March Skies

01 Mar – Low in the west after sunset thin crescent Moon 7º lower left of Venus (mag -4.8), Mercury (mag -1.0) 10º below Moon; Saturn (mag 1.1) 7.5º below Mercury is probably impossible

04 Mar – Double moon shadows on Jupiter (18:40EST)

06 Mar – First Quarter Moon

08 Mar – Mercury GEE (18º) low in the west after sunset

09 Mar – Daylight saving time begins at 02:00EST

10 Mar – minor planet 11861 Teruhime (mag 16.7) occults UCAC4 441-058053 (mag 11.2, variable)

11 Mar – Double moon shadows on Jupiter (22:40EDT)

11&12 Mar – Mercury (mag 0.6) passes 5½º left of Venus (mag -4.4) very low in the west shortly after sunset – binoculars will help pull Mercury out of the twilight

12 Mar - minor planet 8 Flora (mag 9.5) at opposition

14 Mar – TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE! (partial umbral from 01:15 to 04:45EDT, total from 02:30 to 03:30EDT))

14 Mar – Full Moon (02:55EDT)

16 Mar – zodiacal light for the next two weeks – a broad triangular patch of light extending up and left from the western horizon after sunset

20 Mar – Spring Equinox – Sun is over the equator, day and night are equal (05:01EDT)

22 Mar – Last Quarter Moon – sitting on the spout of the Sagittarius teapot

23 Mar – Venus at inferior conjunction 9.5º above Sun! Dangerous observation but great chance to see the extremely thin ‘silver eyelash’ during daylight

29 Mar – New Moon (06:58EDT)

29 Mar – Sun rises partially eclipsed – eclipse ends ~15min after sunrise