Post by Dave Mitsky on Mar 1, 2015 20:00:55 GMT
March Celestial Calendar by Dave Mitsky
All times, unless otherwise noted, are UT (subtract five hours and, when appropriate, one calendar day for EST and four hours for EDT from March 8th onwards)
3/3 Jupiter is 5 degrees north of the Moon at 8:00
3/4 Venus is 0.09 degree north of Uranus at 20:00
3/5 The Moon is at apogee, subtending 29' 24" from a distance of 406,384 kilometers (252,516 miles), at 8:00; Full Moon (known as the Crow, Lenten, and Sap Moon), the smallest of the year, occurs at 18:05
3/6 Mercury is at aphelion today; asteroid 7 Iris is at opposition at 13:00
3/8 Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins today
3/9 Asteroid 3 Juno is stationary at 15:00
3/11 Mars is 0.27 degree north of Uranus at 19:00
3/12 Saturn is 2.0 degrees south of the Moon at 8:00
3/13 Last Quarter Moon occurs at 17:48
3/14 The Curtiss Cross, an X-shaped clair-obscure illumination effect located between the craters Parry and Gambart, is predicted to occur at 6:02; Saturn is stationary at 14:22
3/15 Venus is at the ascending node today
3/17 Mercury is 1.6 degrees south of Neptune at 23:00
3/19 Neptune is 4 degrees south of the Moon at 2:00; Mercury is 5 degrees south of the Moon at 5:00; the Moon is at perigee, subtending 33' 25" from a distance of 357,584 kilometers (222,192 miles), at 20:00
3/20 New Moon (lunation 1141) occurs at 9:36; a total solar eclipse, visible from the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean, has first contact at 7:41 and last contact at 11:50; the vernal equinox occurs at 22:45
3/21 Uranus is 0.1 degree south of the Moon, with an occultation visible from western Asia, the Middle East, central Africa, and far eastern Brazil, at 11:00; Mars is 1 degree north of the Moon, with an occultation visible from southwestern South America and some of western Antarctica, at 22:00
3/22 Venus is 3 degrees north of the Moon at 20:00
3/25 The Moon is 0.9 degree north of the first-magnitude star Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri), with an occultation visible from Alaska, northwestern Canada, northern Greenland, far northeastern China, northeastern Scandinavia, Russia, and Kazakhstan, at 7:00
3/27 Mercury is at its greatest heliocentric latitude south today; First Quarter Moon occurs at 7:43; the Lunar X (the Purbach or Werner Cross), an X-shaped clair-obscure illumination effect involving various rims and ridges between the craters La Caille, Blanchinus, and Purbach, is predicted to occur at 17:02
3/30 Jupiter is 6 degrees north of the Moon at 10:00
John Herschel (1792-1871), Percival Lowell (1855-1916), Albert Einstein (1879-1955), and Walter Baade (1893-1960) were born this month.
Titan, Saturn’s largest satellite, was discovered on March 25, 1655 by the Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens. Sir William Herschel discovered Uranus on March 13, 1781. The first photograph of the Moon was taken on March 23, 1840. The rings of Uranus were discovered on March 10, 1977.
During the second and third weeks of the month, the zodiacal light is visible in the western sky after sunset from dark locations.
