3 March 2017 Ade Ashford

On the UK night of 4-5March 2017, observers in the British Isles with clear skies can see an occultation bonanza as the 6-day-old waxing crescent Moon passes in front of four prominent members of the Hyades open cluster in the constellation of Taurus. The show starts with the occultation of gamma () Tauri close to 8:44pmGMT for observers in Edinburgh, as depicted above. Some hours later, after the Moon has set in the British Isles, first-magnitude star Aldebaran is occulted across a large swathe of North America. AN graphic by Ade Ashford.If the UK sky is clear on the evening of Saturday 4March, dont miss an opportunity to see a waxing crescent Moon glide slowly through the southern extremity of the Hyades star cluster in the constellation Taurus. This is not a spectacle that requires a large or expensive telescope to view all you need is a typical binocular and a low wall or fence to rest your elbows on to steady the view. Naturally, a telescope will give much better views.

The brightest stars covered by the Moon on the UK night of 4-5March are in order of disappearance magnitude +3.7 gamma () Tauri, magnitude +4.5 71Tauri, magnitude +3.4 theta2 (2) and magnitude +3.8 theta1 (1) Tauri. As seen from London, the times at which these stars disappear behind the Moons advancing dark limb are 8:47pm (), 11:42pm (71), 12:40am (2) and 12:46am (1). As seen from Edinburgh, the corresponding times are 8:44pm, 11:35pm, 12:38am and 12:47am, respectively (all times GMT).

Once darkness falls in North America, observers in much of the United States (but excluding Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine) can see the almost first quarter Moon occult first-magnitude star Aldebaran too.

The usual advice for observing occultations applies inasmuch as you should be ready with your binocular or telescope a few minutes before the appointed time(s) so as not to miss out. Plus, its always fun to see the Moons orbital motion carry it ever closer to the target star until it is almost instantly extinguished.

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See the Moon glide through the Hyades on 4-5 March - Astronomy Now Online