Monthly Archives: March 2020

General Astronomy, Solar System

Planets of the Month: MARCH

by Erich Karkoschka

planet-of-the-month-mercury  Mercury is just visible at dawn. Its greatest western elongation is the 23rd.

planet-of-the-month-venus  Venus is 45 degrees high at sunset, its best once every eight years. Greatest elongation from the sun is on the 24th, when it is half illuminated. On April 3 it will be inside the Pleiades (M45). At magnitude -4.5, it can be seen during the day if one can find it. The Moon visits Venus on March 26 & 27. Uranus is only 2 degrees from Venus on March 8 (within a binocular view).

planet-of-the-month-moon

Moon. First Quarter: March 2. Full: 9. Last Quarter: 16. New: 24. The Moon will visit Venus March 26 & 27.

 

planet-of-the-month-marsMars.  Rises around 4 am at magnitude +1. Mars rises first early in the month, Jupiter is 5 degrees behind, and Saturn another 8 degrees behind. By the 18th Mars has almost caught up with Jupiter and the Moon is very close to both of them. Between the 20th & 31st, Mars will be between Jupiter and Saturn and within 7 degrees of each other. A Mars/Jupiter conjunction is on the 20th and a Mars/Saturn conjunction is on the 31st. After the 31st, Mars will have passed Saturn and will move on while Jupiter and Saturn stay within 6 degrees of each other.

planet-of-the-month-jupiter  Jupiter.  Rises around 4 am at magnitude -2. See Mars write-up for positioning.

planet-of-the-month-saturn  Saturn.  Rises around 4 am at magnitude +1. See Mars write-up for positioning.

planet-of-the-month-uranus  Uranus.   Only 2 degrees from Venus on the 8th.

planet-of-the-month-neptune  Neptune.  Not visible. Solar Conjunction (in the glare of the Sun) is March 8.

planet-of-the-month-sunrise  The Vernal (Spring) Equinox is March 19 at 9 pm MST. This is when the Sun crosses the celestial equator (an imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator). This happens on March 19, 20, or 21 every year in the Northern Hemisphere.