20 March will be the Equinox when the Sun will be over the equator and the day and night will be equal. The time from sunrise to sunset changes most rapidly around the equinox and you should notice how quickly the days are drawing in.
Full Moon will be on 3 March – the Harvest Moon. There will be a lunar eclipse on this date, but you will have to be in the Americas or Asia to see it. New Moon will be on 19 March.
At the beginning of March, three planets will be visible after sunset. Soon after sunset look low down in the west to see Venus, beginning its evening apparition. It will be the evening star until October. Above and to the right of Venus look for Saturn, ending its current apparition as it gets lower each evening. On 8 March, Saturn and Venus will be very close in the west after sunset. On 25 March, Saturn will be directly behind the Sun (superior conjunction) and it will return to the dawn sky in early April. Jupiter shines brilliantly in the north-east, above the twin stars of Gemini – Castor and Pollux. Binoculars will reveal the four Galilean moons that orbit it. If you want to see Mars, you will have to be up before dawn to see it low down in the east. Mercury will be visible from mid-month before dawn in the east. It will reach its highest altitude in the east at the beginning of April.
Look at the stars in the south-south-east after sunset and you will see a cross lying on its side. This is the False Cross. It will be followed by the Southern Cross by 8 pm. The Southern Cross is smaller, its stars are brighter and its shape is less skewed than the False Cross. The clincher is the Pointers which will be up by 9 pm, two bright stars pointing towards the Southern Cross.
The Astronomical Society of Harare will hold its next meeting on Saturday 14 March at 2:30 for 3:00 pm in the gazebo at Mukuvisi Woodland. There will be tea followed by presentations on astronomical topics. All are welcome – the presentations are intended for people with no astronomical knowledge. Mukuvisi charges a $2 entry fee.
Keep looking up!
Peter Morris, Astronomical Society of Harare
25 February 2026