This week brings a mix of farewells and new celestial sights. The last traces of the winter Milky Way are fading into the western horizon, and the Winter Triangle makes one of its final evening appearances. But the biggest event of the week is the partial solar eclipse on March 29, offering a striking view for skywatchers across Europe, northeastern North America, and beyond β be sure to check out our in-depth guide for all the details! Plus, don't miss the challenge of spotting an ultra-thin crescent moon after sunset on Sunday.
Here's what's happening in the night sky this week!
As twilight fades, the final traces of winter's night sky stretch across the west. Look from Monoceros in the southwest to Cassiopeia in the northwest, and you'll see bright planets and famous constellations glowing against the soft band of the winter Milky Way. Jupiter shines in the west, with Aldebaran and the Pleiades below, Capella to the right, and Mars to the left. Beyond Jupiter, Orion's stars and the dazzling Sirius complete the scene. Find a dark-sky spot and enjoy this view before these winter gems sink below the horizon.
Catch this winter night sight while you can! Just after dark, look south to find Sirius, the brightest star, with Orion's Belt pointing straight at it. Above Sirius, Procyon in Canis Minor shines to the left, and Betelgeuse in Orion glows to the right, forming the Winter Triangle. Extend those lines further, and you'll find Mars and Jupiter, adding to the spectacle.
A partial solar eclipse will grace the sky today, with the moon covering up to 94% of the sun at its peak. The eclipse will be visible across the northeastern U.S., Canada, Greenland, most of Europe, and parts of Africa and Russia. It begins at 4:50 a.m. EDT (0850 GMT) and reaches its maximum at 6:47 a.m. EDT (1047 GMT) over Hudson Bay, Canada. Remember: Never look directly at the sun without proper eye protection.
Here's a sight few ever catch β a whisper-thin 3% waxing crescent moon just after sunset. Look low in the west, directly below bright Jupiter. It's faint, so binoculars may help reveal it. For skywatchers in the U.K., don't forget β clocks go forward by an hour tonight!
The highlight of this week's lunar phases will undoubtedly be the new moon, which coincides with a partial solar eclipse on March 29. During this event, the moon will partially obscure the sun's disk.
The eclipse will be visible across much of Europe and the far eastern regions of North America. The timing of the event varies by location, with the first sighting of the partial eclipse beginning at 4:50 a.m. EDT (0850 GMT).
Remember, it is NEVER safe to look directly at the sun without proper eye protection. To view every stage of the partial solar eclipse safely, you'll need specialized solar protection, such as eclipse glasses or a solar filter for telescopes or binoculars.
This beautiful deep-field image of the Cassiopeia constellation, bathed in the glow of ionized hydrogen gas, was captured by photographer Miguel Claro. It showcases two remarkable planetary nebulas β Abell 6 (left) and the larger HFG1 (right). These delicate structures are the remnants of dying medium-sized stars, much like our own sun, offering a glimpse into the final stages of stellar evolution.
The fight to save an iconic Royal Observatory Greenwich | Space Quiz! What is the point at which even light cannot escape a black hole's gravity? | This Week In Space: Episode 153 - Pathways to Mars
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The historic site of the Royal Observatory Greenwich is now at risk. In the summer of 2024, the Observatory Science Centre, the charity acting as custodians of the historic Royal Observatory Greenwich site since 1995, announced that they would be evicted by the landowners before the end of 2026.
On Episode 153 of This Week In Space, Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik talk with Robert Zubrin, founder and president of The Mars Society, about making real, actionable plans to send a crew to Mars. In 1990, Zubrin and David Baker worked up a plan called "Mars Direct," which took the core of then-current NASA planning and streamlined it into a more realistic, affordable approach. Since then, some of the key elements have been incorporated into NASA's Design Reference Missions, still the primary set of plans for reaching Mars. Join us for this fascinating discussion.
The first orbital rocket to launch from continental Europe is nearing its debut. Germany-based Isar Aerospace is targeting today for the maiden voyage of its brand new Spectrum rocket. If all goes according to plan, Spectrum will liftoff from the AndΓΈya Spaceport, in Norway, during a three-hour launch window Monday, between 7:30 a.m. EST (1130 GMT) and 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT).
A team of scientists has developed a recipe for black holes that eliminates one of the most troubling aspects of physics: the central singularity, the point at which all our theories, laws and models shatter. If you were going to design an object to preserve mystery while being utterly troubling, you couldn't do much better than a black hole.
Hycean worlds, which are a possible kind of exoplanet with deep oceans surrounded by a thick envelope of hydrogen, could provide the best chance for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to detect biosignatures, according to a new study.
If you're willing to stump up a million dollars, you can own this incredibly glossy piece of sci-fi history. It might be slightly scary, but this rare remnant of Hollywood's illustrious past was actually used in the filming of director Steven Spielberg's sci-fi fantasy, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," and could fetch nearly one million dollars when Sotheby's auction bidding finally closes on the historic lot next month.