Information on Iridium flares and passes of the ISS, the Tiangong-1, the USAF’s X-37B, the HST, and other satellites can be found at www.heavens-above.com/
The Moon is 10.0 days old, is illuminated 80.8%, and is located in the constellation of Gemini at 0:00 UT on March 1st. It's at its greatest northern declination of +18.2 degrees on March 26th and its greatest southern declination of -18.3 degrees on March 14th. Latitudinal libration is at a maximum of +6.8 degrees on March 27th and a minimum of -6.8 degrees on March 15th. Longitudinal libration is at a maximum of +7.2 degrees on March 25th and a minimum of -7.8 degrees on March 13th. New Moon occurs on March 20th. Large tides will happen on March 20th through March 23rd. The Moon will occult Uranus and Mars on March 21st and Aldebaran on March 22nd from certain parts of the world. Consult www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/bstar/bstar.htm for information on lunar occultation events. Visit saberdoesthestars.wordpress.com/2011/07/05/saber-does-the-stars/ for tips on spotting extreme crescent Moons. Click on www.calendar-12.com/moon_calendar/2015/march for a March lunar calendar. Times and dates for the lunar light rays predicted to occur this month are available at www.lunar-occultations.com/rlo/rays/rays.htm
The Sun is in Aquarius on March 1st at 0:00 UT. It crosses the celestial equator at 22:45 UT (6:45 p.m. EDT) on March 20th, bringing spring to the northern hemisphere. A total solar eclipse, the 61st of Saros 120, takes place on March 20th. Totality is visible from the Danish Faroe Islands and the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. Greatest eclipse (2 minutes and 47 seconds) occurs at 9:46:47 UT (4:46:47 a.m. EST). A greater than 80% partial eclipse can be seen from the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Scandinavia. Consult eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2015Mar20Tgoogle.html for further information.
Brightness, apparent size, illumination, distance from the Earth in astronomical units, and location data for the planets and Pluto on March 1st: Mercury (magnitude +0.0, 6.5, 65%, 1.03 a.u., Capricornus), Venus (magnitude -3.9, 12.0", 86% illuminated, 1.38 a.u., Pisces), Mars (magnitude +1.3, 4.2", 97% illuminated, 2.24 a.u., Cetus), Jupiter (magnitude -2.5, 44.5", 100% illuminated, 4.43 a.u., Cancer), Saturn (magnitude +0.4, 16.9", 100% illuminated, 9.82 a.u., Scorpius), Uranus (magnitude +5.9, 3.4", 100% illuminated, 20.93 a.u. on March 16th, Pisces), Neptune (magnitude +8.0, 2.2", 100% illuminated, 30.92 a.u. on March 16th, Aquarius), and Pluto (magnitude +14.2, 0.1", 100% illuminated, 33.17 a.u. on March 16th, Sagittarius).
In the evening, Venus, Mars, and Uranus can be seen in the west and Jupiter in the southeast. Jupiter is located in the southwest at midnight. Mercury is in the southeast, Saturn is in the south, and Neptune is in the east in the morning sky.
At midmonth, Mercury is visible during morning twilight, Venus sets at 10:00 p.m., Mars sets at 9:00 p.m., Jupiter transits the meridian at 11:00 p.m. and sets at 6:00 a.m., and Saturn rises at 1:00 a.m. local daylight time for observers at latitude 40 degrees north.
Mercury lies very low in the southeast at dawn. It reaches aphelion on March 6th, is 1.6 degrees south of Neptune on March 17th, is five degrees south of the Moon on March 19th, and is at its greatest heliocentric latitude south on March 27th.
Venus grows in apparent size to 14 arc seconds this month but decreases 8% in illumination to 78%. The brilliant planet passes 0.1 degree north of Uranus on March 4th, is at the ascending node on March 15th, and is three degrees north of the Moon on March 20th. The gap between Venus and Mars increases to 13 degrees by March 21st and 17 degrees by March 31st. Venus sets three hours after the Sun by the end of the month.
Mars is located in Cetus for the first two days of March and then enters Pisces. On March 29th, it passes into Aries. Mars subtends just four arc seconds by month’s end.
During March, Jupiter decreases almost three arc seconds in angular diameter and dims by two-tenths of a magnitude. Jupiter’s retrograde or westward motion carries it to a position five degrees east of the bright open cluster M44 (the Beehive Cluster) by the end of March. On March 20th, Ganymede reappears from eclipse three arc minutes to the west of Io beginning at 2:43 UT (10:43 p.m. EST). Data on this and other Galilean satellite events is available online at www.shallowsky.com/jupiter/ and www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/interactive-sky-watching-tools/ and on page 51 of the March issue of Sky & Telescope. Galilean satellite mutual events take place on March 1st, 3rd, 6th, 8th, 10th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 20th, 24th, and 27th UT. For further information on these events, consult page 53 of the March issue of Sky & Telescope. Click on www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/interactive-sky-watching-tools/ or consult page 52 of the March issue of Sky & Telescope to determine transit times of the central meridian by the Great Red Spot.
