What’s up in Tonight’s Sky
March 2026
HERE’S WHAT TO LOOK FOR THIS MONTH
All descriptions below are for mid-northern latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. EST is Eastern Standard Time in North America. EDT is Eastern Daylight Time in North America.
Happy Stargazing!
Quick Links
This Month’s Videos
Constellations in the Sky this month
The Planets
The Moon in March
Total Eclipse of the Moon March 3
March Evening Star Map
March Morning Star Map
How to start Observing the Sky
Stargazing Tips
Comets: Snowballs from space
Watching Meteor Showers
THIS MONTH’S VIDEOS
Sky & Telescope’s Sky Tour Video Podcast – March 2026
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NASA JPL’s What’s Up – March 2026
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CONSTELLATIONS IN THE SKY THIS MONTH
To dig deeper into the March evening sky check out the video below from the Space Telescope Science Institute.
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Can you find these Winter Star Patterns?
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To find more in the sky, check these pages out and have some fun!
Constant Companions: Circumpolar Constellations
THE PLANETS
Here’s what the planets in our solar system look like through a small backyard telescope.
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THE MOON THIS MONTH
Full Moon rises around sunset, is visible all night, and sets around sunrise.
Last Quarter Moon rises in the middle of the night, is visible in the early morning sky before sunrise, and sets around mid-day.
New Moon is not visible as it is near the Sun in the sky.
First Quarter Moon rises mid-day, is visible in the early evening sky, and sets in the middle of the night.
Visit The Moon for more about why the Moon changes shape throughout the month.
Can you see the Flags on the Moon? Go HERE to find out.
THE MOON TODAY
THIS MONTH’S DAILY MOON PHASES
The Moon rotates on its axis once every time it revolves around the Earth. Because of that, we see the same side of the Moon all the time.
TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE MOON ON MARCH 3
A spectacular total eclipse of the Moon will happen during the early morning hours on Tuesday, March 3. This will be the only total lunar eclipse this year. The next total eclipse of the Moon visible from the Americas won’t be until June 26, 2029.
Sometimes called a Blood Moon, a total lunar eclipse happens when the Moon passes through the Earth’s shadow.
All of the U.S. will see some part of the eclipse, but only the Pacific Coast, Alaska and Hawaii will see all of it, as well as the eastern rim of Asia. Totality will be visible to everyone in North America west of the Appalachians.
The neat thing is you won’t need any special equipment or safety glasses. Just go outside and enjoy the view with your own eyes, binoculars, or a telescope! Check the times to look in the chart below.
Don’t forget, a total lunar eclipse is a free celestial show for everyone and is definitely worth staying up late or getting up early for. Don’t miss the show!
Go to Full Screen for best viewing.
Go to Full Screen for best viewing.
Go to Full Screen for best viewing.
MARCH EVENING STAR MAP
Download our Basic EVENING Star Map for March 2026 (pdf) March 2026 Basic Evening Star Map
(For star maps to print properly, download pdf and save to your computer, then print from there.)
Download our star maps to help you find your way around the sky.
Our basic star maps show the planets and major star patterns or constellations visible in the evening and morning skies this month, without faint background stars. This makes it easier to pick out the brighter patterns in the real sky. Hold the map in front of you so that the direction you are facing is at the bottom. The middle of the circular map (marked “zenith”) is the point directly over your head. The edges of the circular map mark the horizon. Find one of the bright constellation patterns, ignoring fainter stars you might see in between. You can then jump from constellation to constellation finding your way around the sky. It helps to use a dim, red flashlight so that you can see both the map and the sky together.
Are you ready to try a star map at the next level? If you are able to easily use our Basic Evening Star Map above and have a pair of binoculars to do a little more exploring, try this March evening star map from the Astronomical League.
Download the March 2026 Evening AstroLeague Starmap (pdf) March 2026 Evening AstroLeague Starmap
MARCH MORNING STAR MAP
Download our Basic MORNING Star Map for March 2026 (pdf) March 2026 Basic Morning Star Map
(For star maps to print properly, download pdf and save to your computer, then print from there.)
Download our star maps to help you find your way around the sky.
Our basic star maps show the planets and major star patterns or constellations visible in the evening and morning skies this month, without faint background stars. This makes it easier to pick out the brighter patterns in the real sky. Hold the map in front of you so that the direction you are facing is at the bottom. The middle of the circular map (marked “zenith”) is the point directly over your head. The edges of the circular map mark the horizon. Find one of the bright constellation patterns, ignoring fainter stars you might see in between. You can then jump from constellation to constellation finding your way around the sky. It helps to use a dim, red flashlight so that you can see both the map and the sky together.
