Stargazing Challenges - March 2025
- 27th Feb 2025
- Author: Dhara Patel
Each month, we'll be sharing a trio of stargazing challenges for you to try your hand at.
This March, we encourage you to catch the Moon taking on a red hue during a partial lunar eclipse, find the familiar Winter Hexagon star pattern to spot some of the brightest stars in the night sky, and observe the relatively rare alignment of our lunar neighbour passing in front of the Sun in a partial solar eclipse.
Challenge 1 - Winter Hexagon
On 3 March, can you locate six bright stars making up a familiar asterism or star pattern in the sky?
On 3 March, look to the south around 20:00 and connect six bright stars from six different constellations to find the largest well-known asterism in the night sky – the Winter Hexagon. Throughout the month, this star pattern will become more difficult to spot as it moves lower into the southwest, and due to the ever-lighter evening skies as we head into spring.
Start by finding the constellation of Orion the hunter by spotting the three stars that make up his belt. The star at the bottom right of this constellation is called Rigel – it's a blue-white supergiant star. Moving upwards, you should be able to spot Aldebaran – the star at the eye of the bull in the constellation of Taurus. Over 40 times larger than our Sun, this star will have a noticeable red colour. Higher up in the sky still, you’ll find Capella – the brightest star in the constellation of Auriga the charioteer. It’s actually a group of four stars, but lying about 400 million million kilometres away, it’s impossible to see them with naked eye.
Following the hexagon shape around will lead you to Pollux in the constellation of Gemini the twins. Close by you’ll find Castor (the other, slightly fainter, half of the duo) - so careful to spot the right star! Continuing round, you’ll then come to Procyon in Canis Minor – the smaller of Orion’s two hunting dogs. Procyon is one of the closest stars to Earth, so even though it’s a pretty average star like our Sun, it appears as the eighth brightest. And at the final corner of the Winter Hexagon, is Sirius in the constellation of Canis Major – the larger dog. Sirius is the brightest star viewed from Earth at night! While the light of stars does twinkle, because Sirius is the brightest, it’s twinkling is more noticeable than others.
Challenge 2: Partial lunar eclipse
On 14 March, can you catch the Moon passing into the Earth's shadow in a partial lunar eclipse?
On the morning of 14 March before sunrise, look to the west to see a partial lunar eclipse with the Moon taking on a red glow. Due to its inclined orbit, even though the Moon circles around the Earth every month, it doesn’t perfectly align with our planet and Sun each time it does. But when the Moon does pass directly behind the Earth and into its shadow, we get a lunar eclipse. Find out more in our blog: What is a Lunar Eclipse?
Head out around 5:00, when you should be able to see the full moon as it normally appears. The partial eclipse will begin at 5:09 and from this point you’ll slowly start to see the Moon being cast into shadow beginning with its western edge. The Moon will be setting at this time so will be moving closer to the western horizon.
The shadowed region on the Moon will appear dark at first but as the Moon moves further behind the Earth, it will begin to take on a reddish glow. From Leicester the maximum eclipse will occur when the entire Moon is still above the horizon at 6:20. You’ll need a very clear view of western sky without tall buildings or trees that may block your view. The Moon will then begin to set and unfortunately the total eclipse starts with the Moon below the horizon.
The red colour of a lunar eclipse which often gives it the catchy name of "Blood Moon", comes from sunlight being refracted or bent by the Earth’s atmosphere. The red part of sunlight is bent by just the right amount that it gets focused and projected onto the Moon (in a similar way that reading glasses bend light to focus it on the retina of your eye). The red glow is essentially the light of all the sunrises and sunsets on Earth being directed onto the Moon.
Challenge 3 - Partial Solar Eclipse
Can you safely view the Moon passing in front of the Sun on 29 March, in a partial solar eclipse?
The final challenge this month is to observe the partial solar eclipse on 29 March. Looking directly at the Sun is dangerous, so make sure you view the event safely, using tools to project the Sun for indirect observations, or special equipment like eclipse glasses and solar filters on telescopes for direct sightings. Check out our blog on How to view solar eclipses safely for more info.
Look to the southeast from around 10:00 to catch the Sun. From Leicester, the partial eclipse begins at 10:07 – this marks the moment of first contact when the Moon will begin to cover the Sun. You’ll notice the dark disk of the Moon creeping onto the eastern edge of our star.
The deepest point of the eclipse will occur at 11:04 - this will be the peak of the partial solar eclipse. The Moon will be blocking about 33% of the Sun’s surface – looking like a bite has been taken from the top right corner of our star.
Following maximum eclipse, the Moon will start to leave the edge of the Sun, so the dark region will begin to lessen. Throughout the morning as the eclipse takes place the Sun will be climbing higher into the sky, and when the partial eclipse ends at 12:02 (almost two hours after it begins), last contact of the Moon will be on the top left edge of the Sun.
Why not join us at the National Space Centre for our Eclipse Watch: Partial Solar Eclipse Viewing
How did you get on? Were you able to spot our stargazing highlights this month?
If you enjoyed putting your stargazing skills to the test, then keep a look out for the astronomy challenges we'll be sharing each month. And don't forget to share your photos with us using #NSCstargazers
And find out what else you can see this month with our 'What's in the Night Sky' video.
Full references / credits:
(Banner) Skyscape. Credit: © National Space Centre
(1) Winter Hexagon asterism on 3 March. Credit: © National Space Centre
(2) Partial lunar eclipse on 14 March. Credit: © National Space Centre
(3) Partial solar eclipse on 29 March. Credit: © National Space Centre
