If you have not done so already, be sure to make plans for the solar eclipse on April 8. Our area will see approximately 90 percent coverage. If you want to view the most complete eclipse, you will need to travel. Accommodations have booked up quickly, including a Delta flight that will carry passengers along a special route for the best viewing. Wherever you decide to view it, use protective eyewear or an eclipse viewer.
March 10 – New Moon. The Moon will be located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
March 19 – March Equinox. The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of fall (autumnal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.
March 24 – Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 18.7 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.
March 25 – Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Worm Moon because this was the time of year when the ground would begin to soften and the earthworms would reappear. This moon has also been known as the Crow Moon, the Crust Moon, the Sap Moon, and the Lenten Moon.
March 25 – Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth’s partial shadow, or penumbra. During this type of eclipse the Moon will darken slightly but not completely. The eclipse will be visible throughout all North America, Mexico, Central America, and South America.
—Information from seasky.org
