Stargazing Calendar for March 2025
Get ready for an exciting month of astronomy events! Stargazing in March 2025 will feature stunning planetary conjunctions, asteroid and dwarf planet oppositions, and two mesmerizing eclipses—a total lunar eclipse and a partial solar eclipse. Whether you’re a casual observer or a seasoned astronomer, there’s plenty to look forward to in the night sky.
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List of Meteor Showers in March 2025
- Antihelion Source: Start on December 10; multiple peaks; end September 10.
- γ-Normids: Start on February 25; peak on March 14; end on March 28.
We also have a complete list of meteor showers for the entire year of 2025 here.
List of Planetary Conjunctions in March 2025
- Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury in Pisces on March 1.
- Conjunction of the Moon and Venus in Pisces on March 1.
- Conjunction of Mercury and Neptune in Pisces on March 3.
- Close approach of the Moon and the Pleiades in Taurus on March 5.
- Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter in Taurus on March 6.
- Conjunction of the Moon and Mars in Gemini on March 9.
- Conjunction of Venus and Mercury in Pisces on March 9.
- Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn in Pisces on March 28.
March 1: Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury
The Moon and Mercury will be at conjunction by sharing the same right ascension and passing within 23′ of each other.
At around the same time the two bodies will also make a close approach (appulse) reaching 20.5 arcminutes from each other, but not sharing the same right ascension. In Australia, Papua New Guinea, eastern Indonesia and the Solomon Islands this distance will be so close as to lead to a lunar occultation of Mercury, meaning the Moon will pass in front of Mercury thereby hiding it from view temporarily.
The two celestial bodies will meet in the constellation of Pisces. The Moon will be at apparent magnitude -8.5 for and Mercury at -1.0. The Moon will be a 1 day old, very thin waxing crescent at 3% and will not interfere much with stargazing this end of early March 2025. Venus will also be nearby, waiting for its own conjunction later the same day.
March 1: Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
The Moon and Venus will be at conjunction by sharing the same right ascension and passing within 6°23′ of each other.
Look for the two bodies in the constellation of Pisces. (Constellation map already displayed above, when discussing the conjunction of the Moon and Mercury on March 1.) The Moon will be a 1 day old, very thin waxing crescent at 8%. Despite this, the Moon will still be at apparent magnitude of -9.6, while Venus will be at magnitude -4.6. Mercury will also be nearby, still lingering after its own conjunction earlier in the day.
March 3: Conjunction of Mercury and Neptune
Mercury and Neptune will reach conjunction passing within 2°10′ of each other while sharing the same right ascension.
Mercury will be at apparent magnitude -0.9 and Neptune at magnitude 8.0 both in the constellation of Pisces. (Constellation map already displayed above, when discussing the conjunction of the Moon and Mercury on March 1.) The Moon will be a 3 days old waxing crescent at 18%.
March 5: Close approach of the Moon and the Pleiades
The Moon and the Pleiades (also known as M45 or Messier 45) will make a close approach, passing within 39.1 arcminutes of each other.
Both objects will be in the constellation of Taurus with the Moon being at apparent magnitude -11.7; and the Pleiades at 1.3. The Moon will be 5 days old and waxing crescent at 42%.
March 6: Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
The Moon and Jupiter will be at conjunction by sharing the same right ascension and passing within 5°33′ of each other.
At around the same time the two bodies will also make a close approach (appulse) reaching 5°29′ from each other, but not sharing the same right ascension.
The two celestial bodies will meet in the constellation Taurus with the Moon at apparent magnitude of -11.9 and Jupiter at -2.3. (Constellation map already displayed above, when discussing the close approach of the Moon and the Pleiades on March 5.) The Moon will be 6 days old and waxing gibbous at 53%.
March 8: Mercury at greatest eastern elongation
Mercury will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky, making it the best time to view the planet. Look for it low in the western sky just before sunrise. It will be at apparent magnitude -0.4 in the constellation of Pisces. (Constellation map already displayed above, when discussing the conjunction of the Moon and Mercury on March 1.) The Moon will be 8 days old, waxing gibbous at 69%.
March 9: Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
The Moon and Mars will be at conjunction by sharing the same right ascension and passing within 1°40′ of each other.
Around the same time, the two bodies will also make a close approach (appulse) reaching 1°38′ from each other, but not sharing the same right ascension.
