Woking Planetarium

Read our March sky notes to find out what’s in the night sky this month!

Map

Constellations

These constellations are well placed in the evening this month, but many more can be seen. Check the star map for more.

Leo is visible for much of the night this month. It appears towards the east and moves across the sky to the west. As the month goes on, it begins its journey higher in the sky.

Boötes rises in the east shortly after sunset at the beginning of the month, moving west across the sky. Best views will be in the early hours of the morning where it is highest in the sky. By the end of the month Boötes appears just above the eastern horizon at sunset.

Cancer can be seen near the zenith shortly after sunset, setting in the west just before sunrise. It is a faint constellation that can be found between the constellations of Gemini and Leo.

Planets

Mercury will be too close to the Sun to be seen this month. A conjunction with Saturn on the 2^nd will be unobservable from Woking.

Venus is visible in the morning sky low on the south eastern horizon. Best views will be before sunrise at the beginning of the month. Venus will be in conjunction with Pluto on the 5^th, in conjunction with Mars on the 12^th, and in conjunction with Saturn on the 29^th. It will also reach greatest western elongation on the 20^th and dichotomy on the 21^st.

Mars rises a little before this Sun this month, but will likely be too close to the horizon to be easily seen. It will be in conjunction with Pluto on the 4^th and in conjunction with the Moon on the 28^th.

Jupiter stays close to the Sun this month, so will not be seen. The following events are unobservable: solar conjunction on the 5^th and conjunction with the Moon on the 30^th.

Saturn appears too close to the Sun to be seen this month. Though unobservable, it will be in conjunction with Mercury on the 2^nd, in conjunction with the Moon on the 28^th, and in conjunction with Venus on the 29^th.

Uranus is too faint to be seen with the naked eye. It appears low in the western sky at sunset, setting between 11pm and midnight. It will experience a lunar occultation on the 7^th.

Neptune is too faint to be seen with the naked eye. This month, it is obscured by the Sun, being at solar conjunction on the 13^th.

Meteor Showers

The γ-Normids reach their peak on the 14^th. The radiant (apparent origin point of the meteors) will be in the constellation of Norma. This shower will not be visible from Woking as Norma never appears above the horizon.

Moon

New Moon: 2^nd

First Quarter: 10^th

Full Moon: 18^th

Last Quarter: 25^th

The Moon is at perigee, its closest point to the Earth, on the 23^rd, and apogee, its furthest point from the Earth on the 10^th. This effect is not visually apparent.

The Moon is at perihelion, its closest point to the Sun, on the 29^th, and aphelion, its furthest point from the Sun on the 20^th. This effect is not visually apparent.

Points of Interest

Comet 9P/ Tempel will be at perihelion, its closest point to the Sun, on the 3^rd. It can be found in the constellation of Sagittarius.

Comet 22P/ Kopff will be at perihelion on the 16^th. It will be visible in the constellation of Capricornus.

The March equinox will be on 20^th. This is one of 2 points in the year where the length of the day is the same as the night.

136472 Makemake reaches opposition on the 28^th. It can be found in the constellation of Coma Berenices and requires at least a four-inch telescope to see. Its highest point in the sky will occur around midnight.

Visit Spot the Station to find out when the ISS will be visible from your location.

Last updated: 15^th February.