Thursday,  March 28, 2013 • Vol. 14--No. 252 • 19 of 39 •  Other Editions

(Continued from page 18)

Saturn and Spica. You can also use the Big Dipper to be sure you've found Spica, as shown at right. Saturn will be the golden "star" in the vicinity of Spica.
• The moon, Spica and Saturn - after rising - climb westward throughout the late evening hours and the wee hours after midnight. The threesome transits - soars highest up in the sky - at roughly 2 a.m. local time. Thereafter, the moon, Spica and Saturn descend westward, to move into the southwest sky by dawn. These celestial objects move from east to west across the sky tonight for the same reason that the sun moves westward during the day. The Earth rotates on its axis from west to east, making it appear as if the moon, Spica and Saturn - like the sun - move from east to west across our sky.
• Bottom line: On the night of March 28, 2013, see the moon, the star Spica and the planet Saturn in the east by early to mid-evening, and watch for these orbs to follow their natural procession westward throughout the night.

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