Sky Guide --- March
Date Hour Description of the phenomenon
2020 03 02 20:57 FIRST QUARTER OF THE MOON
2020 03 02 23:57 Minimum of the variable star Algol (beta Persei)
2020 03 05 20:46 Minimum of the variable star Algol (beta Persei)
2020 03 05 23:36 Close encounter between the Moon and Pollux (topocentric dist. center to center = 5.7°)
2020 03 06 22:46 Close encounter between the Moon and M 44 (topocentric dist. center to center = 0.5°)
2020 03 08 13:25 CONJUNCTION between Neptune and the Sun (geoc. dist. center to center = 1.0°)
2020 03 08 17:46 Close encounter between Venus and Uranus (topocentric dist. center to center = 2.2°)
2020 03 09 18:48 FULL MOON
2020 03 10 07:33 Moon at perigee (geocentric dist. = 357122 km)
2020 03 14 20:44 Opposition of the asteroid 27 Euterpe with the Sun (dist. to the Sun = 2.229 AU; magn. = 9.4)
2020 03 15 05:59 Close encounter between the Moon and Antares (topocentric dist. center to center = 5.7°)
2020 03 16 10:34 LAST QUARTER OF THE MOON
2020 03 18 10:08 Close encounter between the Moon and Mars (topocentric dist. center to center = 1.6°)
2020 03 18 13:07 Close encounter between the Moon and Jupiter (topocentric dist. center to center = 2.3°)
2020 03 18 16:59 Close encounter between the Moon and Pluto (topocentric dist. center to center = 1.5°)
2020 03 19 00:27 Close encounter between the Moon and Saturn (topocentric dist. center to center = 2.7°)
2020 03 20 04:00 Venus at its perihelion (distance to the Sun = 0.71845 AU)
2020 03 20 04:50 SPRING EQUINOX
2020 03 20 04:53 Minimum of the variable star Algol (beta Persei)
2020 03 20 11:46 Close encounter between Mars and Jupiter (topocentric dist. center to center = 0.7°)
2020 03 23 01:42 Minimum of the variable star Algol (beta Persei)
2020 03 24 00:00 GREATEST WESTERN ELONGATION of Mercury (27.8°)
2020 03 24 06:00 GREATEST EASTERN ELONGATION of Venus (46.0°)
2020 03 24 10:28 NEW MOON
2020 03 24 16:23 Moon at apogee (geocentric dist. = 406692 km)
2020 03 25 22:31 Minimum of the variable star Algol (beta Persei)
2020 03 27 01:07 Close encounter between the Moon and Uranus (topocentric dist. center to center = 4.5°)
2020 03 27 06:00 Mercury at its aphelion (distance to the Sun = 0.46671 AU)
2020 03 29 20:17 Beginning of occultation of 74-epsilon Tau (magn. = 3.53)
2020 03 29 21:26 End of occultation of 74-epsilon Tau (magn. = 3.53)
2020 03 29 23:43 Close encounter between the Moon and Aldebaran (topocentric dist. center to center = 2.9°)
2020 03 30 23:49 Beginning of occultation of 114 Tau (magn. = 4.88)
2020 03 31 00:20 End of occultation of 114 Tau (magn. = 4.88)
2020 03 31 18:33 Close encounter between Mars and Saturn (topocentric dist. center to center = 0.9°)
2020 03 02 20:57 FIRST QUARTER OF THE MOON
2020 03 02 23:57 Minimum of the variable star Algol (beta Persei)
2020 03 05 20:46 Minimum of the variable star Algol (beta Persei)
2020 03 05 23:36 Close encounter between the Moon and Pollux (topocentric dist. center to center = 5.7°)
2020 03 06 22:46 Close encounter between the Moon and M 44 (topocentric dist. center to center = 0.5°)
2020 03 08 13:25 CONJUNCTION between Neptune and the Sun (geoc. dist. center to center = 1.0°)
2020 03 08 17:46 Close encounter between Venus and Uranus (topocentric dist. center to center = 2.2°)
2020 03 09 18:48 FULL MOON
2020 03 10 07:33 Moon at perigee (geocentric dist. = 357122 km)
2020 03 14 20:44 Opposition of the asteroid 27 Euterpe with the Sun (dist. to the Sun = 2.229 AU; magn. = 9.4)
2020 03 15 05:59 Close encounter between the Moon and Antares (topocentric dist. center to center = 5.7°)
2020 03 16 10:34 LAST QUARTER OF THE MOON
2020 03 18 10:08 Close encounter between the Moon and Mars (topocentric dist. center to center = 1.6°)
2020 03 18 13:07 Close encounter between the Moon and Jupiter (topocentric dist. center to center = 2.3°)
2020 03 18 16:59 Close encounter between the Moon and Pluto (topocentric dist. center to center = 1.5°)
2020 03 19 00:27 Close encounter between the Moon and Saturn (topocentric dist. center to center = 2.7°)
2020 03 20 04:00 Venus at its perihelion (distance to the Sun = 0.71845 AU)
2020 03 20 04:50 SPRING EQUINOX
