Each Monday, I pick out North America’s celestial highlights for the week ahead (which also applies to northern hemisphere mid-northern latitudes).Check my main feed for more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and more.
The Night Sky This Week: March 10-16, 2025
The night sky highlight of the week has to be the first total lunar eclipse since 2022. Also known rather dramatically as a “blood moon” (though the lunar surface actually turns a pink-orange-red), North America will have the best view — though it will mean getting up/staying up until the early hours.
Add a lovely view of Venus and Mercury shining together like twins in twilight and it adds up to an eventful week for sky-watchers.
Monday, March 10: Venus And Mercury In ConjunctionStellarium
Monday, March 10: Venus And Mercury In Conjunction
Just after sunset, look low in the western sky to see the two innermost planets of the solar system shining together. Mercury and Venus will be in conjunction or, more accurately, in appulse.
It’s one of your last chances to see Venus in the post-sunset sky in 2025. At just mag. +1.8, Mercury will be about 115 times dimmer than Venus, but both will be visible with the naked eye about 45 minutes after sunset, and for around 30 minutes before they sink into the horizon.
Tuesday, March 11: Moon And RegulusStellarium
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Tuesday, March 11: Moon And Regulus
Tonight, a 95%-lit moon — just a couple of days away from being full — will shine beside Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo. One of the 20 brightest stars in the night sky, Regulus was known to ancient Persian and Mesopotamian astronomers as one of the four “Royal Stars,” the others being Aldebaran, Antares and Fomalhaut.
The prominence of Regulus in the east after sunset signals the coming of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Moon moves right to left, passing through the penumbra and umbra, leaving in its wake an eclipse ... [+] diagram with the times at various stages of the eclipse.NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio
Thursday, March 13-Friday, March 14: ‘Blood Moon’ Total Lunar Eclipse
Here comes the skywatching highlight of the month — a rare total lunar eclipse, or “blood moon,” which will be visible overnight from North America on March 13-14. Not seen on Earth since late-2022, this event will see the full moon will pass through Earth’s shadow for about five hours, through it's totality — when the lunar surface turns red for 65 minutes (a result of sunlight bending through Earth’s atmosphere) — which is what you really need to see. The entire event will be visible from North America, with totality occurring at these times:
2:26-3:31 a.m. EST (March 14)
1:26-2:31 a.m. CST (March 14)
00:26-1:31 a.m. MST (March 14)
11:26 p.m.-12:31 a.m. PST (March 13-14)
10:26-11:31 p.m. AKST (March 13)
8:26-9:31 p.m. HST (March 13)
Sunday, March 16: Moon And SpicaStellarium
Sunday, March 16: Moon And Spica
Each year, the moon passes very close to, and sometimes occults (eclipses or passes in front of), four bright stars as it orbits Earth — Spica, Aldebaran, Regulus and Antares. Tonight it’s the turn of Spica, the brightest star in Virgo, which will appear just above a 93%-lit waning gibbous moon. Watch them rise together in the east-southeast about two hours after sunset. As with Regulus, Spica rising to prominence is another stargazing sign that spring is almost with us.
The Leo constellation.Stellarium
Constellation Of The Week: Leo
The constellation Leo, the Lion, dominates the eastern evening sky in March. Its “sickle” shape resembles a backward question mark, with the bright star Regulus (directly above Spica) at its base.
Denebola marks the lion's tail. Between these two stars lie several distant galaxies, including the Leo I Group. Look for Leo high in the southeast as darkness falls.
The times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums likeStellarium and use asunrise and sunset calculator for where you are.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.