and Mars

The planet Jupiter, the brightest in our night sky, is overhead after sunset. Jupiter is in the zodiacal constellation Gemini.

The red planet Mars rises in the east a few hours after sunset. Mars is a glowing ruby, and it is nearing opposition. It is closer to the Earth than it has been in two years.

Other than the Moon, Mars is our closest neighbor. The planet is only 56 million miles away. For comparison, the sun is 93 million miles away.

 

Sunrise and Sunset
Day Sunrise Sunset
Fri., March 28 6:32 7:02
Sat., March 29 6:30 7:03
Sun., March 30 6:28 7:04
Mon., March 31 6:26 7:05
Tues., April 1 6:25 7:06
Wed., April 2 6:23 7:07
Thurs., April 3 6:21 7:08
Fri., April 4 6:20 7:09
Temperatures and Precipitations
Day Max (Fº) Min (Fº) Inches
March 21 52 34 0.00
March 22 48 24 0.00
March 23 53 29 0.00
March 24 47 18 0.00
March 25 34 14 0.00
March 26 39 27 *0.36
March 27 35 21 *0.14

 

 

Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 38º F

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