Are there any best skywatching opportunities in March 2023? Venus and Jupiter part after their close encounter in the sky on March 1. At the end of the month, Venus will be visible in the morning sky, while Jupiter will be visible in the evening sky. Those with binoculars or a small telescope can also look for the dwarf planet Ceres, which is shining brightly this month.
- Whole month-Jupiter and Venus are visible in the west after sunset throughout the month. The two planets began the month quite close together on March 1, but have grown farther apart each night since.
Ceres is at opposition in March, which means it is visible throughout the night and at its brightest for the year. Use binoculars or a small telescope to find it, and use the constellation Leo as a guide.
March 7th is a full moon.
21st of March – Waxing Moon
March 23 – Gaze westward this evening after sunset to see the Moon as a lovely slender crescent hanging just below blazing bright Venus.
March 24 – After sunset, look to the west for the Moon as a stunningly slender crescent hovering just above dazzling Venus.
Tonight, March 25, the crescent Moon rests close to the spectacular Pleiades star cluster.
Ceres: The Fascinating Dwarf Planet Between Mars and Jupiter
Ceres is a big rock that’s floating in space between Mars and Jupiter. It’s not as big as our Moon, but it has a lot of craters on its surface from things hitting it. There might be some ice under the surface too! You can’t see Ceres with your eyes, but if you use binoculars or a small telescope and look for the lion constellation Leo in the sky after 9 pm, you might be able to see it as a tiny point of light. People used to call things like Ceres “asteroids” because they looked like stars in the sky.
Together with other minor worlds in our solar system, Ceres has been categorized as a dwarf planet since 2006. The discussion over whether to categorize these objects as planets or not is ongoing, but it is essential to keep in mind that our knowledge of the solar system is continually improving. This month, Ceres should be visible in the night sky.
