I just love the cover shot today taken last Monday of the Space X Launch with the Texas flag in the foreground. How’d that happen? “On vacay in Turks & Caicos. This is a shot of the SpaceX rocket that took off from Florida this evening. We fly the TX flag at the house we are renting. Took us a minute to figure out what it was. Ann from Houston.”
Thanks, Ann! That’s some Texas loyalty! Update: some eagle-eyed readers noted this Texas flag looks more like the Chilean flag and I think they are right (the two are quite similar). Still, it’s the thought that counts.
We have a lot happening above us this month as winter officially gives way to spring, which “meteorologically speaking” begins today! The spring equinox occurs Monday, March 21, at 4:24 p.m. when the sun will be over the equator crossing from the Southern to the Northern Hemisphere. Here is more from EarthSky.org.
Speaking of times to note, the Full WORM moon happens this next Monday, March 7, early in the morning (6:40 a.m.), which means it will look almost full and pretty spectacular this coming weekend! The name Worm Moon came about because frozen grounds are thawing, allowing worms to show up again!
Clear and crisp weather is expected this weekend and you’ve probably already noted Venus and Jupiter above us the past couple of weeks (Mars is out there too looking bold and red!). Tonight those two planets will look very close to each other, so make a note to look up! Venus has been BELOW Jupiter in our sky but they are switching places! Jupiter (the largest planet, but the one that looks smaller) will be below Venus in the evenings. Tonight’s skies will be generally cloudy, but you might catch a glimpse!
And this is the month we “spring forward” in time as clocks change in just another weekend, officially on Sunday, March 12. We’ll get more and more sunlight each day and from what I’ve heard, most folks are in favor of that!
Keep an eye on tomorrow’s sky. We’re tracking a strong cold front for Thursday evening. While this front will usher in a spectacular spring weekend, we will be watching for strong winds, small hail and even isolated tornadoes. Right now the timing looks to be from 6 p.m. to midnight across Southeast Texas.
Frank
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