By Emma Barhydt
March is a month of celestial drama, with the night sky offering a total lunar eclipse, a partial solar eclipse, the arrival of the vernal equinox, and a planetary dance visible to the naked eye. These events, long observed by civilizations past, continue to shape scientific understanding of Earth’s place in the universe.
The Blood Moon: March 14’s Total Lunar Eclipse
In the early hours of March 14, a total lunar eclipse will grace the skies of North and South America. As Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, the Moon will darken, turning a deep red as it falls into Earth’s umbral shadow. This “Blood Moon” effect occurs because Earth’s atmosphere scatters shorter wavelengths of light while allowing red hues to reach the lunar surface.
The eclipse will last for about 66 minutes, with peak totality occurring at 3:00 a.m. EST. Skywatchers in the western hemisphere will have the best view, with the Moon high in the southwestern sky. Ancient civilizations viewed such events with awe, often interpreting them as omens of change. Today, scientists use lunar eclipses to study Earth’s atmosphere, noting how particles like volcanic ash influence the Moon’s color during totality.
A Sunrise Spectacle: The Partial Solar Eclipse on March 29
Just over two weeks later, a partial solar eclipse will unfold at dawn on March 29, visible from parts of North America and Europe. The Moon will obscure a portion of the Sun as it rises, creating a dramatic effect along the horizon. Observers in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States will see as much as 40% of the Sun covered at maximum eclipse.
Unlike lunar eclipses, which can be viewed safely with the naked eye, solar eclipses require protective gear such as eclipse glasses or solar filters. The entire event will last less than an hour, with the Sun emerging fully by 7:05 a.m. EST.
The Vernal Equinox: March 20
March also marks the vernal equinox, the moment when the Sun crosses the celestial equator, signaling the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. At exactly 4:59 a.m. EST on March 20, day and night will be nearly equal worldwide.
Equinoxes have been significant throughout human history. Ancient cultures aligned monuments like Stonehenge and the Mayan pyramids to the Sun’s position on these days. Modern calendars still reflect the equinox’s importance, influencing holidays such as Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and determining the timing of Easter.
The Planetary Waltz: Venus, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter
While eclipses steal the spotlight, the planets are engaging in their own celestial dance. Venus and Mercury will form a rare conjunction just after sunset in early March. Venus, the brighter of the two at magnitude -4.5, will help locate Mercury, which will sit just below it near the western horizon. The two will be at their closest around March 11. By March 22, Venus will fade into the Sun’s glare, leaving Mercury visible for only a few more days.
Mars lingers in Gemini, steadily dimming as it moves across the constellation. By mid-March, it will shine at magnitude 0, forming a triangle with Castor and Pollux, the twin stars of Gemini. Jupiter, still bright at magnitude -2.2, remains in Taurus, setting around midnight. Through a telescope, viewers can observe its four largest moons casting shadows on the planet’s cloud bands.
Saturn and Neptune, however, will be out of sight. Both reach conjunction with the Sun this month, meaning they are too close to the solar glare to be seen. With these planets absent, the morning sky will be noticeably emptier, offering a clearer view of deep-space objects.
The International Space Station and Tiangong Passages
March also provides opportunities to spot artificial satellites. The International Space Station (ISS) will be visible in the evening sky starting March 10, appearing as a bright, unblinking point of light moving across the heavens. Under the right conditions, it can outshine even Jupiter. Meanwhile, China’s Tiangong space station, though fainter, will also make several visible passes. Unlike airplanes, these stations move in steady arcs and do not blink, reflecting sunlight as they orbit about 250 miles above Earth.
The Owl Nebula: A Deep-Sky Gem
For telescope users, March presents a chance to observe Messier 97, the Owl Nebula, in Ursa Major. This planetary nebula, the remnant of a dying star, appears as a ghostly sphere with two dark voids resembling an owl’s eyes. Though faint, it reveals intricate details under dark skies with an OIII filter.
The Slow Motion of the Heavens: Precession and Celestial Coordinates
Beyond these immediate spectacles, the sky itself is shifting. Earth’s axial precession, a slow wobble in its rotation, gradually alters the positions of celestial objects. The “First Point of Aries,” a reference point for celestial coordinates, no longer resides in Aries but in Pisces due to this drift. Over the next 26,000 years, the North Star will change, and constellations will shift. The night sky, long thought to be fixed, is in constant motion.
A Cosmic Calendar in Motion
March 2025 is a showcase of celestial rhythms. Eclipses highlight the precision of planetary orbits, the equinox signals seasonal balance, and the planets stage their silent performances. Even as the sky appears unchanged, the grand mechanics of the cosmos continue their steady transformation, reminding Earth-bound observers that time, like the heavens, is always in motion.
