March 8, 2026: Daylight Saving Time begins today. The gibbous moon appears near Zubenelgenubi before sunrise, while Venus passes Saturn and Jupiter’s retrograde ends.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:14 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 6:49 p.m. CDT. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
Venus as an Evening Star
Daylight Saving Time Begins
Daylight Saving Time begins today across North America. At 2 a.m., clocks are advanced one hour. Since yesterday, daylight increases only about three minutes. The clock is shifted one hour ahead of yesterday’s time. An hour was not added to sunshine.
Resetting mechanical timers for lights is not necessary until daylight lengthens further. For example, if a timer is set to turn on near local sunset during standard time, it still activates at the correct sunset time today. A setting of 5:50 p.m. yesterday becomes 6:50 p.m. today, and the light clicks on near sunset. As the weeks progress, sunset occurs later — even under standard time — and the timer will require adjustment around the time of the equinox.
Morning Gibbous Moon
One hour before sunrise, the gibbous moon, 76% illuminated, is over 20° above the south-southwest horizon. It is 6.0° to Zubenelgenubi’s lower left in Libra. The star’s name is associated with Scorpius and is commonly translated as the Scorpion’s “southern claw.”
Venus-Saturn Conjunction
After sunset, Venus climbs higher in the western evening sky while Saturn descends into brighter twilight. Venus passes Saturn tonight, but the Ringed Wonder’s visibility is marginal, even through a binocular.
At 35 minutes after sunset, brilliant Venus is 6° above the western horizon. Look for the planet through a binocular from a hilltop or a high floor of a building. The Evening Star is visible without optical aid. Through the binocular, look carefully for Saturn, 1.0° to Venus’ lower left. It may be barely visible in the bright twilight.
After Venus sets, over 70 minutes after sunset, bright Jupiter dominates the sky. It is the brilliant star high in the southeast. The planet’s retrograde motion against Gemini ends in two nights. As it resumes eastward motion, watch it approach and pass the star Wasat.
Advance your clock, attempt to see Saturn, and locate Jupiter.
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