March 10, 2021: Mars continues its eastward march through Taurus. Look high in the west-southwest for the planet.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:10 a.m. CST; Sunset, 5:52 p.m. CST. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times for your location.
Mars is the lone bright planet in the evening sky. Find it about two-thirds of the way up in the west-southwest. It is not as bright as it was several weeks ago, although it continues its eastward march through Taurus.
Less than a week ago it passed the Pleiades star cluster. This evening it is nicely placed to the right of the star Aldebaran (“the follower”) – the brightest star in the constellation Taurus – and the Hyades star cluster to the left of Mars, and the Pleiades cluster to the lower right of the planet.
Use a binocular to explore this region. You can examine the Pleiades cluster and the Hyades star cluster. Star colors abound – yellows, oranges, and blues – to indicate the stellar temperatures.
This evening Mars is 0.3° to the upper left of 37 Tauri (37 Tau on the chart), a dim star that marks the track of the sun, moon, and planets through the starfield. Use a binocular to see mars with the dimmer stars.
The planet with the neighborhood stars sets over 6 hours after sunset.
Here’s more about Mars during 2021.
Read about Mars during March.
Detailed Note: Forty-five minutes before sunrise, Saturn is 8.0° up in the east-southeast, Jupiter is 9.2° of ecliptic longitude east of Saturn. The Giant planet is nearly 4° in altitude. Fifteen minutes later, Jupiter is over 6° in altitude. Use a binocular to spot Mercury, 4.4° to the lower left of Jupiter. Mercury is only 4° in altitude. The thin crescent moon (26.7d, 9%) is nearly 4° in altitude, 5.4° to the lower right of Jupiter. One hour after sunset. Mars is 57.0° up in the west-southwest among the clustered starfields of Taurus. The planet is nicely placed to the right of Aldebaran and the Hyades, and to the upper left of the Pleiades. The planet is 0.3° above 37 Tau.
Read more about the planets during March 2021.
2021, April 25: Mercury-Venus Conjunction, Mars, Bright Moon
April 25, 2021: Mercury passes Evening Star Venus this evening after sunset. Look low in the western sky about 20 minutes after sunset. Mars is marching eastward in Gemini, near the star cluster Messier 35. The bright moon is near Spica.
2021, April 25: Morning Planets, Jupiter, Saturn in Southeast
April 25, 2021: Morning planets Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeast before sunrise. Jupiter is in front of the stars of Aquarius, while Saturn’s starry background is Capricornus.
2021, April 24: Evening Star, Bright Mercury, Venus, Mars, Gibbous Moon
April 24, 2021: Brilliant Evening Star Venus and bright Mercury are entering the evening sky. They are low in the west-northwest during evening twilight. The bright moon is in the southeast in Virgo. Mars moves into Gemini as it approaches the star cluster Messier 35.
2021, April 24: Lunar Occultation, Morning Planets, Jupiter Saturn
April 24, 2021: The bright gibbous moon is near a star in Virgo during the early morning. From parts of the Western Hemisphere, the moon covers the star. Before sunrise, bright morning planets, Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeast before sunrise.
2021, April 23: Evening Star Venus, Mercury, Mars, Moon
April 23, 2021: Evening Star Venus and Mercury are entering the evening sky. They are found very low in the west-northwest after sunset. The bright moon is in the southeastern sky during the early evening. Mars is moving toward the star cluster Messier 35.
Categories: Astronomy, Sky Watching
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