March 2022 – What’s Up!

Week of 28th March

  • Astronomical twilight ends at 21:30 BST at the start of the week and at 21:43 BST by the end of the week
  • On Monday morning, just before sunrise (at 06:51 BST), planets Venus (mag -4.3), Saturn (+0.9) and Mars (+1.1) appear close together about 9° above the southeastern horizon and are joined by the waning crescent Moon (-5.4)
  • The Moon is New on Friday
  • The Sun currently has three active regions: AR 2974, 2975 & 2976. The sunspot number is 48
  • There are multiple visible evening ISS passes this week as follows:
    Monday 21:37, W to SSW, max 45°
    Tuesday 20:49, W to SE, max 60° and 22:26, W to WSW, max 14°
    Wednesday 21:38, W to SSW, max 25°
    Thursday 20:49, W to SSE, max 34°
    Friday 21:39, WSW to SSW, max 12°
    Saturday 20:51, W to S, max 12°

Week of 21st March

  • Astronomical twilight ends at 20:16 UT at the start of the week and at 21:28 BST by the end of the week
  • The clocks go forward one hour on Sunday; at 01:00 UT it will become 02:00 BST, the start of British Summer Time and daylight saving
  • With the waning Moon and before the clocks change, this week is a good opportunity to enjoy the delights of Orion and the Winter Wreath as that portion of sky slips ever westwards. Meanwhile, the eastern sky, with Arcturus, the Spring Marker star rising, is home to a myriad of galaxies
  • The Moon is Last Quarter on Friday
  • The Sun currently has two active regions: AR 2965 & 2972. The sunspot number is 29
  • There are multiple visible evening ISS passes this week as follows:
    Monday 19:45, WSW to E, max 59° and 21:28, W, max 19°
    Tuesday 18:58, SW to E, max 44° and 20:34, W, max 77°
    Wednesday 19:46, WSW to E, max 86° and 21:23, W, max 22°
    Thursday 18:58, WSW to E, max 73° and 20:35, W to NW, max 85°
    Friday 19:47, W to E, max 84° and 21:24, W, max 22°
    Saturday 18:59, W to E, max 87° and 20:36, W to SSW, max 74°
    Sunday 20:48, W to ESE, max 86° and 22:25, W, max 20°

Week of 14th March

  • Astronomical twilight ends at 20:02 UT at the start of the week and at 20:14 UT by the end of the week
  • The Spring Equinox is on Sunday, when we will enjoy almost exactly 12 hours of night and 12 hours of day. The Sun will rise exactly in the East and set exactly in the West. The actual moment that the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving from south to north is at 15:27 UT. This marks the first day of spring here in the northern hemisphere
  • Venus reaches Greatest Western Elongation on Sunday, when it will be at its largest separation from the Sun, 46° apart. It will be shining brightly at magnitude -4.4 about 13° above the southeastern horizon at sunrise
  • The Moon is Full on Friday – the Worm Moon
  • The Sun currently has five active regions: AR 2960, 2964, 2965, 2966 & 2967. The sunspot number is 93
  • There are multiple visible evening ISS passes this week as follows:
    Thursday 19:46, S to SSE, max 15°
    Friday 18:58, SSE to ESE, max 12° and 20:32, SW to SW, max 23°
    Saturday 19:45, SW to SE, max 33° and 21:21, WSW to WSW, max 13°
    Sunday 18:57, SSW to E, max 24° and 20:33, WSW to SW, max 52°

Week of 7th March

  • Astronomical twilight ends at 19:49 UT at the start of the week and at 20:00 UT by the end of the week
  • Leo, Virgo and Coma Berenices are well placed this week, ideal for exploration of their plethora of galaxies
  • Early risers can spot Mars (mag +1.2) and Venus (-4.5) in the southeastern morning sky just before sunrise
  • The Moon is First Quarter on Thursday
  • The Sun currently has six active regions: AR 2955, 2957, 2958, 2960, 2961 & 2962. The sunspot number is 95
  • There are no visible evening ISS passes this week

 

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