calendar

Mar
4
Tue
Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday!)
Mar 4 – Mar 5 all-day
Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday!)

Celebrate with some homemade donuts!

Mar
9
Sun
Daylight Savings Time Begins!
Mar 9 @ 6:00 am – 7:00 am
Daylight Savings Time Begins!

Spring ahead!

Mar
15
Sat
Full Worm Moon @ Earth
Mar 15 – Mar 16 all-day
Full Worm Moon @ Earth

Take a peek at the sky tonight and you’ll see a full moon.  A full moon is when the moon and the sun are opposite of each other from an earth perspective.

Mar
17
Mon
Holi Festival
Mar 17 – Mar 18 all-day
Holi Festival

Celebrate the festival of colors, signifying the victory of good over evil and the coming of spring! The celebration of this Hindu festival has spread around the world and is celebrated on different dates in cities throughout the US.

St. Patrick’s Day
Mar 17 – Mar 18 all-day
Mar
20
Thu
National Cherry Blossom Festival
Mar 20 – Apr 18 all-day

Celebrate the beauty of the nation’s cherry blossoms.

Spring Equinox @ Earth
Mar 20 all-day

Spring officially begins!

Occultation of Regulus @ Earth
Mar 20 @ 6:00 am – 7:00 am
Occultation of Regulus @ Earth

An extremely rare event will take place shortly after 2 a.m. EDT on Thursday, March 20. An asteroid known as 163 Erigone will pass in front of the bright star Regulus in the constellation of Leo, causing the star to disappear.  A stellar occultation (pronounced “occ-kull-tay-shun”) occurs when the Moon, an asteroid or another planetary body eclipses a star, momentarily blocking its light.  This event will be visible along a 45-mile-wide path and is predicted to begin at 2:07 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time.  The asteroid’s shadow will move on a southeast-to-northwest path that will extend from New York City to Oswego in New York State and continue northwest into Ontario, Canada. For those in the center of this path, the star will remain invisible for 12 seconds.

Read more about the Occultation of Regulus.  If you’re up for it, help IOTA (International Occultation Timing Association, you already knew that, didn’t you?) by observing this rare event and reporting back!

Apr
7
Mon
First Quarter Moon @ Earth
Apr 7 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
First Quarter Moon @ Earth

First Quarter Moon, 4:31 a.m. One-half of the Moon appears illuminated by direct sunlight while the illuminated part is increasing.

Apr
8
Tue
Mars at Opposition
Apr 8 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Mars at Opposition

Mars at opposition. A body in space is at opposition when it sits 180° from the Sun in relationship to the Earth. This is the best time to view a planet.