by Sam Davidson

March begins with a bang; OK, a small bang. The brilliant ISS comes overhead on March 3, starting from the SW at 6:32. It heads toward Vegas then enters the earth's shadow.

Venus is coming into its own as the "Evening Star" and is in a good spot as it joins the thin crescent moon on the 16th. See them both, just minutes after sunset.

And here comes Saturn. It's in opposition on the 21st, rising in the east as the sun sets. The rings are tilted at only 3 degrees but much better than the edge-on view of last year.

Leo is also up in the east before Saturn and its brightest star, Regulus, is often storied with the Star of Bethlehem.

Daylight Savings Time starts very early, on the 14th and the new Moon ---it should be called "no moon"---is on the 15th.

The vernal equinox---the sun is over the equator---on the 20th at 10:32 a.m.

The Director of the Griffith Observatory, Ed Krupp, visits the Morongo Basin this month. He will give a presentation on March 19 at the Black Rock Ranger station at 7 p.m. He always puts on a good show and it's free.

Enjoy the warming sky.

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www.andromedasociety.org

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