What to observe in the sky in March 2025 with a smart telescope
26 Feb. 2025
Best period for deep sky observation in March 2025
It is recommended to observe nebulae and galaxies when the Moon is not visible. Its brightness diminishes the darkness of the sky and reduces the quality of observations of faint and diffuse objects.
Refer to the following calendar for the best days this month.
Celestial Scene of the Month
Northern Hemisphere
The Markarian's Chain is a serie of about ten prominent galaxies forming a curved line as seen from Earth (in the upper part of the field of view). It lies among many other galaxies within the Virgo Cluster, which contains thousands of galaxies.
Do not use the dual band filter to observe galaxies.
Southern hemisphere
The Carina Nebula is a spectacular deep-sky object in the southern hemisphere and one of the brightest and largest nebulae visible from Earth. It contains several open star clusters. As a region with both emission and reflection nebulae, using a dual-band filter can enhance certain details, but observing without a filter allows for a more natural color balance and visibility of its reflection nebula components and the star clusters.
"Plan my Night" of the month
Suggested observation program you can automate with "Plan My Night."
Give each object as much observation time as you can to get the best results.
Northern Hemisphere
Using the dual-band filter is not recommended for this plan, as it involves a mix of object types.
| Time | Target |
|---|---|
| Early Night |
The Jellyfish Nebula & M35 open cluster |
| Mid Night |
The Pinwheel Galaxy - M101
|
| Late Night |
The Whirlpool Galaxy - M51 |
Southern Hemisphere
Using the dual-band filter is not recommended for this plan, as it involves a mix of object types.
| Time | Target |
|---|---|
| Early Night |
Wishing well open cluster - Caldwell 91 |
| Mid Night |
Centaurus A lenticular galaxy - Caldwell 77 |
| Late Night |
The Southern Pinwheel Galaxy - M83 |
Challenging Target of the Month
Needle Galaxy - NGC 4565
Visibility : Northern hemisphere
Constellation : Coma Berenices
The Needle Galaxy is a striking edge-on spiral galaxy. While not as well-known as some other galaxies, its thin, elongated shape and prominent dust lane make it a fascinating target for observation. Several smaller galaxies can also be seen in its vicinity within the same field of view.
Caldwell 101 (NGC 6744) & NGC 6744 A
Visibility : Southern hemisphere
Constellation : Pavo
Caldwell 101 is a spiral galaxy often regarded as one of the closest analogs to the Milky Way, though it is even larger. At the end of one of its arms, it hosts an irregular satellite galaxy, NGC 6744A, similar to the Large Magellanic Cloud’s relationship with the Milky Way. See if you can spot it!
Astronomical events of the month
Night of the 13th to 14th
Total lunar eclipse visible across the entire United States, Canada, Central America, and the western part of South America. In Western Europe, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible on the 14th just before sunrise.
March 20
March Equinox: Across the globe, the duration of day and night is exactly the same. It marks the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.
March 23
The Earth passes through the plane of Saturn's rings, making them almost invisible.
March 29
A partial solar eclipse will be visible from the extreme northeastern United States (from Pennsylvania to Maine), eastern Canada (best view), and the western and northern parts of Europe.
Magnitude and apparent size reminder