Saturn rises prior to 1:00 a.m. local time on March 1st. It reaches maximum altitude as dawn breaks. Saturn begins retrograde motion on March 14th. At mid-month, the planet’s disc spans 17 arc seconds. Its rings are 39 arc seconds in diameter and are tilted by 25 degrees. Click on www.curtrenz.com/saturn for a wealth of information on Saturn. Eight-magnitude Titan is positioned due north of Saturn on the nights of March 1st and March 17th and due south of the planet on March 9th and March 25th. In early March, tenth-magnitude Iapetus is positioned at its farthest orbital point west of Saturn. For further information on the major satellites of Saturn, browse www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/interactive-sky-watching-tools/
Uranus is just 0.09 degree south of Venus at 20:00 UT (3:00 p.m. EST) on March 4th, the closest conjunction of two planets to take place this year. Uranus, Venus, and Mars form a planetary trio (i.e., three planets located within a circle five degrees in diameter) that night. On March 11th, Mars is 0.27 degree north of Uranus at 19:00 UT (2:00 p.m. EST). The seventh planet disappears from view by mid-March.
Neptune reappears low in the morning sky in late March for observers in the southern hemisphere.
Finder charts for Uranus and Neptune can be found at www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-content/uploads/WEB_Uranus_Neptune_2014.pdf and on page 51 of the September 2014 issue of Sky & Telescope. See www.curtrenz.com/uranep.html for additional information on the two outer planets.
Pluto is not a viable target this month.
For more on the planets and how to locate them, browse www.nakedeyeplanets.com/
During March, asteroid 354 Eleonora heads northwestward through eastern Leo. Eleonora (magnitude 9.6) reaches opposition on March 5th. Asteroid 7 Iris (magnitude 9.1) reaches opposition on March 6th, asteroid 56 Melete (magnitude 12.5) on March 7th, asteroid 17 Thetis (magnitude 11.0) on March 7th, asteroid 67 Asia (magnitude 11.9) on March 19th, asteroid 44 Nysa (magnitude 9.5) on March 22nd, and asteroid 85 Io (magnitude 11.8) on March 31st. The faint asteroid 72 Feronia occults a 8.7-magnitude star on the morning of March 5th. Another faint minor planet, asteroid 506, occults an 8.4-magnitude star on the morning of March 7th. Both events are visible from southern California. Click on asteroidoccultation.com/2015_03_si.htm respectively for information on these and other asteroid occultations taking place this month.
Comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) has maintained its brightness remarkably well since perihelion and, while fading to sixth magnitude at the start of March, is still a fine target for binoculars and small telescopes, as it travels through Cassiopeia. It passes about one degree to the east of the bright open cluster NGC 457 (the Owl Cluster) in Cassiopeia on the nights of March 9th through March 11th and just 0.1 degree to the west of the third-magnitude star Delta Cassiopeiae on March 15th. On the following two nights, the comet is located approximately one degree to the west of the open cluster M103. It passes three degrees to the west of the open cluster NGC 663 on March 20th. Browse www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/comet-lovejoy-shines/ for a finder chart. Visit cometchasing.skyhound.com/ for additional information on this month’s comets.
A wealth of current information on solar system celestial bodies is posted at www.curtrenz.com/astronomical
Browse astrocast.tv/ for an informative video on astronomical events taking place this month.