2020 03 20 04:53 Minimum of the variable star Algol (beta Persei)
2020 03 20 11:46 Close encounter between Mars and Jupiter (topocentric dist. center to center = 0.7°)
2020 03 23 01:42 Minimum of the variable star Algol (beta Persei)
2020 03 24 00:00 GREATEST WESTERN ELONGATION of Mercury (27.8°)
2020 03 24 06:00 GREATEST EASTERN ELONGATION of Venus (46.0°)
2020 03 24 10:28 NEW MOON
2020 03 24 16:23 Moon at apogee (geocentric dist. = 406692 km)
2020 03 25 22:31 Minimum of the variable star Algol (beta Persei)
2020 03 27 01:07 Close encounter between the Moon and Uranus (topocentric dist. center to center = 4.5°)
2020 03 27 06:00 Mercury at its aphelion (distance to the Sun = 0.46671 AU)
2020 03 29 20:17 Beginning of occultation of 74-epsilon Tau (magn. = 3.53)
2020 03 29 21:26 End of occultation of 74-epsilon Tau (magn. = 3.53)
2020 03 29 23:43 Close encounter between the Moon and Aldebaran (topocentric dist. center to center = 2.9°)
2020 03 30 23:49 Beginning of occultation of 114 Tau (magn. = 4.88)
2020 03 31 00:20 End of occultation of 114 Tau (magn. = 4.88)
2020 03 31 18:33 Close encounter between Mars and Saturn (topocentric dist. center to center = 0.9°)
Star chart
The following chart shows the sky mid-month at 9pm. Click and drag the chart to look around the sky!
Orion dominates the southern aspect of the sky in the early evening. The brilliant star Sirius is at its highest in the southern sky. Gemini is northeast of Orion and its brightest stars Castor and Pollux are high in the sky. The Milky Way runs from Auriga, between Gemini and Orion and down through Monoceros and towards Canis Major. There are lots of open clusters in this part of the sky. Meanwhile, the traditional Spring constellations of Cancer, Leo and Virgo are beginning to rise in the east. The Realm of the Galaxies is coming! More about this next month...
Planets
Generated with Coelix Lite software (www.ngc7000.com/en/index.htm)
Mercury is technically a morning sky object. However, it is badly placed for observers in the UK. It will become visible in the evening sky again in late May / early June.
Venus is visible immediately after sunset over the western horizon. It moves from Pisces, through Aries and into Taurus this month. It sets about 4 hours after sunset. The planet reaches greatest eastern elongation (46.0° E) on the 24th. Venus is the brightest object in the sky after the moon and it shines at about magnitude -4.3 and brightening slowly. Telescopes show a slightly gibbous disk (63% lit) changing to just under half-phase (48% illuminated). The angular size increases from 19 arcseconds to 25 arcseconds this month.
Mars continues to brighten in the morning sky (mag. +1.1 to +0.8) and the angular diameter increases to just over 6 arcseconds by the end of the month. Large telescopes, high magnification and excellent atmospheric seeing are needed to see surface detail at the moment. The planet is still very low in the southern sky. Moving eastwards, it passes Jupiter on to the west of Jupiter. It will be much brighter, bigger and higher in the sky by the autumn.
Jupiter can be seen for a couple of hours before dawn. The planet will be very low above the southern horizon in the constellation Sagittarius. Angular size increases to about 37 arcseconds and the magnitude is about -2.1.
Saturn is a morning sky object in the constellation Sagittarius. It is about 7 degrees east of Jupiter (so look for it shortly before dawn, between Jupiter and the horizon). Angular size is about 16 arcseconds (the equator of the planet) and mag. +0.7.
Uranus is an evening object in the constellation Aries. It is visible during the early part of the evening and shining at magnitude +5.9. Binoculars will show the planet easily if you know where to look. The planet shows a tiny blue-green disk through telescopes measuring just 3.4 arcseconds.
Neptune passes through conjunction with the Sun early in the month and is not observable.
Hours of darkness
If you're looking for those nights where twilight and moonlight won't interfere with your imaging - then here are the hours of darkness for this month. Generated with Skymap Pro 9.
