Skywatching Highlights: March 2011
March is filled with several exciting conjunctions, lunar occultations, planetary displays and other celestial events which will take place alongside with some big astronomy-related projects geared toward promoting the appreciation of the night sky to many people globally.
March | Event | Time | Notes |
5 | New Moon | 04:45 AM | |
6 | Moon at apogee (farthest distance to Earth) | 04:00 PM | |
7 | Final close pairing of Jupiter and the moon for 2011 | ||
10 | Moon shines near the Pleiades star cluster | ||
11 | Moon near star Aldebaran | ||
12 | Moon in between Capella and Betelgeuse | ||
12 | Juno at Opposition | 6:00 PM | |
13 | Moon shines in front of Winter Hexagon | ||
13-18 | Close pairing of Mercury and Jupiter | dusk | These appear low in western horizon |
13 | First Quarter Moon | 07:45 AM | |
15 | Gamma Normids | Active from Feb 25 – Mar 22. ZHR 6 | |
16 | Minimum separation Mercury Jupiter | dusk | Mercury 2° to the left of Jupiter |
16 | Mercury 2° North of the Moon | 01:00 AM | |
17 | Lunar occultation of omicron Leonis | Start: 6:20 PM End: 07:10 PM | |
17 | Moon and Regulus are less than 10 degrees apart | ||
19 | Sun-Earth Day | ||
20 | Full Moon | 02:10 AM | This will also be the largest full moon of the year because it will be near perigee, its closest point to the Earth. |
21 | Vernal Equinox | 07:20 AM | |
22 |
6th worldwide GLOBE at Night 2011 campaign |
March 22 -April 4 for the Northern Hemisphere |
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23 | Moon near red star Antares | before dawn | |
23 | Mercury greatest elongation East(19°) | 09:00 AM | |
26 | Last Quarter Moon | 08:10 PM | |
26 | Earth Hour 2011 | 8:30 PM | |
31 | Venus 6° South of the Moon | 09:00 PM |
Note: Dates and sky displays are based on Philippine settings. Philippine Standard Time (PST) = UT + 8
Astronomy Terms:
Occultation – An event that occurs when one object is hidden by another object that passes between it and the observer.
Opposition – When two celestial bodies are on opposite sides of the sky when viewed from a particular place (usually the Earth).
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Greatest (Eastern) Elongation | When an inferior planet is visible after sunset, it is near its greatest eastern elongation. A planet’s elongation is the angle between the Sun and the planet, as viewed from Earth |
Vernal 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 |
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References:
- EarthSky.org
- PAGASA Astronomical Diary — March 2011
- Philippine Celestial Events for 2011 (by PAS)
- SeaSky.org
- Wikipedia Encyclopedia