Star Points for March, 2001; by Curtis Roelle Bright Planets on the March March mights continue to be a good time for viewing several bright planets visible to the unaided eye - no telescope required. We will also learn about a public "star party" taking place during the first weekend of Spring. Venus is splendid this month and remains high in the sky when twilight ends in mid-March. Venus is so bright that it is best viewed with a telescope during bright twilight or even in broad daylight. On the other hand, when viewed in a dark sky Venus has a dazzling brilliance that is very distracting. In a telescope the crescent shape of Venus is quite apparent. Each night of the month finds the crescent growing thinner yet larger as Venus continues drawing closer to earth. Persons with keen eyesight should try looking at Venus and see if they can detect the crescent shape with the unaided eye. Such observations have been reported by some viewers. By month's end Venus will be approaching "inferior conjunction" as it passes between the earth and the sun and will be setting with the sun. As March closes Venus will be making its mark in the morning sky. The crescent will start waxing as Venus begins pulling away from us as it continues in orbit. Jupiter and Saturn are still high in the western sky as twilight ends in early March. The two planets are aligned vertically with brighter Jupiter higher up than Saturn. The smallest of telescopes can easily distinguish between the two - Jupiter with its moons and Saturn with its rings. Naked eye viewers can see the beautiful Pleiades (a.k.a. Seven Sisters) star cluster nearby. It is to the right of the planets and marks the third corner of a triangle with them. As a nearsighted lad in need of glasses I once glimpsed it on Christmas Eve and thought I had discovered a new comet. A quick look through binoculars revealed my comet to be a cluster of stars which turned out to be the famous Pleiades. Now, the part you've been waiting for. The Westminster Astronomical Society is having a star party at Bear Branch Nature Center (BBNC) and you're invited. It begins at twilight on Friday, March 23 and goes all night until the morning of March 24. You can come and go anytime you like. The occasion is the annual "Messier Marathon" as members pay homage to the 18th century French comet hunger Charles Messier by observing object in the list of over 100 star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies Messier cataloged. BBNC is located off of John Owings Road north of Westminster. If Friday is cloudy, then the star party will occur on Saturday evening, March 24.