Whats Springing Up in the Sky this Spring!

Spring is just around the corner! In 2023, the first day of spring will be March 20th. Spring is a wonderful time of year for astronomy and stargazing, with the warmer weather and longer days providing ideal conditions for observing the night sky. Whether you're a seasoned astronomer or a beginner, there are plenty of celestial events and phenomena to look out for this season.

The first day of spring is determined by the vernal equinox. The vernal equinox is the moment when the the Sun is directly over Earth's equator, resulting in equal amounts of daylight and darkness. This marks the beginning of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumn season in the Southern Hemisphere.

There's lots to enjoy in the sky this spring from meteor showers, star clusters, galaxies, to planetary alignments, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Here are some of the highlights to look out for:

The Full Worm Moon: On March 7th, the Full Worm Moon will light up the night sky. This is the final full moon of the winter and gets its name from the earthworms that emerge from the soil as the weather starts to warm up. It's a great opportunity to observe the full Moon and take a final moon lit hike/snowshoe this winter.

mile high moon over Denver/Sloans lake

Mars: The Red Planet will be visible high in the sky in the early evening hours on through midnight, setting in the west as the night progresses. Look for a reddish-orange dot that is brighter than most stars. for more information check out our post covering mars this season: https://www.astrotours.org/post/mars-returns