It is possible to observe all 109 (or 110) Messier objects during a single night around the time of the vernal equinox, if the Moon phase and local latitude permits. For information on running a so-called Messier Marathon, browse messier.seds.org/xtra/marathon/marathon.html and www.richardbell.net/marathon.html
Free star maps for March can be downloaded at www.skymaps.com/downloads.html and www.telescope.com/content.jsp?pageName=Monthly-Star-Chart
The famous eclipsing variable star Algol (Beta Persei) is at a minimum, decreasing in magnitude from 2.1 to 3.4, on March 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 20th, 23rd, 26th, and 29th. Consult www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/interactive-sky-watching-tools/ or page 51 of the March issue of Sky & Telescope for the times of the eclipses. For more on Algol, see stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/Algol.html and www.solstation.com/stars2/algol3.htm
Thirty binary and multiple stars for March: Struve 1173, Struve 1181, Struve 1187, Zeta Cancri, 24 Cancri, Phi-2 Cancri, Iota-1 Cancri, Struve 1245, Iota-2 Cancri, 66 Cancri, Struve 1327 (Cancer); Struve 1270, Epsilon Hydrae, 15 Hydrae, 17 Hydrae, Theta Hydrae, 27 Hydrae, Struve 1347, Struve 1357, Struve 1365 (Hydra); 3 Leonis, Struve 1360, 6 Leonis, Omicron Leonis (Leo); Struve 1274, Struve 1282, Struve 1333, 38 Lyncis, Struve 1369 (Lynx); h4046 (Puppis)
Notable carbon star for March: T Cancri (Cancer)
Thirty-five deep-sky objects for March: M44, M67, NGC 2775 (Cancer); Abell 33, M48, NGC 2610, NGC 2642, NGC 2811, NGC 2835, NGC 2855, NGC 2935, NGC 2992, NGC 3052, NGC 3078 (Hydra); NGC 2903, NGC 2916, NGC 2964, NGC 2968, NGC 3020 (Leo); NGC 2859, NGC 3003, NGC 3021 (Leo Minor); NGC 2683 (Lynx); NGC 2567, NGC 2571 (Puppis); M81, M82, NGC 2639, NGC 2654, NGC 2681, NGC 2685, NGC 2742, NGC 2768, NGC 2787, NGC 2841, NGC 2880, NGC 2950, NGC 2976, NGC 2985 (Ursa Major)
Top ten binocular deep-sky objects for March: M44, M48, M67, M81, M82, NGC 2571, NGC 2683, NGC 2841, NGC 2903, NGC 2976
Top ten deep-sky objects for March: M44, M48, M67, M81, M82, NGC 2654, NGC 2683, NGC 2835, NGC 2841, NGC 2903
Challenge deep-sky object for March: Abell 30 (Cancer)
The objects listed above are located between 8:00 and 10:00 hours of right ascension.
All times, unless otherwise noted, are UT (subtract five hours and, when appropriate, one calendar day for EST and four hours for EDT from March 8th onwards)
3/3 Jupiter is 5 degrees north of the Moon at 8:00
3/4 Venus is 0.09 degree north of Uranus at 20:00
3/5 The Moon is at apogee, subtending 29' 24" from a distance of 406,384 kilometers (252,516 miles), at 8:00; Full Moon (known as the Crow, Lenten, and Sap Moon), the smallest of the year, occurs at 18:05
3/6 Mercury is at aphelion today; asteroid 7 Iris is at opposition at 13:00
3/8 Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins today
3/9 Asteroid 3 Juno is stationary at 15:00
3/11 Mars is 0.27 degree north of Uranus at 19:00
3/12 Saturn is 2.0 degrees south of the Moon at 8:00
3/13 Last Quarter Moon occurs at 17:48
3/14 The Curtiss Cross, an X-shaped clair-obscure illumination effect located between the craters Parry and Gambart, is predicted to occur at 6:02; Saturn is stationary at 14:22
3/15 Venus is at the ascending node today
3/17 Mercury is 1.6 degrees south of Neptune at 23:00
3/19 Neptune is 4 degrees south of the Moon at 2:00; Mercury is 5 degrees south of the Moon at 5:00; the Moon is at perigee, subtending 33' 25" from a distance of 357,584 kilometers (222,192 miles), at 20:00
3/20 New Moon (lunation 1141) occurs at 9:36; a total solar eclipse, visible from the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean, has first contact at 7:41 and last contact at 11:50; the vernal equinox occurs at 22:45
3/21 Uranus is 0.1 degree south of the Moon, with an occultation visible from western Asia, the Middle East, central Africa, and far eastern Brazil, at 11:00; Mars is 1 degree north of the Moon, with an occultation visible from southwestern South America and some of western Antarctica, at 22:00
3/22 Venus is 3 degrees north of the Moon at 20:00
3/25 The Moon is 0.9 degree north of the first-magnitude star Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri), with an occultation visible from Alaska, northwestern Canada, northern Greenland, far northeastern China, northeastern Scandinavia, Russia, and Kazakhstan, at 7:00
3/27 Mercury is at its greatest heliocentric latitude south today; First Quarter Moon occurs at 7:43; the Lunar X (the Purbach or Werner Cross), an X-shaped clair-obscure illumination effect involving various rims and ridges between the craters La Caille, Blanchinus, and Purbach, is predicted to occur at 17:02
3/30 Jupiter is 6 degrees north of the Moon at 10:00
John Herschel (1792-1871), Percival Lowell (1855-1916), Albert Einstein (1879-1955), and Walter Baade (1893-1960) were born this month.
