The March night sky
by Guardian Staff from on (#2E1PS)
What to look out in the coming weeks, including the best chance in eight years to follow Venus in transition from an evening to morning star
The Sun crosses northwards over the equator at our vernal or spring equinox on the 20th, when days and nights are similar in length around the Earth. As our days lengthen in March, the stars at nightfall shift almost 50 westwards, with Orion toppling from due S into the SW and Leo climbing from the E to the meridian where its leading star, Regulus, stands close to the Moon on the 9th.