Jupiter in this month's sky
   In March, Jupiter is low in the west after sunset. The huge planet is rather bright in our sky, so it should be easy to spot for those of you with a clear western horizon. Jupiter is passed by Mercury on the fifteenth of the month. This would be a great chance for you to spot that little planet, using Jupiter as a guide.

    Here are some tips for observing Jupiter through a telescope. Through a telescope at even low power, you can see the alternating bright and dark regions of the clouds of Jupiter.

    Last year marked the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of the four big moons of Jupiter by Galileo. If you do have a small telescope or pair of binoculars available, it is possible to see the four Galilean moons of Jupiter. You must be patient, and the instrument must be firmly mounted. Here's a program which you can download so that you might be able to identify each of the satellites as they orbit Jupiter.

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Updated March 1, 2011