While we may not be experiencing anything as big as a lunar eclipse this March, we are privileged to see a variety of other, more subtle celestial events. The fun thing about such events is that there are some happening every month, and through watching or learning about these spectacular events, you can learn a little more about science, history, and the world around you. Here are the ones to look out for this month.
The first event we will be experiencing this month is on Saturday, March 6th when Mercury is at its greatest Western elongation. A Western or Eastern elongation is when, along with other mathematics, the celestial body or planet is best visible just before sunrise. This will be the best time to view Mercury as it will be at its highest point on the horizon in the morning sky.
The next event we’ll come to is on March 13th, the new moon. A new moon is when the moon reaches the same side of the planet as the sun and begins the second half of it’s phase cycle, the waxing phase, when the moon becomes fuller and fuller each night. The full moon is great for searching for things in the night sky that you typically can’t see like galaxies or star clusters.
The third celestial event is on March 20th, the spring — or vernal — equinox. The spring equinox occurs when the sun shines directly on the equator causing both the northern and southern hemispheres to experience nearly equal amounts of day and night. This also marks the beginning of autumn in the southern hemisphere. There are two equinoxes a year, one in spring and one in autumn. People have celebrated the spring equinox for centuries. Pagans celebrated it as Eoster, the predecessor to Easter, as a renewal of life; the Persian new year, Nowruz is celebrated on the spring equinox; and in Japan, the spring equinox is a day to tend to the graves of loved ones.
The last event in March is the Super Worm Moon. While there is no fully agreed upon definition in the scientific community for what the qualifications of a supermoon actually are, Fred Espenak, a retired astrophysicist, defines a supermoon as a full moon “within 90 percent of its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit.” Which means that according to his definition, we will have four supermoons in a row this year, the first of which is in March! This is the smallest of the supermoon of the year.
I’m sure you’re asking yourself, “what is a worm moon?” Each month’s full moon is given a name according to the Farmer’s Almanac and Native American folklore. March’s Worm Moon is named such, according to the Farmer’s Almanac because, “the ground begins to soften and earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of robins.” This is the most popular name for the full moon in March, but it does go by other names as well. The full moon in March also goes by the name of crust moon for the crust of ice on top of the snow from the temperature rising during the day but falling below freezing again at night. To settlers it was also known as the Lenten moon, and is considered the last full moon of winter.
Spring is a time of remembrance and renewal, and is full of excitement. March is the beginning of the beautiful Spring we all know and love in Greenwich. Greenwich shines its brightest in all of the beautiful spring colors and blooming flowers, reminding us that there is much to celebrate in our lives and in our community.
