In the Sky This Month

As winter gives way to spring, the constellations rotate into always-changing configurations. By the end of March, Orion is on its way out, to disappear in April, with the Dog Star tagging close behind. Leo and Virgo begin their climb into prime time early in the month. Auriga, then Gemini, take turns crowning the sky as darkness falls.

The full Moon of March is known as the Sap Moon, Worm Moon, or Lenten Moon.

Perigee March 10
Apogee March 23

Moon phases are Central Time.

Moon Phases

March 3 9:23 am
Last Quarter Last Quarter
March 10 3:00 am
New Moon New Moon
March 16 11:11 pm
First Quarter First Quarter
March 25 2:00 am
Full Moon Full Moon

Moon and Gemini

Pollux, the brighter twin of Gemini, is close to the left of the Moon at nightfall. The other twin, Castor, is farther to the upper left of the Moon.

Orion’s Head

When spring arrives on Tuesday night, the Sun will be passing through Pisces. Over time, the Sun’s location at the vernal equinox slips westward. About 6,500 years ago it was just above the head of Orion the hunter, which tonight is below the Moon at nightfall.

Moon and Elnath

The Moon hangs precariously near a star with a nasty-sounding name tonight: Elnath. The name comes from an Arabic phrase that means “butting” or “goring.” It indicates the star’s position at the tip of one of the horns of Taurus, the bull.

Summer Stars

The stars in view at dawn now are the same ones you’ll see as night falls in July and August. Scorpius is low in the south, with Sagittarius to its left. The Big Dipper hangs from its handle in the northwest. And the Summer Triangle stands high in the east.

Moon and Pleiades

Two beautiful objects team up this evening: the Moon and the Pleiades. The little star cluster is close above the Moon. Binoculars will help you pick out some of its brighter stars through the moonlight.

Moon and Jupiter

Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, stands quite close to the lower left of the crescent Moon at nightfall. Jupiter looks like a brilliant star; only the Moon and the planet Venus outshine it.

Colorful Stars

Most stars are so faint that our eyes can’t see their color. A few exceptions are in view this evening. Betelgeuse, in the south-southwest at nightfall, is orange. So is Aldebaran, to its right. Rigel, below Betelgeuse, is blue-white, as is Regulus, in the east.

Camelopardalis

Camelopardalis, the giraffe, is one of the largest constellations, covering a big wedge of the northern sky. But it isn’t very bold. All of its stars are so faint that you need to get away from city lights to see them.

Argo Navis

The constellation Argo Navis represented the ship that carried Jason and the Argonauts. But the constellation was unwieldy, so it was split into three constellations: Carina, the keel; Vela, the sail; and Puppis, the deck at the stern of the ship.

Close Moon

The Moon is “new,” so it’s hidden in the Sun’s glare. But coastal residents will feel its presence because the Moon is closest to Earth for the year. The combination of the lunar phase and distance will create some of the highest tides of the year.

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