Stargazing: Spot Ursa Major - or The Plough - the right was up this month
MARCH is a great time to spot Ursa Major (sometimes also called The Plough or The Saucepan) the ‘right way up’ if you look high in the southern sky.
It’s a constellation that is visible from the UK throughout the whole year, although it changes its orientation gradually month by month.
The middle star in the handle part of the saucepan is actually two stars very close to each other and these used to be a test of how good your eyesight was; if you can see two stars rather than one blob of light your eyesight is very good.
Planets to spot this month include Venus and below it a reddish coloured Mars near the horizon in the morning sky around 6am on March 12 and 28.
If you have good eyesight you will also see Saturn as a dim ‘star’ shining just below Venus on March 28.
Find out more about astronomy via Newbury Astronomical Society, which hosts monthly meetings for both beginners and experienced astronomers.
See www.newburyastro.org.uk or email questions to tonyhersh@hotmail.com
