Sunrise Sunset

Fri., Feb. 12 6:41 5:10

Sat., Feb. 13 6:40 5:12

Sun., Feb. 14 6:38 5:13

Mon., Feb. 15 6:37 5:14

Tues., Feb. 16 6:36 5:15

Wed., Feb. 17 6:34 5:17

Thurs., Feb. 18 6:33 5:18

Fri., Feb. 19 6:32 5:19

It will be tough, but for anyone with an unobstructed view of the southwestern sky tonight, there is a show to be seen shortly after sunset. The planets Jupiter and Venus appear close together with a thin crescent moon. The three, forming a triangle, will appear amid the glow of twilight.

More Vineyarders will see the three tomorrow night, when the moon is a good deal higher and farther above the two planets, though the two planets will be closer to each other. Astronomers estimate that Jupiter and Venus will be closest on Monday night, less than a degree apart. That alone is an impressive sight, if the visibility is right.

These are the three brightest celestial objects in our sky. No other planet comes close to being as bright as Venus or Jupiter. The moon is our nearest celestial neighbor.

For those who miss both nights, the moon will take over the sky in the nights ahead.

The crescent moon is moving through the constellations of winter. It appears in Pisces early in the week and moves into the zodiacal constellation Taurus on Wednesday night.

Mars

The bright red star Mars is high in the eastern sky after sunset. Mars is starting to lose its brilliance, though it will be hard to notice. Astronomers estimate that the planet has lost nearly half a magnitude in brightness since it was at its brightest in the beginning of January.

M.A.L.

Snowstorm

Wednesday’s snowstorm was not as bad as forecasted. Total snowfall for the storm was 5.8 inches, a good deal of it loaded with water from falling rain and sleet. The storm was an interesting meteorological event, however, for another reason. A minimum barometric pressure of 28.99 inches was recorded at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport from 7 to 8 p.m.