March 18-21, 2025: The moon passes Scorpius during morning twilight.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
At the mid-northern latitudes, the Scorpion crawls across the southern horizon during early spring mornings. The bright moon passes by on these four mornings. Scorpius’ body is easy to identify, taking a “J” or fishhook shape. Red-orange Antares marks the heart. The creature reaches westward with Zubenelgenubi and Zubeneschamali dotting the claws.
Highlights
With the bright moon, use a binocular to see the dimmer stars. At one hour before sunrise, here’s what to see:
- March 18: The gibbous moon, 85% illuminated, is over 20° above the south-southwest horizon. The lunar orb is 5.4° below Zubenelgenubi, the Scorpion’s southern claw. The star is now part of Libra.
- March 19: The moon, 78% illuminated, is over 20° above the south-southwest horizon. It is over 10° to Zubenelgenubi’s lower left and 7.9° to the right of Pi Scorpii (π Sco on the chart). Tomorrow morning, in northern Africa and Europe, the moon occults or eclipses Pi Scorpii for sky watchers. This is the 22nd occultation in a series that runs through 2028.
- March 20: On equinox morning, the lunar orb, 69% illuminated, is 20° up in the south, 3.1° to Antares’ lower right, the Scorpion’s brightest star. Later tonight, sky watchers in Australia and New Zealand see the moon occult the Scorpion’s heart. At the more southerly latitudes, Scorpius appears overhead.
- March 21: This morning in front of Ophiuchus, the waning gibbous moon, 60% illuminated, is less than 20° above the southern horizon, 9.4° to Antares’ lower left and over 9° to the upper right of Shaula and Lesath, at the Scorpion’s stinger.
Step outside each morning to see the moon wane and pass the Scorpion.
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