Earth/Space Highlights
MONTHLY CALENDAR
MAR.
March - Martius, the month of the God Marus or Mars. In the Roman religion, Mars is
the God of War. Planet Mars, the red planet, is named after the Roman God of War.
Planet Mars' satellites Phobos (fear) and Deimos (Panic) also relate to
conditions of war. Phobos, the inner moon, goes around the planet in about 8
hours. The moon Deimos goes much slower (30 hrs) and goes in the opposite
direction - rising in the West and setting in the East, TWICE A DAY!
Full Moon - (called the Sapmoon, Crow moon or Lenten Moon) 8:26 P.M. Mar 17
and 1:26 U.T.C Mar 18. This is the full moon nearest the March Equinox. The sun
and moon both spend 12 hours in the sky.
Morning Stars - Venus
Evening Stars - Mars
Special Events Anticipated:
METEOR SHOWERS - During the second week with the peak about March 13-15.
The Gamma Normid meteor showers are not exceptional (fair) peak often
undetectable as are the Virginids meteor showers the following week (fair to poor)
Mar 15 - The Ides of March, 44BC when Julius Caesar was assassinated.
Mar 17 - St Patrick's Day - Time to dig the garden and sow peas. Also pinch anybody
who is not wearing green.
Mar 21 - Vernal Equinox (Spring Equinox) occurs at 9:17 P. M. and 2:17
(UTUniversal Time) next day Mar 22. The approximate location on the Earth's
equator for the direct rays of the sun at solar noon would be about 34 degrees
East Longitude.
The point on Earth where this occurs this year is the Northeast shore of Lake
Victoria, Kenya, East Africa.
EQUATION OF TIME - On March 15 the sun is "running slow" 9 minutes. Solar
noon therefore, will be 9 minutes later than the clock on the wall.
SPECIAL STARS AND CONSTELLATIONS - Cancer, the crab, Hydra, the water
serpent under the crab, stretches above the Southern horizon to the Western horizon
with its tail dipping below the Western sky. Leo, the lion, stands proud in the
Southwestern sky led by planet Mars and Coma Berenices, a star cluster called
Berenice's Hair East of Leo. Stars to note include Regulus (a blue-white star 86 light
years away in Leo), Caster (a blue-white star in Gemini), Capella (a yellow star in
Aurica), and Arcturus (an orange star 32 light years away in Bootes - the herdsman).
VISIBLE ZODIAC SIGNS:
Westerly to Easterly across the night sky are: Virgo, Leo,
Cancer, Gemini, and Taurus. Sun enters Zodiac sign: Pisces.
Sun Rise - Mar. 1 = 6:39 am Sun Rise - Mar. 31 = 5:52 am
Sun Set - Mar. 1 = 6:00 pm Sun Set - Mar. 31 = 6:32 pm
Total Daylight Hours on Mar. 1 = 11 Hrs. 21 Min. Total Daylight Hours
on Mar. 31= 12 Hrs. 40 Min.
Direct sun rays on Mar. 15 is at latitude 2.5 deg. South.
Daytime high temperature, Mar. 1 =45 deg., Mar. 31 =56 deg.
Nighttime low temperature, Mar. 1 =26 deg., Mar. 31 =40 deg.
Monthly average temperature for Mar. = 40 deg. F.
Average snowfall for our area is 32 inches annually. March's snow fall average
is about 7 inches.
Rainfall for our area is 40 inches annually.
March's rainfall average is about 3.5 inches.
NOTE WORTHY: FOR MARCH
"March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb" The saying according to some
relates to stormy weather, blizzards, wind, and mild sunny calm weather. However,
perhaps the saying originated with the stars. That is, in March's evening sky, the
constellation Aries (the lamb) is setting as Leo (the lion) approaches the zenith
(overhead).
The last Sunday in March (Mar 26) in England (Britain) summertime begins.
Summertime, the clocks are changed forward one hour from standard time to
summertime. (like our "Daylight Savings Time")