The Sun begins the month in the constellation of Aquarius but crosses the border into Pisces on the 11th at around 22h

It is climbing steeply now and daylight increases rapidly. At 11h44, on the 20th March, the Vernal Equinox occurs, when the sun is directly overhead at the earth's equator. The sun-earth distance at the time is 148,989,865 km. The astronomical season of spring begins and lasts for 92.75 days. If the earth had no atmosphere, day and night at this time would be exactly equal all over the planet except at the poles, but due to atmospheric refraction, this scenario occurs some days earlier.


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March is the best month to observe the mysterious Zodiacal Light during evenings when the moon is not present in the sky and you are well away from light pollution. Look towards the west when twilight has faded and you should see a faint cone of light pointing southwards at a steep angle of 60° to the horizon. This year, the best dates to observe the zodiacal light are from the 14th to the 28th. This phenomenon is caused by the sun illuminating a disc of fine dust surrounding it, which is the remnant of solar system formation 4.5 thousand million years ago.

The Moon
The moon is at perigee, its nearest to the earth, at around15h00 on the 7th, and at apogee, its furthest from the earth, in the early afternoon of the 19th.

First Quarter moon, one of the highest FQ moons of the year, is on March 4th just before 8am, in the constellation of Taurus. Full Moon is on the 11th, just before 3 in the morning in southern Leo, 7° south of Saturn. Last Quarter takes place during the early evening of March 18th near the Sagittarius Ophiuchus border. New Moon is on the 26th just after 4 pm in the constellation of Pisces, the moon passing 4° north of the sun at the time.
Earthshine, may be seen during the evenings on the dark hemisphere of the waxing crescent during the last week of the month.

The Planets
Although Mercury is theoretically a morning 'star' at the beginning of March, its position below the ecliptic combined with rapidly increasing twilight prevents it from being seen. Inferior conjunction takes place on the 31st when the planet passes between us and the sun, 1° below the latter.

At the beginning of the month, Venus is still setting just less than 4 hours after the sun, but during the month rapidly moves in towards it, inferior conjunction taking place on the 27th However, because it is passing 8° north of the sun at the time, it is possible to observe the planet as both an "evening" and "morning star" during the middle of March. Through binoculars or a small telescope, the thin hairline crescent of the planet is readily visible just after sunset and just before sunrise. Look in the vicinity of the point where the sun sets or rises in order to view this beautiful sight. Take care not to look at the sun, which is not all that far away if you are observing the planet during the morning. By the end of March the planet rises an hour before the sun and may be seen just a little to the North of East at around 05h but at a very low altitude.

Throughout the month Mars (currently in Aquarius) remains a difficult object and is barely 5° in altitude when the sun rises. It is therefore unlikely to be seen.

Jupiter in Capricornus becomes more readily visible as the month progresses and by the end of March rises 1½ hours before the sun. By the middle of the month it is rising just before 05h30 in twilight. At the beginning of civil twilight with the sun just 6° below the horizon, around 05h45, Jupiter may be seen as a bright star-like object at altitude 5° in the SE.

Saturn is at opposition at 19h on the 8th and is therefore visible all night in the eastern parts of Leo. It may be seen due south at midnight at an altitude of about 45° on this date. The moon may be seen near Saturn during the nights of the 10th, when it lies 14° to the east of the moon, and the 11th when the planet is some 6° north of the broad waning gibbous moon. The southern surface of the rings is still visible although they appear to be very narrow at this time.
Neither Uranus nor Neptune are visible in the March night sky because of their proximity to the sun. Indeed, Uranus lies in conjunction with the sun and far beyond it at 01h on the 13th.

Constellations visible in the south around midnight, mid-month, are as follows: Leo, the western part of Virgo, Crater, and Hydra. The Plough (Big Dipper), which is part of the constellation of Ursa Major, the Great Bear, is at the zenith, directly overhead.

All times are GMT 1° is one finger width at arm's length.

Scarborough and Ryedale Astronomical Society are holding a Star Night on Tuesday 3 March at the Filey Country Park from 7pm. If the night is wet, an alternative night sky presentation will take place in rooms 21 and 22 of the Evron Centre.