Look for the two bodies in the constellation of Gemini. The Moon will be at apparent magnitude of -12.3, while Mars will be at magnitude -0.1. The Moon will be waxing gibbous (78%) at 9 days old.
March 9: Conjunction of Venus and Mercury
Venus and Mercury will reach conjunction passing within 6°20′ of each other while sharing the same right ascension.
Venus will be at apparent magnitude -4.4 and Mercury at magnitude -0.2 both in the constellation of Pisces. (Constellation map already displayed above, when discussing the conjunction of the Moon and Mercury on March 1.) The two planets will be too widely separated to fit within the field of view of a telescope, but will fit with binoculars. The Moon will be a 9 days old waxing gibbous at 82%.
March 12: Asteroid 8 Flora at opposition
Asteroid 8 Flora will reach opposition, when it lies opposite to the Sun in the sky, reaching the highest point in the sky around midnight local time, regardless of where in the world you are located. This is because it will be exactly opposite to the Sun.
At around the same time Flora will reach perigee, which means its closest approach to the Earth, at 1.433 AU. At that time it will reach peak brightness of apparent magnitude 9.7 in the constellation of Leo. This is too faint for the naked eye, and you’ll need a telescope. Flora is a large asteroid of the main belt with a mean diameter of 146 km. It is also the seventh-brightest asteroid.
March 14: Total lunar eclipse
There will be a total lunar eclipse between 05:09 and 08:47 UTC. This happens when the Moon passes completely through the Earth’s dark shadow, also known as umbra. This lunar eclipse will be visible anywhere the Moon happens to be above the horizon at that time. First the Moon will get darker gradually and then it will shift to a rusty red or blood red color. See NASA’s fact sheet below.
March 14: γ-Normid meteor shower peak
The Gamma Normids will be the only meteor shower to peak this March 2025 with a zenithal hourly rate of 6 meteors if conditions are optimal for stargazing. Unfortunately those conditions wouldn’t be as optimal as in previous years since the Moon will be at full moon.
Some meteors may also be spotted between February 25 and March 28. They will radiate from the constellation of Norma (more precisely from a point near the star Gamma2 Normae) at the speed of 56 km/s on average. As Norma is a constellation of the southern sky, most meteors will be visible only in the Southern Hemisphere. However, with any luck, some could perhaps still be observed in more northern latitudes.
March 20: March equinox
At 09:01 UTC, we will have the March equinox, meaning the first day of spring for us here in the Northern Hemisphere or fall in the Southern Hemisphere. On this day, everywhere on Earth will have almost exactly 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night.
March 23: Saturn ring plane crossing
On this day Saturn’s rings will appear edge-on as viewed from the Earth. Saturn is positioned such that the edges of its thin rings face Earth, causing them to vanish from sight. This is a rare event that happens roughly every 13-15 years. Saturn will be in the constellation of Aquarius. The moon will be a 23 days old waning crescent at 32%.
March 25: Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner at perihelion
The comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) will reach perihelion, meaning it will reach the closest point in its orbit to the Sun at a distance of 1.01 AU.
It will have an apparent magnitude of 11.0 according to the BAA Comet Section. It will be located in the constellation of Pisces. (Constellation map already displayed above, when discussing the conjunction of the Moon and Mercury on March 1.)
Keep in mind that the comet will be only 3° from the Sun, so don’t point a telescope this close to the Sun as you risk eye injury or even permanent blindness.
March 25: Dwarf planet Ceres at aphelion
Ceres’ 4.6-year orbit around the Sun will take it to its farthest point from the Sun, called aphelion, at a distance of 2.99 AU. In actuality, Ceres’s orbit is very close to circular. Its distance from the Sun varies by only 17.2% between perihelion and aphelion. This means that the quantity of heat and light it receives from the Sun varies very little between aphelion and perihelion.
The dwarf planet will reach a peak brightness of magnitude 9.2. Unfortunately it’s much too dim to be visible to the naked eye, so a telescope of moderate aperture will be needed. Point it at the constellation of Aquarius. (Constellation map already displayed above, when discussing Saturn’s ring plane crossing on March 23.) The Moon will be a 25 days old waning crescent at 14%.
March 28: Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
The Moon and Saturn will reach conjunction passing within 1°50′ of each other while sharing the same right ascension.
The Moon will be at apparent magnitude -8.1 in the constellation of Pisces and Saturn at magnitude 1.1 in the neighboring constellation of Aquarius. (Constellation map already displayed above, when discussing the conjunction of the Moon and Mercury on March 1.) The Moon will be a 28 days old waning crescent at 1% only a day away from new moon.
