March of 2025 promises dazzling sights for stargazers of all levels, from a total lunar eclipse to sightings of Venus and Mercury to the elusive whispers of galaxies.
Planet Watch for March 2025
Enjoy Venus in the night sky because it will move to a “Morning Star” by the end of the month. The bright planet is easy to spot as a beacon of shining light in the western skies.
Saturday, March 1: The Moon and Venus
On the 1st at around 6:15 P.M., look first for the slim crescent Moon as a marker. To the upper right is the dazzling planet Venus—impossible to miss. Now look far below Venus. The tiny planet Mercury, at magnitude –1, is the only “star” low in the west between the Moon and Venus. You’ll need a clear view of the horizon. Mercury will rise slightly during the next few evenings (see more below).
Wednesday, March 5: Moon Meets Jupiter.
In the south, the waxing crescent Moon (nearly the First Quarter) meets bright Jupiter on the 5th in Taurus, the Bull’s constellation. Look an hour after sunset: Taurus’s famous orange star, Aldebaran, hovers below them.
Friday, March 7: Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation
As twilight arrives, look west in the direction of the sunset. This is your best chance to see Mercury in 2025. The innermost planet will be at its greatest eastern (evening) distance from the bright Sun—18° east of the Sun in the sky, with a magnitude of –0.4, visible to the naked eye. Additionally, bright Venus (mag –4.6) will shine in the same constellation—and be much easier to spot.
Saturday, March 8: The Moon and Mars
Look first for the waxing gibbous Moon (over 70% illuminated); it sits extremely close to fading Mars on the 8th, with Gemini’s Castor and Pollux to the left.
Sunday, March 9: Daylight Saving Time Begins.
Time to spring forward! As this is a Sunday at 2 a.m., you may wish to ensure all clocks are set forward Saturday evening, March 8. The sunsets now occur a minute later every evening as we approach the vernal equinox on March 19. Yes, the light is returning as we march toward spring!
Sunday, March 9 to 12: Mercury approaches Venus
Look 15 minutes after sunset. Mercury rises a bit higher during the next few evenings and approaches Venus from the 8th to the 10th, when it’s easy to spot to the lower left of the brighter planet. Both planets should be easily visible to the naked eye; if you have binoculars, they will both fit in the same binocular view. By the 11th, Mercury and Venus are level with each other and are nearest to each other (with 5.6 degrees separation) on the 12th.
Thursday, March 13/14 Total Lunar Eclipse
Mark your calendars! March 14 brings the arrival of the full Worm Moon. This year, the Moon will be fully eclipsed. It’s also the only lunar eclipse of 2025 visible from North America. Sometimes, the media will call this a “Blood Moon,” but it’s not really blood red-colored; it’s more of a coppery orange. In Eastern Daylight Time, the full Moon begins to enter Earth’s shadow at 1:10 A.M. The total phase (when the Moon is fully immersed in Earth’s shadow) will start at 2:16 A.M.
The brilliant morning star, Venus. Photo: Pelagija
Wednesday, March 20: Spring Equinox
Spring begins with the vernal equinox on the 20th at 5:01 A.M. EDT. This marks the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the start of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. The Sun will rise perfectly due east and set due west. Learn more facts about the vernal equinox.
March 22: Venus moves to the morning
Positioning between Earth and the Sun, Venus reaches an inferior conjunction on the 22nd and moves in the morning sky.
March 29: New Moon
On Sunday, March 10, the Moon appears absent from the skies. However, the New Moon is simply hidden from our view for the night. This is a perfect night for stargazing. Did you know spring is galaxy time? More galaxies are visible from March to mid-May, early in the evening.
March Stargazing
Sirius, the Dog Star
March is a great month to marvel at Sirius—the brightest star in our sky. Sirius is nicknamed “the Dog Star” because it’s the brightest star in Canis Major’s constellation. Sirius is super easy to locate: Just face toward the south and look for Orion. The three bright stars that make up Orion’s belt point downward toward Sirius.
The Big Dipper
On March evenings, it’s easy to find the Big Dipper. This is not a constellation but an “asterism,” which is composed of the seven brightest stars in the constellation Ursa Major, the Greater Bear. The shape of the Big Dipper never varies, but its orientation changes constantly.
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