SkyEye

Welcome to SkyEye, your guide to this month's celestial events. All dates are based on Universal Time (UT).

Brief Calendar of Events

3 Mon New Moon
7 Fri Moon at apogee
11 Tue First Quarter Moon
13 Thu Saturn at east quadrature
14 Fri Gamma Normids meteor shower
18 Tue Full Moon
19 Wed Moon at perigee
21 Fri Equinox
Mercury at superior conjunction
25 Tue Last Quarter Moon
26 Wed Vesta at opposition

The Sun and Moon

There are no eclipses this month.

The best time to view the southern polar region of the Sun is early this month.

Earth reaches an equinox this month, heralding spring in the northern hemisphere and the onset of autumn in the southern hemisphere.

As seen from the Earth, the Sun is moving from the constellation Aquarius to the constellation Pisces.

The Planets

The word planet is derived from the Greek word for "wanderer." Unlike the background stars, planets seem to move around the sky, keeping mostly to a narrow track called the ecliptic, the path of the Sun across the stars.
Mercury
Southern hemisphere observers have a chance to catch a glimpse of Mercury in the eastern sky before sunrise early in the month but it is soon lost in the Sun's glare as this tiny planet approaches superior conjunction on 21 March. Mercury can be found in the constellations Capricornus, Aquarius and Pisces.
Venus
The "morning star" is best seen from the southern hemisphere. It is gradually descending towards the Sun as it moves through the constellations Sagittarius, Capricornus and Aquarius. A telescope will be needed to see Venus close to Neptune on 28 March.
Mars
The red planet rises after midnight in the constellation Sagittarius.
Jupiter
Jupiter is up most of the night near M44, the Beehive Cluster in the constellation Cancer.
Saturn
Saturn reaches east quadrature on 13 March, making this a particularly interesting time to observe the interplay of shadows between the disk, rings and satellites. Look for it between the "horns" of the bull Taurus before midnight.
Uranus
A telescope will be needed to see Uranus in the early morning twilight in the constellation Aquarius.
Neptune
Neptune is also difficult to see, located in the constellation Capricornus not far from Uranus. Venus and Neptune will have a particularly close encounter on 28 March.
Pluto
The outermost planet in the solar system is located in the constellation Serpens (Cauda). It rises about midnight.

Minor Planets, Comets and Meteors

Minor Planets
Vesta reaches sixth magnitude at opposition on 26 March
Comets
There are no naked-eye comets visible this month.
Meteors
The Gamma Normids meteor shower is ruined by the waxing gibbous Moon.

The Celestial Sphere

Constellations are patterns of stars in the sky. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognises 88 different constellations. The brightest stars as seen from the Earth are easy to spot but do you know their proper names? With a set of binoculars you can look for fainter objects such as nebulae and galaxies or some of the closest stars to the Sun.

Descriptions of the sky for observers in both the northern and southern hemispheres are available for the following times this month. Subtract one hour from your local time if daylight savings time is in effect. (Note: These times are approximate.)

Northern Hemisphere : 45° N

Southern Hemisphere : 30° S

For More Information...

Credits

Much of this information can be found in this month's issue of your favourite amateur astronomy magazine available in your local bookshop. Another excellent source is the current edition of the Astronomical Calendar by Guy Ottewell and published by the Universal Workshop at Furman University.

The image of the Sun in the SkyEye banner is courtesy of the SOHO/EIT consortium. SOHO is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA. Used with permission.

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