Each Monday, I pick out North America's celestial highlights for the week ahead (which also applies to northern hemisphere mid-northern latitudes). Check my main feed for more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and more.
The first week of March this year brings a mix of planetary conjunctions and moon views. From Venus blazing brightly in the west -- but not for long -- to arresting views of the moon, here's everything you need to know about stargazing and astronomy this week:
After sunset tonight, look westward for a celestial trio. A 20%-illuminated crescent moon will hang above Venus, the brightest planet in the sky, at magnitude -4.3. Just beneath Venus, near the horizon, tiny Mercury may be visible. Venus is edging closer to the sun, so don't miss a last chance to see it in the evening sky this week.
A 42%-lit waxing crescent moon is positioned tonight near the Pleiades, a sparkling open cluster in Taurus. Although the moon passes closest to the Pleiades during daylight hours in North America, it will still be a spectacle by nightfall as it shines a couple of degrees above the cluster. Binoculars will get your eyes on 100 or so stars in the Pleiades, also called the Seven Sisters.
The moon reaches its first quarter phase tonight, glowing brightly and making faint constellations harder to spot. However, Jupiter will shine brightly in the moonlight, with Mars easily visible in the south.
Tonight's waxing gibbous moon reaches its most northerly position of the year while 64%-lit between Mars and Jupiter. Nearby will be the twins of Gemini, Pollux and Castor.
Today, Mercury reaches its greatest eastern elongation, shining at magnitude -0.3 just above the western horizon after sunset. Look for it below bright Venus. Meanwhile, in the southeast, the moon -- now 74%-lit -- will be in close conjunction with Mars, just a couple of degrees apart.
Cassiopeia's iconic "W" shape makes it one of the easiest constellations to find in the night sky. To seE it, look north -- it's opposite the Big Dipper, with Polaris, the "North Star' between them.