Hours of Darkness: 01 Mar 2020 to 31 Mar 2020
Date Sunset Twilight Darkness Twilight Sunrise
---- ------ -------- -------- -------- -------
Sun 01 Mar 20 17:42 19:44 01:23 - 04:51 04:51 06:53
Mon 02 Mar 20 17:44 19:46 02:35 - 04:49 04:49 06:50
Tue 03 Mar 20 17:46 19:48 03:44 - 04:46 04:46 06:48
Wed 04 Mar 20 17:48 19:50 None 04:44 06:45
Thu 05 Mar 20 17:50 19:52 None 04:41 06:43
Fri 06 Mar 20 17:52 19:54 None 04:39 06:40
Sat 07 Mar 20 17:54 19:57 None 04:36 06:38
Sun 08 Mar 20 17:56 19:59 None 04:33 06:35
Mon 09 Mar 20 17:58 20:01 None 04:30 06:33
Tue 10 Mar 20 18:00 20:03 None 04:28 06:30
Wed 11 Mar 20 18:02 20:05 20:05 - 20:40 04:25 06:28
Thu 12 Mar 20 18:04 20:08 20:08 - 22:10 04:22 06:25
Fri 13 Mar 20 18:06 20:10 20:10 - 23:39 04:19 06:23
Sat 14 Mar 20 18:08 20:12 20:12 - 01:04 04:17 06:20
Sun 15 Mar 20 18:10 20:15 20:15 - 02:21 04:14 06:18
Mon 16 Mar 20 18:12 20:17 20:17 - 03:27 04:11 06:15
Tue 17 Mar 20 18:14 20:19 20:19 - 04:08 04:08 06:12
Wed 18 Mar 20 18:16 20:22 20:22 - 04:05 04:05 06:10
Thu 19 Mar 20 18:18 20:24 20:24 - 04:02 04:02 06:07
Fri 20 Mar 20 18:20 20:27 20:27 - 03:59 03:59 06:05
Sat 21 Mar 20 18:22 20:29 20:29 - 03:56 03:56 06:02
Sun 22 Mar 20 18:24 20:31 20:31 - 03:53 03:53 05:59
Mon 23 Mar 20 18:26 20:34 20:34 - 03:50 03:50 05:57
Tue 24 Mar 20 18:28 20:36 20:36 - 03:46 03:46 05:54
Wed 25 Mar 20 18:30 20:39 20:39 - 03:43 03:43 05:52
Thu 26 Mar 20 18:32 20:42 20:48 - 03:40 03:40 05:49
Fri 27 Mar 20 18:34 20:44 22:00 - 03:37 03:37 05:47
Sat 28 Mar 20 18:36 20:47 23:12 - 03:34 03:34 05:44
Sun 29 Mar 20 18:38 20:50 00:25 - 03:30 03:30 05:41
Mon 30 Mar 20 18:40 20:52 01:34 - 03:27 03:27 05:39
Tue 31 Mar 20 18:42 20:55 02:37 - 03:24 03:24 05:36
NOTE: British Summer Time begins at 0100UT on Sunday March 30th. Clocks go forward one hour.
Date Sunset Twilight Darkness Twilight Sunrise
---- ------ -------- -------- -------- -------
Sun 01 Mar 20 17:42 19:44 01:23 - 04:51 04:51 06:53
Mon 02 Mar 20 17:44 19:46 02:35 - 04:49 04:49 06:50
Tue 03 Mar 20 17:46 19:48 03:44 - 04:46 04:46 06:48
Wed 04 Mar 20 17:48 19:50 None 04:44 06:45
Thu 05 Mar 20 17:50 19:52 None 04:41 06:43
Fri 06 Mar 20 17:52 19:54 None 04:39 06:40
Sat 07 Mar 20 17:54 19:57 None 04:36 06:38
Sun 08 Mar 20 17:56 19:59 None 04:33 06:35
Mon 09 Mar 20 17:58 20:01 None 04:30 06:33
Tue 10 Mar 20 18:00 20:03 None 04:28 06:30
Wed 11 Mar 20 18:02 20:05 20:05 - 20:40 04:25 06:28
Thu 12 Mar 20 18:04 20:08 20:08 - 22:10 04:22 06:25
Fri 13 Mar 20 18:06 20:10 20:10 - 23:39 04:19 06:23
Sat 14 Mar 20 18:08 20:12 20:12 - 01:04 04:17 06:20
Sun 15 Mar 20 18:10 20:15 20:15 - 02:21 04:14 06:18
Mon 16 Mar 20 18:12 20:17 20:17 - 03:27 04:11 06:15
Tue 17 Mar 20 18:14 20:19 20:19 - 04:08 04:08 06:12
Wed 18 Mar 20 18:16 20:22 20:22 - 04:05 04:05 06:10
Thu 19 Mar 20 18:18 20:24 20:24 - 04:02 04:02 06:07
Fri 20 Mar 20 18:20 20:27 20:27 - 03:59 03:59 06:05
Sat 21 Mar 20 18:22 20:29 20:29 - 03:56 03:56 06:02
Sun 22 Mar 20 18:24 20:31 20:31 - 03:53 03:53 05:59
Mon 23 Mar 20 18:26 20:34 20:34 - 03:50 03:50 05:57
Tue 24 Mar 20 18:28 20:36 20:36 - 03:46 03:46 05:54
Wed 25 Mar 20 18:30 20:39 20:39 - 03:43 03:43 05:52
Thu 26 Mar 20 18:32 20:42 20:48 - 03:40 03:40 05:49
Fri 27 Mar 20 18:34 20:44 22:00 - 03:37 03:37 05:47
Sat 28 Mar 20 18:36 20:47 23:12 - 03:34 03:34 05:44
Sun 29 Mar 20 18:38 20:50 00:25 - 03:30 03:30 05:41
Mon 30 Mar 20 18:40 20:52 01:34 - 03:27 03:27 05:39
Tue 31 Mar 20 18:42 20:55 02:37 - 03:24 03:24 05:36
NOTE: British Summer Time begins at 0100UT on Sunday March 30th. Clocks go forward one hour.
