Sky Chart For The Month of March, 2011
ASTRONOMICAL BULLETIN FOR MARCH 2011
The Moon
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New Moon occurs on 5th at h. 02-16 I.S.T. |
First Quarter occurs on 13th at h. 05-15 I.S.T. |
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Full Moon occurs on 19th at h. 23-40 I.S.T. |
Last Quarter occurs on 26th at h. 17-37 I.S.T. |
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The Lunar Crescent becomes first visible after the New Moon day in the evening of 6th. |
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The Moon is at Apogee or farthest from the Earth on 6th and at Perigee or nearest to the Earth on 20th. |
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The Moon passes about ½º north of Venus on 1st, about 5º north of Neptune on 3rd, about 6º north of Mars on 4th, 6½º north of Mercury on 6th, about 6º north of Uranus on 6th, 6½º north of Jupiter on 7th, 8º south of Saturn on 21st, about 5½º north of Neptune on 31st and 6º north of Venus on 31st.
The Earth
The Earth is at Vernal Equinox on 21st.
The Planets
The Visibility of Planets
Mercury: The planet reappears in the western sky on 8th and sets about 1 hour after sunset throughout the month. It approaches the Perihelion position in its orbit or reaches nearest to the Sun on 16th. The planet is in Greatest Eastern Elongation of about 19º from the Sun on 23rd. The motion of the planet becomes Retrograde with respect to the Earth on 31st.
Venus: It is a brilliant object in the eastern sky, rises few hours before sunrise and remains visible till the beginning of the morning twilight throughout the month. It rises about 2½ hours to 2 hours before sunrise throughout the month.
Mars: The planet is too close to the Sun to be visible throughout the month It approaches the Perihelion position or reaches nearest to the Sun on 9th.
Jupiter: The planet is visible in the western sky after sunset upto third quarter of the month. It sets about 2 hours to 1½ hours after sunset upto first quarter of the month, about 1½ hours to ½ hour after it upto 26th of the month. Thereafter it is too close to the Sun to be visible. It approaches the Perihelion position in its orbit or reaches nearest to the Sun on 17th.
Saturn: The planet rises after sunset and remains visible till the beginning of morning twilight. It rises about 2½ hours to 2 hours after sunset upto first quarter of the month, about 2 hours to1½ hours after it upto second quarter of the month , about 1½ hours to 1 hour after it upto third quarter of the month and about 1 hour after sunset to close to sunset time for the remaining days of the month.
Uranus: The planet is visible in the western sky after sunset in the beginning of the month. It sets about 1½ hours to 1 hour after sunset upto first quarter of the month. Thereafter it becomes too close to the Sun to be visible for the remaining days of the month, being in Conjunction with the Sun on 21st.
Neptune: The planet remains too close to the Sun to be visible upto first quarter of the month. Thereafter it rises about 1 hour to 1½ hours before sunrise upto third quarter of the month and about 1½ hours to 2 hours before it for the remaining days of the month.
Conjunction of Planets
Mercury passes about 2½º north of Jupiter on 16th.
Venus passes very close to Neptune on 27th.
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Planets |
Planets in Zodiacal Constellation |
Magnitude |
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Mercury (Budha) |
Moves from Aquarius (Kumbha) to Pisces (Mina) on 6th and Pisces (Mina) to Aries (Mesha) on 28th. |
-1.6 to +0.1 and +0.1to +1.4 |
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Venus (Sukra) |
Moves from Capricornus (Makara) to Aquarius (Kumbha ) on 22nd. |
-4.0 |
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Mars(Mangal) |
Moves from Aquarius (Kumbha) to Pisces (Mina) on 25th. |
+1.2 |
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Jupiter(Brihaspati) |
Remains in Pisces (Mina). |
-2.1 |
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Saturn(sani) |
Remains in Virgo (Kanya). |
+0.4 |
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Uranus |
Remains in Pisces (Mina). |
+6.0 |
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Neptune |
Remains in Aquarius (Kumbha). |
+8.0 |
Source : : Director
Positional Astronomy Centre
India Meteorological Department
Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700 091.