SkyEye

The Calendar

The Solar System

The word planet is derived from the Greek word for 'wanderer'. Unlike the background stars, planets seem to move around the sky, keeping mostly to a narrow track called the ecliptic, the path of the Sun across the stars. Dwarf planets and small solar-system bodies, including comets, are not so constrained, often moving far above or below the ecliptic.

Sun Aquarius → Pisces

The solar south pole is most inclined toward the Earth early this month.

Mercury Capricornus → Aquarius → Pisces

Lost to view from northern latitudes, early risers in the southern hemisphere can still catch a glimpse of this elusive planet in the east at dawn but only until mid-month. Mercury is at superior conjunction with the Sun on 23 March.

Venus Capricornus → Aquarius

The morning star continues to descend towards the eastern horizon, becoming particularly low for northern hemisphere observers.

Mars Libra → Scorpius

The red planet rises around midnight, ahead of Saturn

Jupiter Leo

The largest planet in the solar system is at opposition on 8 March so it is up all night.

Saturn Ophiuchus

At west quadrature on 6 March, the interplay of shadows — disc, rings, satellites — in the Saturnian system are at their most pronounced. Saturn rises ever earlier, but is still not appearing until after midnight.

Uranus Pisces

This ice giant is getting increasingly difficult to see in the evening twilight as it approaches conjunction with the Sun next month.

Neptune Aquarius

A small telescope is necessary to view the most distant planet in the solar system but potential observers won't get much joy this month. Neptune was at solar conjunction last month and is still lost in the morning twilight.