There are very few things in the world that bring such a sense of wonder, peace and excitement as the landscape of the night sky. Whether you are simply admiring the beauty of the stars overhead, or you are constantly seeking knowledge about the vast universe in which we live, there is something for everyone.
This month brings us a lot to explore, including some intriguing stars around a constellation we have all been studying in class recently. However, let’s begin with the phases of the Moon for the upcoming month. The last Full Moon took place on February 24th, and the main phases upcoming this month are as follows:
| Third/Last Quarter | New Moon | First Quarter | Full Moon |
| March 3rd | March 10th | March 17th | March 25th Rising on the night of the 24th |
During the earlier part of March, Cepheus lies due north and, if we look a little closer to the horizon than the base of Cepheus, μ Cephei will stand out. This particular star is also known as the Garnet Star due to its deep red colour, and it is a red supergiant. In fact, it is one of the largest known stars, around 1400 times the diameter of our Sun! Below and to the east of Cepheus, and much closer to the horizon, you may even manage to catch a glimpse of ɑ Cygni, also known as Deneb, in Cygnus.
- The location of the Garnet Star in relation to surrounding constellations.
Also near the beginning of the month, but this time looking towards the south, you can find the constellation of Cancer lying between Gemini and Leo. This constellation has three legs sticking out from the middle and, right there, you will find the open cluster M44, also known as Praesepe, The Manger or even The Beehive. On a clear night, this might seem like nothing more than a hazy spot to the naked eye but even a simple pair of binoculars will prove that it is, in fact, a group of around 1,000 stars.
- The open cluster Messier 44, taken by David Hoskin in Nova Scotia, Canada
There are far too many exciting things to see in the night sky this March to discuss every one in detail here. The owls would never be able to carry the papers! So, to close, I would like to give mention to the penumbral lunar eclipse which coincides with this month’s Full Moon.
A penumbral lunar eclipse is very easy to miss, because the appearance of the Moon does not change significantly as during a total eclipse. A lunar eclipse (of any kind) is when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, and Earth’s shadow is cast upon the Moon. The umbra is the part of the shadow responsible for a total eclipse, while the penumbra is responsible for the penumbral lunar eclipse.
The umbra is best described as the darkest, most direct shadow of an object. Imagine you are standing behind a large bookcase and someone shines a light at the bookcase from the other side. If you are directly behind the bookcase, in the darkest shadow, and unable to see the light source, then you are in the bookcase’s umbra. If you step out into the lighter part of the shadow, no longer having your view of the light source blocked completely by the bookcase, you are now in the penumbra of the bookcase.
It is my hope that this inspires you all to turn your sights upwards even more often this month, and will add further meaning to the practice of tracing a path through the constellations.
Alex J. Halsey