Titan, Saturn’s largest satellite, was discovered on March 25, 1655 by the Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens. Sir William Herschel discovered Uranus on March 13, 1781. The first photograph of the Moon was taken on March 23, 1840. The rings of Uranus were discovered on March 10, 1977.
During the second and third weeks of the month, the zodiacal light is visible in the western sky after sunset from dark locations.
Information on Iridium flares and passes of the ISS, the Tiangong-1, the USAF’s X-37B, the HST, and other satellites can be found at www.heavens-above.com/
The Moon is 10.0 days old, is illuminated 80.8%, and is located in the constellation of Gemini at 0:00 UT on March 1st. It's at its greatest northern declination of +18.2 degrees on March 26th and its greatest southern declination of -18.3 degrees on March 14th. Latitudinal libration is at a maximum of +6.8 degrees on March 27th and a minimum of -6.8 degrees on March 15th. Longitudinal libration is at a maximum of +7.2 degrees on March 25th and a minimum of -7.8 degrees on March 13th. New Moon occurs on March 20th. Large tides will happen on March 20th through March 23rd. The Moon will occult Uranus and Mars on March 21st and Aldebaran on March 22nd from certain parts of the world. Consult www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/bstar/bstar.htm for information on lunar occultation events. Visit saberdoesthestars.wordpress.com/2011/07/05/saber-does-the-stars/ for tips on spotting extreme crescent Moons. Click on www.calendar-12.com/moon_calendar/2015/march for a March lunar calendar. Times and dates for the lunar light rays predicted to occur this month are available at www.lunar-occultations.com/rlo/rays/rays.htm
The Sun is in Aquarius on March 1st at 0:00 UT. It crosses the celestial equator at 22:45 UT (6:45 p.m. EDT) on March 20th, bringing spring to the northern hemisphere. A total solar eclipse, the 61st of Saros 120, takes place on March 20th. Totality is visible from the Danish Faroe Islands and the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. Greatest eclipse (2 minutes and 47 seconds) occurs at 9:46:47 UT (4:46:47 a.m. EST). A greater than 80% partial eclipse can be seen from the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Scandinavia. Consult eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2015Mar20Tgoogle.html for further information.
Brightness, apparent size, illumination, distance from the Earth in astronomical units, and location data for the planets and Pluto on March 1st: Mercury (magnitude +0.0, 6.5, 65%, 1.03 a.u., Capricornus), Venus (magnitude -3.9, 12.0", 86% illuminated, 1.38 a.u., Pisces), Mars (magnitude +1.3, 4.2", 97% illuminated, 2.24 a.u., Cetus), Jupiter (magnitude -2.5, 44.5", 100% illuminated, 4.43 a.u., Cancer), Saturn (magnitude +0.4, 16.9", 100% illuminated, 9.82 a.u., Scorpius), Uranus (magnitude +5.9, 3.4", 100% illuminated, 20.93 a.u. on March 16th, Pisces), Neptune (magnitude +8.0, 2.2", 100% illuminated, 30.92 a.u. on March 16th, Aquarius), and Pluto (magnitude +14.2, 0.1", 100% illuminated, 33.17 a.u. on March 16th, Sagittarius).
In the evening, Venus, Mars, and Uranus can be seen in the west and Jupiter in the southeast. Jupiter is located in the southwest at midnight. Mercury is in the southeast, Saturn is in the south, and Neptune is in the east in the morning sky.
