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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Four premieres and five Bard plays to highlight Oregon Shakespeare Festival's 2016 season Southern Oregon University names director of marketing Tot owners buy Playwright, hire Amuse chef Ashland Fire & Rescue: New column about Ashland emergency services debuts Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Education Southern Oregon University names director of marketing Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Rotary Club of Ashland names Riley O'Sullivan as Student of the Month Teacher's Tips: Who gets to teach history? Northwest Pizza to raise money for Ashland Schools Foundation Environment Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 Mt. Ashland hopes coming storm will reopen ski area Wild Side: Selfish and other reasons for saving endangered species Mt. Ashland Ski Area: Low snow closes 'bunny hill' chairlift for beginning skiers With pre-season conditions worst in 25 years, catastrophic wildfires expected in region this summer Business Southern Oregon University names director of marketing Tot owners buy Playwright, hire Amuse chef Ashland's Standing Stone brew pub joins green beer coalition Cars We Remember: 1967 Rambler Rebel, 1960 Rambler American Super, and some early engine design flaws Silvio Calabi: Nissan has a winner with its new Murano Politics and elections Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Short-term rental restrictions kept in some areas, loosened in others Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US Mark L. Hopkins: Looking for a political straight shooter Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state State News Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state Nation - World Leonard Nimoy, famous as Mr. Spock on 'Star Trek,' dies Obituaries Rosalind Dee Death Notices Norman Christlieb James Ellis York Death Notices Shareable Bank of America is predicting a massive Tesla collapse Sports Latest Stories Grizz bats heat up in Bend Kansas City Royals star pitcher Jeremy Guthrie visits Ashland to kickoff fundraising campaign Ducks enjoy the challenge Fantasy Sports: Clayton Kershaw a clear-cut ace Oregon bows out High school Grizzlies rally past GP, to 2-0 start Ashland boys capture another Sato Cup snowboard title at Mt. Bachelor Fredrickson leads Grizzlies to season-opening romp Grizz alpine skiers finish strong at state Ashland High's Honsinger tops field in final nordic ski meet Southern Oregon University Ducks enjoy the challenge Oregon bows out Oregon State women come up short in second-round loss to Gonzaga Raiders roughed up at Corban Ducks survive, advance Voices Latest Stories Rick Holmes: What addicts say about getting high and getting better Landgren cartoon: Arsenic wine Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Council Corner: Getting to yes or no — or maybe Granlund cartoon: Ted Cruz enters the 2016 race Editorial Our View: Ashland High principal is the head of her class Our View: Tuition trauma Our View: SOU's economic clout Our view: Keep it simple in developing marijuana rules Our View: Ashland is at risk as a bad fire season looms Letters Letters to the Editor, March 23 Letters to the Editor, March 20 Letters to the Editor, March 19 Letters to the Editor, March 18 Letters to the Editor, March 17 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Hannah Thomas-Garner's father thanks the Ashland community Guest Opinion: Ashland is asking for trouble with new room rental rules Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose Jordan Cove Guest Opinion: It's Groundwater Awareness Week; test your well Guest Opinion: Ashland schools failed to protect my son from bullying Columns Council Corner: Getting to yes or no — or maybe Chris Honoré: 'Like a ghastly rapid river, through the pale door, a hideous throng rush out ...' Herb Rothschild: Donating with care Guest Opinion: Hannah Thomas-Garner's father thanks the Ashland community Matthew T. Mangino: When is a confession not a confession? Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Community blog: Words, wine and Craig Wright 4 Things To Do This Week Improv rock and folk band hosts a dance party at the Ashland Community Center Best bets for entertainment around Ashland, March 19 Theater The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Ticket Availability Camelot Theatre in Talent: This 'Sunset' is not as dark Ticket availability Ticket availability Music Album reviews: Recent and recommended for March The Farr Side: New format for ‘American Idol’ as show continues a strong run Improv rock and folk band hosts a dance party at the Ashland Community Center The Farr Side: Madonna — ever the trendsetter Nitty Gritty Dirt Band co-founder John McEuen performs at the Unitarian Fellowship in Ashland Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies Movie review: ‘The Gunman’ misses the target Movie