Minnesota Star Watch for March
The evening darkness is retreating, but we still have a month to enjoy the large knot of winter constellations.
Before the season ends, look in the southeastern part of the array for the almost equilateral Winter Triangle of bright stars. Besides brilliant Sirius, in Canis Major, the big dog, it includes two stars above Sirius: Procyon, in Canis Minor, the little dog; and Betelgeuse, at Orion’s right shoulder.
The morning of March 3, the full moon undergoes a total lunar eclipse. It begins at 3:50 a.m., with the moon in the southwest, near the bright star Regulus, in Leo, the lion. Totality lasts from 5:04 to 6:03 a.m., with the deepest eclipse at 5:34 a.m. The moon sets in a state of partial eclipse.
This month we welcome Venus back into the evening sky. However, as it climbs above the western horizon, the brilliant planet must struggle against the sun’s afterglow. Look for Venus close above the horizon about 40 minutes after sunset in the last week of the month.
In March the day length changes at or near top speed, with Minnesota locations gaining more than three minutes on most days. Spring begins with the vernal equinox, which arrives at 9:46 p.m. on Friday, March 20. At that moment, the sun crosses the equator heading north, and the day length will be increasing fastest. A viewer from space would see Earth lighted from pole to pole.
But the day length won’t be exactly 12 hours. Earth’s atmosphere is a giant lens that bends light and allows us to see the sun before it rises and after it sets. Also, sunrise is defined as when the first rays break over the horizon, and sunset when the last rays disappear. Because these factors extend the day length, the 12-hour day arrives before the equinox — on March 17.
The University of Minnesota offers public viewings of the night sky at its Duluth and Twin Cities campuses. For more information, see:
Duluth, Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium: www.d.umn.edu/planet
Twin Cities, Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics: www.astro.umn edu/outreach/pubnight
Check out astronomy programs, free telescope events, and planetarium shows at the
University of Minnesota's Bell Museum: www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/astronomy
Find U of M astronomers and links to the world of astronomy at: http://www.astro.umn.edu.
2/22/26 Contact: Deane Morrison, (612) 720-3721, morri029@umn.edu