Astronomy Calendar
Check out what's happening in the sky!
This calendar of celestial events is frequently updated.
Image: UAF photo by Todd Paris, 2014.
Discover the Sun during the Heliophysics Big Year, October 2023 to December 2024!
The Heliophysics Big Year is a global celebration of solar science and the Sun’s influence
on Earth and the entire solar system. Learn more: NASA Helio Big Year.
- March 10 - New Moon. The Moon will be located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 12:02 am Alaska time. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
- March 19 - March Equinox. The March equinox occurs at 7:01 pm Alaska time. The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of fall (autumnal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.
- March 24 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 18.7 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.
- March 24 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 11:02 pm Alaska time. This full moon is sometimes known as the Worm Moon, the Crow Moon, the Crust Moon, the Sap Moon, and the Lenten Moon.
- March 25 - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra. During this type of eclipse the Moon will darken slightly but not completely. The eclipse will be visible throughout North America, Mexico, Central America, and South America. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)
- April 8 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 10:22 am Alaska time. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
- April 8 - Total Solar Eclipse. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon completely blocks the Sun, revealing the
Sun's corona, or outer atmosphere. This is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime event for viewers
in the United States. The last total solar eclipse visible in the continental United
States occurred in 2017 and the next one will not take place until 2045. The path
of totality will begin in the Pacific Ocean and move across parts of Mexico and the
eastern United States and Nova Scotia. The total eclipse will be visible in parts
of Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New
York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information) (NASA Interactive Google Map)
- Learn more about the eclipse at NASA's website!
- April 22, 23 - Lyrids Meteor Shower. The Lyrids is an average shower, usually producing about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust particles left behind by comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher. The shower runs annually from April 16-25. It peaks this year on the night of the night of the 22nd and morning of the 23rd. These meteors can sometimes produce bright dust trails that last for several seconds. Unfortunately the glare of the full moon will block out all but the brightest meteors this year. But if you are patient, you may still be able to catch a few good ones. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Lyra, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
- April 23 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 3:50 pm Alaska time. This full moon is sometimes known as the Pink Moon, the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Growing Moon, the Egg Moon, or the Fish Moon.
Information from Sea and Sky Astronomy Calendar.
More astronomy viewing resources:
Check the aurora forecast for Interior Alaska, courtesy of the Geophysical Institute.
Use star wheels and astrolabes to find celestial bodies!
Sea and Sky has a yearly calendar to help you plan future astronomy viewings.
Check the weather on Mars, courtesy of the Curiosity rover.
Image: Perseids Meteor Shower (NASA/JPL).
This project was funded under NASA cooperative agreement NNX16AL65A and cooperative agreement number NNH15ZDA004C. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.