March is the month of changes. The first change occurs at 5.32pm on the 20th and is the Vernal Equinox when the Sun comes north of the equator in the sky.

Nights become shorter so you have to stay up later to see the stars and eventually we get the consolation of the Simmer Dim – even if astronomy is difficult at that time.

The festival that is Up-Helly-A’ is past and the season of fire festivals that herald the return of the sun is in full swing. The length of the night shortens.

New moon is on the 14th and full moon is on the 28th.

The winter solstice has passed and the days are getting longer while the nights are getting shorter, so take the opportunity to get out to view the night sky whenever it is clear.

It is already the last month of the calendar year, the month in which the skies start to get lighter as the sun starts its journey north in the sky. We are halfway through the dark sky season in Shetland with the winter solstice at 5.47pm on 21st December.

Our local clocks have now moved back to Greenwich Mean Time and follow the movement of the sun.

Looking back over the years I have got into the habit of bemoaning the cloudy skies of September. Well, this year September has again been cloudy but fortunately, October usually has more clear nights for us to enjoy our heavenly passion and we will need them this year.

The skies are darkening again; the natural light that covers the stars in summer is receding. Now we just have to contend with the light pollution we produce ourselves.

The skies have had few meteor showers over the past two months but the next two months brings 15. It is time to check the condition of your sun-lounger and collect together all those old clothes in which to wrap up and keep warm.

Full darkness ends on the 20th April but the sky will still be dark enough to watch the planets for several weeks after, with astronomical twilight lasting until 9th May.

In April Full Moon is on the 25th and New Moon is on the 9th. In May the main phases have Full Moon on the 9th …

March is the month of the Vernal Equinox, the time when winter should end and spring should begin and this year it happens at 11.44 on the 20th. It also means that the daylight is longer than 12 hours, so less night time observing. Europe-wide the clocks get moved on an hour on the morning of the 29th.

New Moon is on the 26th and full Moon is on the 11th.

Evening: sunset to 9pm

The Moon will be out of the way for deep sky observers between the 12th and the 27th.

The planet of the evening is still …

The Up Helly A’ festival is past and the fire festival season heralds the return of the longer, lighter days. The length of the night shortens. This year the best astronomical action occurs after midnight, so maybe it should be early to bed, early to rise, as there is a little comet to find.

Sun  :  Moon
Rise – Set  :  Rise – Set

1st 8.19am – 4.18pm  :  8.56am - -
14th 7.46am – 4.53pm  :  – – 8.05am
28th 7.06am – 5.29pm  :  7.08am – 10.26pm
New Moon is on the 25th and Full Moon is on the …