The night sky offers a show unlike anything else. In this monthly series, we will explore some of the top viewing experiences for backyard astronomers.
Here are some highlights from NASA’s Skywatching report, as to what you can look forward to observing in the March sky!
March 3 – Mars makes an appearance
Look for Mars this evening, about 3 degrees from the star cluster Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters.
March 5 – Jupiter and Mercury appear at their closest
At the start of morning twilight, Jupiter and Mercury will appear at their closest, just 1.5 degrees above the horizon in the east-southeast.
March 6 – Mercury at greatest elongation
Catch a glimpse of a half-lit apparition of Mercury this morning through your telescope when it reaches its greatest angular separation from the Sun.
March 14 – Cheshire Moon
If you are in the Washington DC area or at a similar latitude, take a look up at the waxing crescent Moon for the next few nights. Known as a “Wet Moon” or a “Cheshire Moon”, it will appear like a thin, upward-facing smile or bowl in the night sky.
March 19 – Moon, Mars and Aldebaran
Tonight, look up to witness the bright star Aldebaran, Mars, and the waxing crescent Moon form a triangle in the night sky, with Aldebaran appearing 6 degrees to the lower left of the Moon and Mars appearing 3 degrees to the lower right of it.
March 28 – Full Moon
Today there is a full Moon at 1:48 p.m. CT. However, it will appear full for around 3 days (beginning early Saturday morning), so don’t miss your opportunity to take in the only full Moon in March!
Watch the video below from the National Space Centre in Leicester, UK for a tour of the night sky in March from Hayley Noone, duty manager at the National Space Centre.
Spot the Station
Watch the International Space Station pass overhead from several thousand worldwide locations. It is the third brightest object in the sky and easy to spot if you know when to look up. Visible to the naked eye, it looks like a fast-moving plane only much higher and traveling thousands of miles an hour faster! Find out when you can spot the station.
For stargazing tips, explore our guide. To learn more information about March 2021 celestial events, visit NASA Solar System Exploration.
