March astro outlook: The spring equinox approaches

A fresh month is upon us, meaning a new schedule for the nation’s stargazers to look forward to, although March is quiet in the night sky.

The month begins with Jupiter and Venus in conjunction. On March 2nd, the night sky's two brightest planets will appear close together.

From around 06:00 pm those in the UK and Ireland should look towards the west/south-west horizon. They will slowly separate as the month progresses.

A full moon follows on March 7th, dubbed the Worm Moon. Like all full moons the name comes from Native American tribes and is believed to mark the emergence of earthworms from the ground as temperatures warmed.

After a quiet spell comes the vernal equinox on March 20th. Also called the northward equinox, on this day the sun is shining directly on the equator offering an equal day and night.

It also marks the start of the astronomical spring, despite meteorological spring beginning today.

Astronomical spring is based on the position of Earth in its orbit of the sun. Due to the tilt of the planet’s rotation around its axis we see solstices and equinoxes guiding the seasons.

A new moon closes out a quiet month on March 21st, while this is nothing spectacular it does offer dark skies and the opportune time to spot star constellations.

If you want to capture the stars but think you don't have the necessary equipment, check out our guide to astrophotography using just your phone.