March 2022
Stargazing Guide

Bare Dark Sky Observatory
Mayland Earth to Sky Park
Spring Skies Are On The Way!
March is a great month for stargazing. Plus, March's full moon, known as the Worm Moon or Sap Moon, will light up the sky in many locations in the Northern Hemisphere. Along with many different moon and planet conjunctions to view. March also welcomes the Spring Equinox and the start of the Spring season. It will be a quiet start to the new year in terms of astronomical happenings, but good things come to those who wait as three planets gather in the early morning sky toward the end of March.
Don't Forget to "Spring" Forward
Daylight Savings Time begins at 02:00 on March 13th, so don't forget to set your clocks an hour ahead! This will make morning stargazing more manageable for the next couple of months, but means later start times at the Bare Dark Sky Observatory's viewing nights.
Trio of Planets
Mars, Saturn and Venus will appear extremely close before sunrise during the last two weeks of March and early into April. The trio will be so close that they will be in the same field of view of some telescopes and binoculars.
Photo Credit: Accuweather.com
What's in the Sky in March?

March 17th - 18th - Full Moon aka: Worm Moon/Sap Moon
The Moon turns full among the faint stars of western Virgo at 03:19 ET on the 18th. That being the case, unless you’re up and outside at that time, your best opportunity to see the Moon at its fullest will be during the evening of the 17th, when the Moon will be roughly 99.8% illuminated.
The Algonquin called the full Moon of March the Worm Moon because the melting of snow on the ground allowed worms to emerge from their tunnels.
Northeastern tribes also knew it as the Sap Moon, because springtime is when sap starts seeping from maple trees.
The Oneida referred to this event as the “Day is Cut in Two Moon”, which is appropriate around the spring equinox, when day and night are of nearly equal length.
March 20th: Marc Equinox & Venus at Greatest Eastern Elongation
The March equinox is at 15:35 UTC. This is also the first spring day (spring equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first fall day (fall equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere. It's the time when the Sun "crosses" the Earth's equator going from the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere.
Venus also reaches its greatest elongation at 21:35 UTC it's located 46.6º east of the Sun. This is the best time to view it since it's so bright that it becomes the third brightest object in the sky after the Sun and the Moon. It's often known as the morning star or the evening star. When it's located west of the Sun, it rises and sets just before the Sun. The best time to photograph it is shortly before sunrise.
March 28th - Three Conjunctions
The Crescent Moon, Venus, Mars, And Saturn can be viewed by stepping outside at about 30 minutes before sunrise. You’ll find the crescent Moon hanging below a trio of planets. Most obvious is brilliant Venus, but just two degrees below that is distant Saturn. Meanwhile, about five and a quarter degrees to the west of Venus is coppery Mars. In the morning twilight you’ll be able to fit Venus, Mars, and Saturn within the same 10x50 binoculars field of view, but the Moon is just a little too far to do the same.
First: Mars passes at 4.1º north of the Moon at 02:54 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -10.9, and Mars at a magnitude of 1.1. At this time the Moon phase is 19.6%.
Second: Venus passes at 6.4º north of the Moon at 09:50 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -10.8, and Venus at a magnitude of -4.3. At this time the Moon phase is 17.1%.
Third: Saturn passes at 4.3º north of the Moon at 11:42 UTC. The Moon is at a magnitude of -10.8, and Saturn at a magnitude of 0.7. At this time the Moon phase is 16.4%.
March 31st: New Moon
The new Moon is located between the Earth and the Sun, with its shadowed side facing us. The first visible crescent after the new Moon marks the start of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. This sighting is possible a day or two after the new phase, but is very difficult because the razor-thin crescent sets soon after sunset and is easily lost in the bright glow.
Bare Dark Sky Observatory
Community Viewing Night tickets are now available through June 2022! Visit the website for more information.
Mark your calendars for the upcoming Star Party at the Earth to Sky Park on Friday, April 8th from 4:00 - 9:00pm. Join us for this free event as part of the NC Science Festival! Enjoy hands-on astronomy activities, followed by stargazing all on the lower campus of the Park. Reduced price tickets for the Observatory are available that night!
Glenn & Carol Arthur Planetarium
The projection dome is installed inside the Glenn & Carol Arthur Planetarium! Each panel was hand installed using over 1,000 rivets. Next up: the projector and sound system, followed by the chairs. The opening date will be announced in next month's stargazing guide, so stay tuned!
Also, a huge thank you to Dogwood Health Trust for a grant to complete the Visitor's Center, which will serve as the entry point into the Planetarium!
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Bare Dark Sky Observatory