March Mars Madness

 Mars is on the move. During the next week or so, it will drift between the Pleiades star cluster and the "horns of the bull." (what we call the Hyades cluster in Taurus) Mars is bright orange in color, as is Aldebaran, which forms one of the pointy ends of the horns of the bull. Now that they moon is waning, you should be able to spot the Pleiades overhead in the evening sky. The horns of the bull need a slightly darker location.

 Interestingly enough, i noticed that Mars will be in pretty much the same spot in the sky, relative to the Hyades and the Pleiades, as it was back on Feb. 25, 2006 when I snapped a picture of them.

Above, you can see the shot from 2006 as well as a computer simulation of what you will see on March 8. The simulation is how it will look on Bonaire. Other locations will be slightly different, but close enough that you'll be able to identify the Pleiades, Mars and Aldebaran. Now that i look at it again, March 7 might even be closer to what i saw in 2006.