March Skies

Feb 21, 2025

Plan on using binoculars or a telescope. The Moon is at perigee that day, too, at 361,964 km; Venus is 6 degrees north, as well. By the 5th, Luna has moved over to 0.6 degrees north of the Pleiades, in Taurus, The Bull. Jupiter is 6 degrees south of the first-quarter Moon on March 6. On the 7th, the Moon reaches its maximum northerly declination – a lunar standstill – the most northerly since 2006. On the 8th, Mars sits 1.7 degrees south of our satellite, while Pollux is 2 degrees north – could be a good photo op! The Moon is full on the 14th, and since it is also crossing the ecliptic, a total lunar eclipse occurs as the Moon passes through Earth’s shadow. This eclipse, lasting a little over 4 hours, will be visible from North America, with greatest eclipse occurring near midnight. On the 16th, Spica is 0.4 degrees north of the waning crescent Moon. On the following day, the 17th, the Moon is at apogee of 405,754 km. The 20th sees Antares 0.5 degrees north of the Moon. The Moon is new on the 29th, and, as expected, a solar eclipse occurs. This one is partial only and visible from a very small part of northeastern North America. The Moon is at perigee on the 30th at 358,128 km; large tides occur at coastal areas.

Mercury puts on a show for North American viewers, with the best evening apparition of 2025. The angle of the ecliptic is steep, so Mercury is directly north of the Sun at twilight. Greatest elongation is on the 8th, then begins a steep dive to inferior conjunction on the 24th.

Venus appears to move westward as it begins retrograde motion at the beginning of March. The bright planet is prominent in the western evening sky. Like Mercury, Venus is heading to inferior conjunction on the 22nd. For a few days close to conjunction, a northern viewer can spot Venus in the bright sunlight both before sunrise and after sunset!

Mars remains in Gemini all through March, gradually moving eastward. Castor and Pollux join with the Red Planet to create an ever-changing triangle. The Moon passes by on the 8th.

Jupiter starts off the month with double shadow transits on the 4th, 11th, and 19th. The gas giant spends March among the stars of Taurus, with the Moon gliding by on the 6th.

Saturn is behind the Sun, but a major event – a ring plane crossing – occurs on the 23rd, when Earth passes to the south side if the rings. It will remain so for several years.

Uranus gets closer and closer to the Sun throughout the month, from 73 degrees away on the 1st to 43 degrees on the 31st. The viewing window rapidly closes.

Neptune is too close to the Sun to be seen.

• The zodiacal light is visible in the western evening sky shortly after sunset for the two weeks beginning March 16.
• Daylight Saving Time begins on March 9.
• The spring equinox is on March 20.