Right now, most of New England is caught in a snowglobe full of the oh-so-delightful stuff weather forecasters like to call a wintry mix. In other words, snow, ice pellets, and freezing rain are all that the eye can see (and the body can suffer) for miles. But for the rest of the northern hemisphere, a special astronomical occurrence will be visible in the hours before dawn on Thursday, March 8: A planet parade.
According to EarthSky, three bright planets —Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter — will all line up, one after another, in the sky around the same time. Look to the east to see them rise. Jupiter, the brightest of the three, will come first, followed by Mars and Saturn. Anyone living in the south or near the Rocky Mountains will be in prime viewing position.
You might also be able to see Venus and Mercury in line just after sunset on March 18 or 19.
Those in the southern hemisphere can try their luck at seeing a five-planet parade, with Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter, in April.
Though for anyone whose planet-watching plans are thwarted by the wintry mix and clouds of Winter Storm Quinn, there's still another astronomical event to look forward to this month. On March 31, the second Blue Moon of 2018 will rise. The first, which came in January, was also accompanied by a lunar eclipse. A Blue Moon is simply the term used to describe a second full moon rising in a single month. This month's will be the final Blue Moon to occur this year, so it's worth heading outside for a look.
In April, prepare for the Lyrids Meteor Shower and a single full moon occurring towards the end of the month.
In the meantime, stay warm out there, New Englanders.
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