Mars nears Earth during March, throughout 2003

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The full moon of March is known variously as the Sap Moon, Crow Moon or Lenten Moon. Another name is the Full Crust Moon because the snow becomes hard enough to walk on from thawing during the day and freezing at night. A name attributed to the Patamints is the Worm Moon, honoring an inchworm that led the sons of a chief down off a mountain and to safety by inching along ahead of them. A bit less fanciful derivation is that it signals the return of earthworms and hungry robins heralding spring.

Our celestial neighborhood

Mars, one of our nearest neighbors in space, is going to be closer this year than it has been in millennia. On Aug. 27, Mars will come within 34.7 million miles of Earth, the closest it has been in 59,500 years. The last time Mars came this close was around 57,500 B.C., and Neanderthals would roam the Earth for another 25,000 years. Over the next six months, Mars will grow four times in size and greatly increases in brilliance, offering observers an unprecedented chance to see surface features. The Europeans are taking advantage of Mars’ proximity by sending the Mars Express, consisting of both orbiter and lander, while NASA is sending two sophisticated surface rovers. For the rest of us, it will be enough to see Mars at its most magnificent until A.D. 25,695, and who wants to wait that long? More on Mars in future columns.

Focus on the planets

Mercury ushers in spring by being at superior conjunction, on the far side of the sun from Earth, on March 21. As a result, it is lost to view this month.

Venus appears fairly low on the east-southeast horizon at dawn. Although still the brightest object in the early morning sky, it has diminished in both size and brightness since its maximum in December.

Mars rises low in the southeast during the early morning hours and is best viewed about 5 a.m. At the moment, Antares in Scorpius might be mistaken for Mars but this soon will cease to be the case as the Red Planet is on course for its closest approach to Earth in millennia.

Jupiter is high in the south-southeast after sunset, where it is situated between the stars Pollux and Regulus. If you are viewing Jupiter with binoculars or a telescope, check out the nearby M44 or Beehive Cluster.

Saturn is high in the south during the early evening hours, where it is situated between the horns of Taurus the Bull. Does this mean the ringed planet is in the throes of a dilemma? Saturn is tilted for maximum viewing of details of the planet’s surface and its intricate ring system by telescope.

Uranus and Neptune both are lost to the sun’s glare in March.

Pluto is located in the constellation of Ophiuchus but likely will prove too much of a challenge until it is higher in the sky later in the year.

March events

1 Sunrise, 6:14 a.m.; sunset, 5:22 p.m.

3 New moon, 9:36 p.m.

4 A thin crescent moon lies low on the western horizon at twilight.

7 The moon is at apogee, or its most distant point from Earth, today.

9 Look to a busy western horizon in the late evening hours where Aldebaran is to the immediate left of the moon. Farther to the left are the three stars of Orion’s belt with Rigel immediately beneath. To the moon’s upper left is Saturn and, to the upper lunar right, Capella.

11 Moon in first quarter, 2:15 a.m.

12 The sun enters Pisces on the ecliptic.

14 Jupiter and the moon keep close company across the sky tonight.

15 The Ides of March. Not a good day for Julius Caesar!

17 St. Patrick’s Day. The optimists say you can plant your peas today.

18 Full moon, 5:35 a.m. Check out moon names at the start of the column for the names of March’s full moon.

19 The moon is at perigee, or closest approach to the Earth, today.

21 Spring equinox, 8:03 p.m. The sun crosses the celestial equator into the northern hemisphere, marking the first day of spring. The sun enters the astrological sign of Aries at the equinox even though, astronomically, it still is in Pisces.

23 The moon shines in the south at dawn with orange Antares to its lower right.

25 Moon in last quarter, 8:52 p.m.

29 Look very low in the southeast shortly before sunrise for Venus shining to the upper left of the thin crescent moon.

31 Sunrise, 5:19 a.m.; sunset, 6:01 p.m. Does the saying, “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb” refer to the fact that Aries is setting in the west as Leo climbs higher on the eastern horizon?