This month, mark two seasonal transitions while witnessing eclipses, tracking Mercury’s elusive appearance, and spotting the Winter Hexagon. Grab your curiosity and join our Sky Tour.
March 9th marks the start of daylight time in most US and Canadian regions, signaling the beginning of northern spring and autumn south of the equator. On March 20th at 5:01 a.m., Earth reaches one of its two equinox points, beginning the astronomical spring season.
The month’s biggest celestial event is a total lunar eclipse, visible from North America, weather permitting. For those on the East Coast, totality occurs after midnight on March 14th (2:26-3:32 a.m. Eastern Time), while for those on the West Coast, it begins at 11:26 p.m. on the 13th.
Two weeks later, a deep partial solar eclipse will occur when the new Moon passes in front of the Sun. Favored regions include Northeast states and Canada’s Maritime provinces. For those farther west in North America, the eclipse occurs before sunrise.
As evening approaches, Mercury becomes visible, making its best showing of the year from March 7th onwards. Meanwhile, Venus is seen in the western sky after sunset, but will soon disappear as it plunges toward the horizon.
In addition to planets, March’s evening skies offer stunning views of winter stars. Look for Orion, marked by a row of three stars and Betelgeuse at its center, surrounded by the Winter Hexagon pattern. Tune in to this month’s Sky Tour to learn more about these celestial events.
Source: https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/sky-tour-podcast-march-2025