March 29: Partial solar eclipse
A partial solar eclipse takes place when the Moon covers only a portion of the Sun, resembling a bite off a cookie. A partial solar eclipse can only be safely watched through a specialized solar filter or by looking at the Sun’s reflection. This partial eclipse will be visible in Greenland, much of northern Europe, and northern Russia. It will be best seen from Canada, with a 93% coverage. See NASA’s fact sheet below.
March 31: Dwarf planet Makemake at opposition
At about midnight local time, the dwarf planet Makemake (minor-planet designation of 136472 Makemake) will reach the highest point in the sky and be opposite of the Sun. Look in the constellation of Coma Berenices with a large telescope, as it will have an apparent magnitude of 17. At around the same time Makemake will also reach its closest point to the Earth (perigee) at a distance of 51.82 AU. Thankfully the Moon won’t be interfering much with stargazing this end of March 2025 as it will be a 2 days old waxing crescent at 7%.
Makemake is one of the largest objects in the Kuiper belt and the second brightest trans-Neptunian object after Pluto. It has a diameter of 14020 km, which is about 60% that of Pluto. The dwarf planet was named after Makemake, the creator of humanity, the god of fertility and the chief god in the Polynesian Rapa Nui mythology of Easter Island.
Moon Phases in March 2025
As you know, the Moon has a big impact on the visibility of celestial bodies and astronomical events in the night sky. So to help you with stargazing, here’s a calendar of the phases of Moon for this month of March 2025:
Positions of the Planets in March 2025
- Mercury: The closest planet to the Sun can be seen at dawn and dusk travelling across the constellation of Capricornus and then Aquarius. This planet, being the closest to the Sun, will appear to move quickly in the night sky and its position will change in the following weeks.
- Venus: The sister planet can be seen travelling across the constellation of Aquarius and then Pisces. Just like Mercury, Venus can only be seen at dawn and dusk.
- Mars: The red planet can be seen in the constellation of Gemini later in the month.
- Jupiter: The gas giant is visible in the constellation of Taurus. Jupiter can easily be spotted with the naked eye, even in highly illuminated cities.
- Saturn: The ringed giant can be seen with the naked eye in the constellation of Aquarius.
- Uranus: The ice giant can be seen in the constellation of Aries with the use of a telescope.
- Neptune: The blue giant requires a telescope pointed in the constellation of Pisces in order to be seen.
Positions of Dwarf Planets and Large Asteroids in March 2025
- Ceres: The asteroid belt’s lone dwarf planet can be seen in the constellation of Capricornus with the help of a telescope.
- Vesta: This large asteroid can be seen in the constellation of Virgo with a telescope.
- Pallas: The asteroid can be observed with a telescope in the constellation of Aquila.
- Hygiea: The fourth largest asteroid can be found with a telescope in the constellation of Pisces.
- Pluto: This distant dwarf planet can be found in the constellation of Capricornus with the help of a large telescope.
Major astronomical events next month – April 2025
- April 16: Mars at aphelion
- April 17: Mercury at aphelion
- April 22: Haumea at opposition
- April 22: Lyrids meteor shower peak
- April 23: π-Puppids meteor shower peak
- April 24: Venus at greatest brightness
Conclusion
March 2025 is packed with incredible astronomy events, from planetary conjunctions to a total lunar eclipse. Whether you’re a seasoned observer or new to stargazing this March 2025, this month offers plenty of celestial wonders to enjoy. Mark your calendar and don’t miss these breathtaking sights in the night sky!
To ensure you don’t miss out on any celestial happenings, sign up for our newsletter to receive stargazing calendars and more updates. Keep your telescopes ready and clear your calendar for these cosmic highlights!
Sources:
- Planetary ephemerides produced by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
- International Meteor Organization
- British Astronomical Association Comet Section
See also:
- Previous month’s calendar: Stargazing Calendar for February 2025
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Paul Tomaszewski
Paul Tomaszewski is a science & tech writer as well as a programmer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of CosmoBC. He has a degree in computer science from John Abbott College, a bachelor's degree in technology from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, and completed some business and economics classes at Concordia University in Montreal. While in college he was the vice-president of the Astronomy Club. In his spare time he is an amateur astronomer and enjoys reading or watching science-fiction. You can follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter.
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