Actual Astronomy - The Observer's Calendar for March 2026

Episode 524.

Hosted by Chris Beckett & Shane Ludtke, two amateur astronomers in Saskatchewan who enjoy teaching astronomy classes and showing the public views through their telescopes. actualastronomy@gmail.com

This month we talk about another Comet, colorful doubles, Mira at maximum. We also have one of the brightest clusters in the skies, the Beehive, well placed while the Moon meets with Antares then Regulus.

End of Feb. beginning of March Comet C/2024 E1 Wierzchos 6th – 7th magnitude

Mar 1 – Struve 1183 Monoceros – Colorful Double

Mar 2 – Regulus .4° S of Moon

Mar 3 – Full Moon & Lunar Eclipse for Western NA, 5:30am here in Regina.

- 5 Lynx colorful double star

Mar 5 – Zodiacal Light as we get into the new moon, seen in W after dark.

Mar 7 – Long Period Variable Star Mira at Max

- Carbon Star Y Hydra best, low in the south.

Mar 8 – daylight saving time begins at 3am

Mar 9 – M44 & M67 well placed this evening.

Mar 10 – Antares 0.7° N of Moon

Mar 11 – Last quarter Moon & Gegenschein high in S at midnight

- Two shadows visible on Jupiter Mar 11/12th but below horizon for us

- NGC 2683 well placed

Mar 12 Lunar Curtis X visible

- NGC 2775 well placed

Mar 13 – M93 well placed

Mar 14 – M46/M47 well placed

- Comet 29P/Schwassman-Wachmann M=15?

Mar 15 – Spot Capella unaided eye before sunset this week

- NGC 2477 well placed

Mar 18 – New Moon

Mar 19 – Young Crescent Moon in west after sunset

Mar 20 – Spring Equinox

- Carbon Star V Ophiuchi best in pre-dawn

Mar 21 – Asteroid 20 Massalia at opposition M=8.9:

20 Massalia is a stony asteroid and the parent body of the Massalia family located in the inner region of the asteroid belt, approximately 145 kilometers (90 miles) in diameter. Discovered by Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis on 19 September 1852, it was named for the Latin name of the French city of Marseille, from which the independent discover Jean Chacornac sighted it the following night. It was the first asteroid that was not assigned an iconic symbol by its discoverer.

Mar 23 – Carbon star S Scuti best in pre-dawn

Mar 25 – First Quarter Moon

- Lunar X near crater Werner visible

- Lunar straight wall visible

- Asteroid 15 Eunomia at opposition:

15 Eunomia is a very large asteroid located in the middle of the asteroid belt. It is the largest of the stony (S-type) asteroids and is estimated to contain approximately 1% of the total mass of the entire asteroid belt.

Key Facts and Discovery:

- Discovery: It was discovered on July 29, 1851, by the Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis.

- Naming: Named after Eunomia, a Greek goddess (one of the Horae) who personifies order and law.

- Classification: It is the largest member of the Eunomia family, a group of S-type asteroids that likely originated from the same parent body after a massive collision.

Mar 26 – Jupiter 4° S of Moon

Mar 27 – Longomontanus Ray visible on moon

- Iota Cancri colorful double star, named Yuyu on Feb 22, 2026!

Mar 28 – Jeweled Handle Visible on Moon

Mar 29 – Regulus 4° S of Moon

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