Astronomical spring begins Friday, March 20th at 3:46 PM, promising visible planets, conjunctions, and potentially comets throughout the season.
Astronomical Spring Begins
Astronomical spring will commence on Friday, March 20th, at 3:46 PM, as the Sun crosses the vernal equinox point, marking the beginning of the astronomical spring season. This period offers opportunities to observe bright planets, spectacular conjunctions, and possibly even comets with the naked eye.
Understanding Astronomical Seasons
Astronomical seasons are defined by the moments when the Sun reaches its highest point in the zenith above the equator or the tropics. These positions correspond to specific locations of the Sun on the ecliptic, its apparent path against the backdrop of stars.
Equinox and Daylight Hours
During the vernal equinox, the Sun is directly overhead at the equator. From this point onward, days become longer than nights in the Northern Hemisphere (and vice versa in the Southern Hemisphere). The farthest parallels from the equator where the Sun can be directly overhead are called the tropics; for the Northern Hemisphere, this is the Tropic of Cancer.
Celestial Coordinate Systems
Beyond the ecliptic, astronomy utilizes a second coordinate system linked to the celestial equator and poles. The celestial equator is an extension of Earth’s equator into space. Earth’s axis of rotation, which defines the North and South celestial poles, is tilted relative to the plane of the ecliptic, and consequently, the plane of the celestial equator is also tilted. The intersection of the celestial equator and ecliptic occurs at two points: the Aries point and the Libra point, resulting in the spring and autumn equinoxes, respectively.
The Shifting Aries Point
Despite its name, the Aries point is no longer located within the constellation Aries. It shifted out of the constellation in the first century AD and currently resides in Pisces. The Aries point drifts against the backdrop of constellations due to the precession of Earth’s rotational axis, completing a full circle over 25,800 years. It is predicted to enter Aquarius in 2597.
Planetary and Lunar Observations
Spring offers numerous astronomical events, enhanced by rising temperatures. Jupiter will be prominently visible on the night of March 20th-21st, appearing bright and high in the sky near Orion, Gemini, and Procyon, with Sirius visible low on the horizon.
Conjunctions and Meteor Showers
Jupiter will have a spectacular conjunction with the Moon on March 25th and 26th, with several more lunar-Jupiter conjunctions occurring throughout the spring (April 23rd, May 20th, and June 17th). The Lyrid meteor shower peaks on the night of April 22nd-23rd, potentially offering up to 18 meteors per hour, while the Eta Aquariids peak on May 6th, with a theoretical maximum of 60 meteors per hour.
Comets and Full Moons
Comets C/2026 A1 (MAPS) and C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) may be visible to the naked eye in April, depending on their survival after passing near the Sun. Full moons will occur on April 2nd, May 1st, and May 31st, with new moons on April 17th, May 16th, and June 15th.
Cosmic Anniversaries
Several cosmic anniversaries fall during spring, including International Mother Earth Day on March 22nd, International Day of Human Space Flight on April 12th, International Dark Sky Week beginning April 13th, International Astronomy Day on April 25th, and International Day of Light on May 16th.