At midmonth, Mercury is visible during morning twilight, Venus sets at 10:00 p.m., Mars sets at 9:00 p.m., Jupiter transits the meridian at 11:00 p.m. and sets at 6:00 a.m., and Saturn rises at 1:00 a.m. local daylight time for observers at latitude 40 degrees north.
Mercury lies very low in the southeast at dawn. It reaches aphelion on March 6th, is 1.6 degrees south of Neptune on March 17th, is five degrees south of the Moon on March 19th, and is at its greatest heliocentric latitude south on March 27th.
Venus grows in apparent size to 14 arc seconds this month but decreases 8% in illumination to 78%. The brilliant planet passes 0.1 degree north of Uranus on March 4th, is at the ascending node on March 15th, and is three degrees north of the Moon on March 20th. The gap between Venus and Mars increases to 13 degrees by March 21st and 17 degrees by March 31st. Venus sets three hours after the Sun by the end of the month.
Mars is located in Cetus for the first two days of March and then enters Pisces. On March 29th, it passes into Aries. Mars subtends just four arc seconds by month’s end.
During March, Jupiter decreases almost three arc seconds in angular diameter and dims by two-tenths of a magnitude. Jupiter’s retrograde or westward motion carries it to a position five degrees east of the bright open cluster M44 (the Beehive Cluster) by the end of March. On March 20th, Ganymede reappears from eclipse three arc minutes to the west of Io beginning at 2:43 UT (10:43 p.m. EST). Data on this and other Galilean satellite events is available online at www.shallowsky.com/jupiter/ and www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/interactive-sky-watching-tools/ and on page 51 of the March issue of Sky & Telescope. Galilean satellite mutual events take place on March 1st, 3rd, 6th, 8th, 10th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 20th, 24th, and 27th UT. For further information on these events, consult page 53 of the March issue of Sky & Telescope. Click on www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/interactive-sky-watching-tools/ or consult page 52 of the March issue of Sky & Telescope to determine transit times of the central meridian by the Great Red Spot.
Saturn rises prior to 1:00 a.m. local time on March 1st. It reaches maximum altitude as dawn breaks. Saturn begins retrograde motion on March 14th. At mid-month, the planet’s disc spans 17 arc seconds. Its rings are 39 arc seconds in diameter and are tilted by 25 degrees. Click on www.curtrenz.com/saturn for a wealth of information on Saturn. Eight-magnitude Titan is positioned due north of Saturn on the nights of March 1st and March 17th and due south of the planet on March 9th and March 25th. In early March, tenth-magnitude Iapetus is positioned at its farthest orbital point west of Saturn. For further information on the major satellites of Saturn, browse www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/interactive-sky-watching-tools/
Uranus is just 0.09 degree south of Venus at 20:00 UT (3:00 p.m. EST) on March 4th, the closest conjunction of two planets to take place this year. Uranus, Venus, and Mars form a planetary trio (i.e., three planets located within a circle five degrees in diameter) that night. On March 11th, Mars is 0.27 degree north of Uranus at 19:00 UT (2:00 p.m. EST). The seventh planet disappears from view by mid-March.
Neptune reappears low in the morning sky in late March for observers in the southern hemisphere.
Finder charts for Uranus and Neptune can be found at www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-content/uploads/WEB_Uranus_Neptune_2014.pdf and on page 51 of the September 2014 issue of Sky & Telescope. See www.curtrenz.com/uranep.html for additional information on the two outer planets.
Pluto is not a viable target this month.
For more on the planets and how to locate them, browse www.nakedeyeplanets.com/
During March, asteroid 354 Eleonora heads northwestward through eastern Leo. Eleonora (magnitude 9.6) reaches opposition on March 5th. Asteroid 7 Iris (magnitude 9.1) reaches opposition on March 6th, asteroid 56 Melete (magnitude 12.5) on March 7th, asteroid 17 Thetis (magnitude 11.0) on March 7th, asteroid 67 Asia (magnitude 11.9) on March 19th, asteroid 44 Nysa (magnitude 9.5) on March 22nd, and asteroid 85 Io (magnitude 11.8) on March 31st. The faint asteroid 72 Feronia occults a 8.7-magnitude star on the morning of March 5th. Another faint minor planet, asteroid 506, occults an 8.4-magnitude star on the morning of March 7th. Both events are visible from southern California. Click on asteroidoccultation.com/2015_03_si.htm respectively for information on these and other asteroid occultations taking place this month.
Comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) has maintained its brightness remarkably well since perihelion and, while fading to sixth magnitude at the start of March, is still a fine target for binoculars and small telescopes, as it travels through Cassiopeia. It passes about one degree to the east of the bright open cluster NGC 457 (the Owl Cluster) in Cassiopeia on the nights of March 9th through March 11th and just 0.1 degree to the west of the third-magnitude star Delta Cassiopeiae on March 15th. On the following two nights, the comet is located approximately one degree to the west of the open cluster M103. It passes three degrees to the west of the open cluster NGC 663 on March 20th. Browse www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/comet-lovejoy-shines/ for a finder chart. Visit cometchasing.skyhound.com/ for additional information on this month’s comets.
A wealth of current information on solar system celestial bodies is posted at www.curtrenz.com/astronomical
Browse astrocast.tv/ for an informative video on astronomical events taking place this month.
It is possible to observe all 109 (or 110) Messier objects during a single night around the time of the vernal equinox, if the Moon phase and local latitude permits. For information on running a so-called Messier Marathon, browse messier.seds.org/xtra/marathon/marathon.html and www.richardbell.net/marathon.html
Free star maps for March can be downloaded at www.skymaps.com/downloads.html and www.telescope.com/content.jsp?pageName=Monthly-Star-Chart
The famous eclipsing variable star Algol (Beta Persei) is at a minimum, decreasing in magnitude from 2.1 to 3.4, on March 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 20th, 23rd, 26th, and 29th. Consult www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/interactive-sky-watching-tools/ or page 51 of the March issue of Sky & Telescope for the times of the eclipses. For more on Algol, see stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/Algol.html and www.solstation.com/stars2/algol3.htm
Thirty binary and multiple stars for March: Struve 1173, Struve 1181, Struve 1187, Zeta Cancri, 24 Cancri, Phi-2 Cancri, Iota-1 Cancri, Struve 1245, Iota-2 Cancri, 66 Cancri, Struve 1327 (Cancer); Struve 1270, Epsilon Hydrae, 15 Hydrae, 17 Hydrae, Theta Hydrae, 27 Hydrae, Struve 1347, Struve 1357, Struve 1365 (Hydra); 3 Leonis, Struve 1360, 6 Leonis, Omicron Leonis (Leo); Struve 1274, Struve 1282, Struve 1333, 38 Lyncis, Struve 1369 (Lynx); h4046 (Puppis)
Notable carbon star for March: T Cancri (Cancer)
Thirty-five deep-sky objects for March: M44, M67, NGC 2775 (Cancer); Abell 33, M48, NGC 2610, NGC 2642, NGC 2811, NGC 2835, NGC 2855, NGC 2935, NGC 2992, NGC 3052, NGC 3078 (Hydra); NGC 2903, NGC 2916, NGC 2964, NGC 2968, NGC 3020 (Leo); NGC 2859, NGC 3003, NGC 3021 (Leo Minor); NGC 2683 (Lynx); NGC 2567, NGC 2571 (Puppis); M81, M82, NGC 2639, NGC 2654, NGC 2681, NGC 2685, NGC 2742, NGC 2768, NGC 2787, NGC 2841, NGC 2880, NGC 2950, NGC 2976, NGC 2985 (Ursa Major)
Top ten binocular deep-sky objects for March: M44, M48, M67, M81, M82, NGC 2571, NGC 2683, NGC 2841, NGC 2903, NGC 2976
Top ten deep-sky objects for March: M44, M48, M67, M81, M82, NGC 2654, NGC 2683, NGC 2835, NGC 2841, NGC 2903
Challenge deep-sky object for March: Abell 30 (Cancer)
The objects listed above are located between 8:00 and 10:00 hours of right ascension.