listings: March 20-26 More wonderful wrinkles at 'The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' 8 must-see spring films Movie review: ‘Wrecking Crew’ is a look at the people who really put the bomp Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Tot owners buy Playwright, hire Amuse chef Season Stepp: Waffle iron isn’t just for breakfast anymore Food for Thought: Watermelon is the perfect smoothie ingredient Episode 2.4: The case of the missing client Cars We Remember: 1967 Rambler Rebel, 1960 Rambler American Super, and some early engine design flaws Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Four premieres and five Bard plays to highlight Oregon Shakespeare Festival's 2016 season ... Southern Oregon University names director of marketing ... Tot owners buy Playwright, hire Amuse chef ... Four premieres and five Bard plays to highlight Oregon Shakespeare Festival's 2016 season ... Southern Oregon University names director of marketing ... Tot owners buy Playwright, hire Amuse chef ... Looking Up: Looking for the zodiacal light Comment By Peter Becker More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Peter Becker More Content Now Posted Mar. 20, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Peter Becker More Content Now Posted Mar. 20, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News All too often we must be content with a sky compromised by light pollution. Fortunately you still enjoy much of the sky not far from the cities, and even from the city you can see the bright stars, planets and Moon. Be thankful if you have a good, dark rural sky, or can travel to see it. From a reasonably dark site, when the moon is not around, look for the faint tapestry of light that joins the starry host. It has been said that most Americans have never seen the Milky Way Band. This is not surprising, and it isn’t just because most people live in congested areas where there is more light pollution. If the sky is good and clear, prepare by letting your eyes adjust to the dark for a few minutes. Then look up and see if you can see the dim, billowing Milky Way Band. While more prominent in the summer evening sky, you also can see the band in the winter. In March, the Milky Way stretches from the south-southeast, passing to the northwest. The bright winter constellation Orion, marked by its famous “belt” of three stars, is immediately right of the Milky Way Band. Nearly overhead, the bright yellow star Capella is right in the Milky Way. The zodiacal light is about as bright as the Milky Way Band. This phenomena is much closer to home, being a cloud of tiny dust particles encircling the sun, spread beyond the Earth’s orbit and in the same plane as the Earth and other planets. It is dimly visible from a dark site, just after evening twilight in the west, or before morning twilight in the east. Late winter and early spring evenings are favored for seeing the evening zodiacal light, in the Northern Hemisphere. This is because the narrow path of the planets, known as the “ecliptic” and sometimes as the “zodiac” is steeper with respect of the west horizon this time of year. The zodiacal light then “stands up” the straightest, further away from the horizon where the Earth’s atmosphere is thickest. Stars, the Milky Way and zodiacal light are much harder to see near the horizon, even at a dark site; in addition, any light pollution from a distant town will wipe it out close to the ground. Note that the zodiacal light appears as a dim cone of light, broader near the bottom. I have not had the opportunity to see this phenomena from home, given the amount of light pollution, but I had a wonderful view a few years ago looking from an airliner far above ground haze and streetlights. With a jacket pulled over my head, I could plainly see the cone of light reaching up and was surprised at how bright it was. Much harder to see than the zodiacal light is the continuation of this glow, which stretches completely around the sky. At a very dark site, at around midnight and when the ecliptic is high up, it is possible to barely detect a slight brightening of this ghostly band of solar system dust, a fuzzy oval of light known as the Gegenschein. Ideal conditions are needed to successfully detect it. The Milky Way Band must not be in the vicinity, as this is enough to hide the overlapping Gegenschein. Around midnight in late winter may be a good time, if you look about half way up in the south. This oval is slightly more luminous than the rest of the almost invisible band, because it is directly opposite the sun and each dust particle is facing you in “full phase” in the same way the moon is brightest when full. First-quarter moon is on March 27. Keep looking up! By Peter Becker More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Peter Becker More Content Now Posted Mar. 20, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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