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--f46d0447864bbfc9a004b9407f89 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable *From the **Nature Moncton Info Line*, courtesy of Nelson Poirier: *** THIS WEEK'S SKY AT A GLANCE * *Some events in the changing sky for Feb 18-25 *This is the time of year when, just after dark, the landmark W-pattern of *CASSIOPEIA *stands vertically on end high in the northwest. On Tuesday, Feb. 21, the *MOON *[Lune] will go into its new phase, meaning that it will rise and set with the Sun, to make for dark nights. Expect higher high tides and lower low tides. On Wednesday, Feb.22, an ultrathin day-old crescent Moon floats close to the right of *MERCURY* [Mercure], low in the west a half hour after sunset. Use binoculars. On Saturday, Feb. 18, the *SUN *[Soleil] rose at 7:21 a.m. and will set at 5:54 p.m. On Saturday, Feb. 25, it will rise at 7:09 a.m. and will set at 6:04 p.m. *This Week's Planet Roundup **MERCURY *[Mercure], about magnitude -1.2, is emerging into good evening view and moving higher in the afterglow of sunset every day, about 30-40 minutes after sunset. Look for it to the lower right of bright Venus. Next week, Mercury will be at its evening best for 2012. *VENUS *[V=E9nus] at magnitude -4.2, is the brilliant "Evening Star" shinin= g in the southwest during and after dusk. Don't confuse it with Jupiter, higher to its upper left. Venus doesn't set now until about two hours after dark. It will continue to move a bit higher, stay up later, and brighten slightly for the rest of the winter. *MARS*, about magnitude -1.0, rises bright fire-orange in the east during twilight. Mars continues to brighten a bit. It shines highest in the south around 2 a.m. *JUPITER*, at magnitude -2.2, shines high in the SW at dusk, to the upper left of brighter Venus. The gap between Jupiter and Venus is narrowing by one degree per day, from 23 degrees to 16 degrees this week. They are on their way to a spectacular conjunction, just 3 degrees apart on March 13. These are the two brightest planets i the sky. Both move lower towards the SW as evening advances and Venus sets in the west around 20:30 p.m., Jupiter around midnight. *SATURN *[Saturne], at magnitude +0.5, rises in the east around 11 p.m. and stands highest in the south in the hours before dawn. The star * SPICA*, a little fainter at magnitude +1.0, and bluer, is 7 degrees to its right or upper right. Saturn's rings are tilted a generous 15 degrees from our line of sight, the most open the rings have appeared since 2007; They can be clearly seen with a birding scope on clear nights. --=20 Blake Maybank <bmaybank@gmail.com> White's Lake, Nova Scotia My Blog: *CSI: Life* <http://blakemaybank.com/> Organiser, *Maritimes Nature Travel Club* <http://tinyurl.com/naturetravel> ** <http://tinyurl.com/naturetravel>** Author, "*Birding Sites of Nova Scotia* <http://tinyurl.com/birdingns> --f46d0447864bbfc9a004b9407f89 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <font size=3D"4"><b>From the </b></font><b><font color=3D"#0000FF" size=3D"= 4">Nature Moncton Info Line</font></b><font size=3D"4">, courtesy of Nelson Poirier:<br><br> </font><font color=3D"#0000FF" size=3D"5"><u><b>** THIS WEEK'S SKY AT A GLANCE</b><br> </u></font>=A0<br> <font color=3D"#0000FF" size=3D"5"><b>Some events in the changing sky for F= eb 18-25<br><font size=3D"4"><br></font></b></font><font size=3D"4">This is th= e time of year when, just after dark, the landmark W-pattern=20 of <b style=3D"color:rgb(51,102,255)">CASSIOPEIA </b>stands vertically on e= nd high in the northwest.<br><br> On Tuesday, Feb. 21, the <b><span style=3D"color:rgb(51,102,255)">MOON </sp= an></b>[Lune] will go into its new phase, meaning that it will rise and set with the Sun, to make for dark nights. Expect higher high tides and lower low tides. On Wednesday, Feb.22, an=20 ultrathin day-old crescent Moon floats close to the right of <b><span style= =3D"color:rgb(51,102,255)">MERCURY</span></b>=20 [Mercure], low in the west a half hour after sunset. Use binoculars.</font> <font size=3D"4"><br><br> On Saturday, Feb. 18, the <b><span style=3D"color:rgb(51,102,255)">SUN </sp= an></b>[Soleil] rose at 7:21 a.m. and will set at 5:54 p.m. On Saturday, Feb. 25, it will rise at 7:09 a.m. and will set=20 at 6:04 p.m.</font> <font size=3D"4"><br></font><br><font color=3D"#0000FF" size=3D"5"><b><u>Th= is Week's Planet Roundup<br><font size=3D"4"><br></font></u></b></font><font size=3D"4"><b><= span style=3D"color:rgb(51,102,255)">MERCURY </span></b>[Mercure], about ma= gnitude -1.2, is emerging into good evening=20 view and moving higher in the afterglow of sunset every day, about 30-40 minutes after sunset. Look for it to the lower right of bright Venus.=20 Next week, Mercury will be at its evening best for 2012.<br></font> <br> <font size=3D"4"><b style=3D"color:rgb(51,102,255)">VENUS </b>[V=E9nus] at = magnitude -4.2, is the brilliant "Evening Star" shining in the southwest during and after dusk. Don't confuse it with Jupiter,= =20 higher to its upper left. Venus doesn't set now until about two hours= =20 after dark. It will continue to move a bit higher, stay up later, and=20 brighten slightly for the rest of the winter.<br><br> <b style=3D"color:rgb(51,102,255)">MARS</b>, about magnitude -1.0, rises br= ight fire-orange in the east during=20 twilight. Mars continues to brighten a bit. It shines highest in the=20 south around 2 a.m.</font> <font size=3D"4"><br><br> <b style=3D"color:rgb(51,102,255)">JUPITER</b>, at magnitude -2.2, shines h= igh in the SW at dusk, to the upper=20 left of brighter Venus. The gap between Jupiter and Venus is narrowing=20 by one degree per day, from 23 degrees to 16 degrees this week. They are on their way to a spectacular conjunction, just 3 degrees apart on=20 March 13. These are the two brightest planets i the sky. Both move lower towards the SW as evening advances and Venus sets in the west around=20 20:30 p.m., Jupiter around midnight.</font> <font size=3D"4"><br><br> <b s