A trip to the blackboard

Okay, now I have to go to the blackboard and write 100 times, "It is the summer solstice" in order to make up for my gaff of a couple weeks ago when I mentioned the "summer equinox."

The correct reference is summer solstice and autumnal equinox which goes along with the corollary of the vernal (spring) equinox and the winter solstice.

All I can say in my defense is that--after all--I am the "Stargeezer" and the little gray cells are not what they used to be.

Now, down to business. There will be a total solar eclipse of the Sun next week on March 9th. The only bad thing is you will not be able to see it unless you are in Malaysia--Borneo--to be specific.

However, those of us who live in the states between Oregon and South Carolina (central Missouri and Nebraska are included) we will have a ring-side seat for a total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. If you are wise and want to see the eclipse, I would suggest you pick your observing site and book it now because it will get very crowded as the date draws closer.

Here is a map of the line of totality for that eclipse. http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2017_GoogleMapFull.html

In other celestial news, Jupiter will be at opposition on Tuesday, March 8. Opposition means it is opposite the Sun in the sky and will rise at sunset and set at sunrise and be visible all night.

This will be a great opportunity for those who received a telescope for Christmas to get it out of the closet and go out for some observing time. Opposition also means Jupiter will be at its closest for the year so observing should be good.

Two more planets will also be at opposition soon. Mars in May and Saturn in June, so some good observing times are coming.

That also means the Great Mars Hoax will be raising its ugly head soon. The one that says Mars will be as big as the full moon. The hoax began in 2003 when Mars was at opposition and was indeed a remarkable sight in the night sky.

It looked like a bright red, glowing ember against the dark sky. At that time someone wrote an article that said through a telescope with 75x magnification Mars will look as large as the full moon. The next year someone resurrected that article but left off the "telescope at 75x" bit and the idea that Mars would be as large as the full moon got started and refuses to die.

So, here is your advance warning. If you see postings on your social media or your e-mail about a huge Mars don't believe it, don't forward it, just delete it because it is not true and you don't want to look dumb. Do you?

SKY WATCH: New moon Tuesday, March 8. Just remember a new moon is no moon. Wait a couple of days for a slender crescent in the west after sunset and look for Earthshine too. Earthshine is sunlight reflected off of Earth back onto the darkened lunar surface. With its crescent shape it is often called the new moon in the old moon's arms. On Monday morning, March 7, about a half-hour before local sunrise the moon and Venus will have a very close meeting in the morning sky. Both objects will be in the glare of sunrise but should be observable in binoculars. Just be sure to not use any magnification aide after sunrise.

NEXT WEEK: The attack of the Crab Monster and more astronomical blathering.