Topline<\/p>\n
March 2026 brings one of the year\u2019s most dramatic skywatching events for North America \u2014 a total lunar eclipse that turns the full worm moon copper-red before dawn. The month also features a rare post-sunset conjunction of Venus and Saturn, the arrival of the spring equinox and, with it, an uptick in northern lights. Here\u2019s everything you need to know about stargazing in March 2026. <\/p>\n
A total lunar eclipse can be seen on March 2-3, 2026, across North America. (Photo by YASUYOSHI CHIBA\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
AFP via Getty ImagesTimeline<\/p>\n
March (all month)As the equinox approaches on March 21, geomagnetic activity tends to increase, improving the chances of northern lights displays.<\/p>\n
March 2A full worm moon rises. The time to see it will be as it rises in the east shortly after sunset, when it\u2019s at its most impactful and, thanks to the moon illusion<\/a>, its apparent largest.<\/p>\n March 3A total lunar eclipse will unfold between 08:44 and 14:22 UTC, with 58 minutes of totality from 11:04 to 12:02 UTC (6:04-7:02 a.m. EST\/ 3:04-4:02 a.m PST). Western North America will see the entire event, while eastern regions will see the moon set during totality. No eye protection is required \u2014 just clear skies and patience. A visualization of exactly what you\u2019ll see from any location is available from The Eclipse App<\/a>.<\/p>\n March 5-20From a dark site about an hour after sunset, look west for a faint triangular glow \u2014 zodiacal light, sunlight reflecting off interplanetary dust in the plane of the solar system.<\/p>\n March 7-8Low in the west about 45 minutes after sunset, Venus and Saturn pass within about one degree of each other in twilight.<\/p>\n March 19-21A slim waxing crescent moon appears near brilliant Venus in the western sky after sunset, offering a striking photo opportunity.<\/p>\n March 20At 14:46 UTC (10:46 a.m. EDT), it\u2019s the vernal equinox. The sun crosses the celestial equator in Pisces, marking the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.<\/p>\n March 25-26A first-quarter moon will shine close to Jupiter and the twin stars of the constellation Gemini, Castor and Pollux. Saturn is in conjunction with the sun. <\/p>\n See the Spring Triangle and the Big Dipper in March 2026. <\/p>\n gettyMeet The Stars Of Spring<\/p>\n March is a month of transition in the night sky. Winter\u2019s bright constellations\u2014 Orion, Taurus \u2014 dip to the west as Leo, Bo\u00f6tes and Virgo rise to claim the night. In the southeast, the constellation Leo is riding high, with Regulus at the front and Denebola at the back. In the east is the bright star Arcturus in the constellation Bo\u00f6tes. Along with Spica in the constellation Virgo, they make the Spring Triangle.<\/p>\n Another sign of spring is in the north-east night sky, where the Big Dipper stands on its handle in the few hours after dark. \u201cSpring up, fall down\u201d is an easy way to remember the Big Dipper\u2019s position as the seasons change. By the end of March, it\u2019s obvious just by looking at the night sky \u2014 spring has arrived in the northern hemisphere.<\/p>\n March is prime time for aurora hunting. (Photo by: Alan Dyer\/VWPics\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)<\/p>\n VW Pics\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images\u2018equinox Effect\u2019 And The Northern Lights<\/p>\n Thanks to seasonal celestial geometry, March is prime time for aurora hunting. As Earth\u2019s axis sits side-on to the sun around March 20, its magnetic field aligns at a right angle to the solar wind\u2019s magnetic field. This setup increases the likelihood of a favorable magnetic connection that allows energy to flow efficiently into Earth\u2019s magnetosphere. Charged solar particles stream in more easily, increasing the likelihood of geomagnetic activity. Displays of northern lights still depend on solar activity, but the chances increase in March \u2014 so keep an eye on forecasts. <\/p>\n The times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums like Stellarium<\/a>. For more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and more, check my main feed<\/a>.<\/p>\n Further ReadingForbesYour Ultimate Guide To Stargazing And Astronomy In 2026By Jamie Carter<\/a>ForbesYour Full Moon Guide For 2026 \u2014 All 13 Dates For Your DiaryBy Jamie Carter<\/a>ForbesThe Five Must-See Meteor Showers Of 2026 \u2014 According To An ExpertBy Jamie Carter<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Topline March 2026 brings one of the year\u2019s most dramatic skywatching events for North America \u2014 a total…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":507575,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[202123,49,48,202126,202130,202129,66,202125,202131,200141,202127,202124,202128],"class_list":["post-507574","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-science","tag-blood-moon-march-2026","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-equinox-aurora-effect","tag-jupiter-and-moon-march","tag-northern-lights-march-2026","tag-science","tag-spring-equinox-2026","tag-spring-triangle-stars","tag-total-lunar-eclipse-march-3","tag-venus-saturn-conjunction","tag-worm-moon-2026","tag-zodiacal-light-march"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/507574","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=507574"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/507574\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/507575"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=507574"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=507574"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=507574"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}