Astroblog

https://www.sws.bom.gov.au/ 

A minor geomagnetic storm (G1) with a Kindex of 5 is currently ongoing. And yes, it's daylight. 

If this storm persists and strengthens (there is a prediction of G3 major storm levels), there is a strong possibility of aurora.  

As I wrote before, the Moon is in crescent phase and will not interfere with seeing aurora in the evening and early morning.  Keep an eye out and be patient, as the magnetic polarity of the wind fluctuates significantly and aurora may come and go.

As of now the solar wind conditions are:
Solar Wind Parameters Used:
   Date: 21 03 2026 0601 UT
   Velocity:   452 km/sec
   Bz:   -3.0 nT
   Density =    8.0 p/cc

Calculated Information from Solar wind parameters:
   Magnetopause Stand Off Distance  =   10.6Re
   Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure Dp =   1.36nPa
**********************************************************************************

G1 (MINOR) GEOMAGNETIC DISTURBANCE IN PROGRESS (K OF 5 REACHED)
PRELIMINARY AUSTRALIAN REGION K INDICES FOR 20 03 26: 2334 3345

GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY FORECAST
21 Mar:  G2-G3
22 Mar:  G1-G2
23 Mar:  G0-G2

Labels: aurora

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 5:12 pm 0 comments

Two CME arrivals are happening in the coming days. The first CME is associated with the M2.7 flare on 16-Mar which is expected to arrive at 19/1800UT +/ 12 hours (that's either early morning on the 20th or very late on the 19th in Australia). 

The second CME is associated with another M2.7 flare on 18-Mar and is expected to arrive at 20/1700UT +/- 12 hours. 

In addition, solar wind 27 day recurrent patterns suggest coronal hole wind streams are likely to increase the solar wind speed over 21-23 March.

Some recent storms occurred during daylight hours in Austral, but lets hope we are lucky with night arrivals as this time as conditions are good.

If storms eventuate, visible aurora may be seen in Tasmania and possibly southern parts of Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia during local night hours. 

The Moon is in crescent phase and will not interfere with seeing aurora in the evening and early morning.  Keep an eye out and be patient, as the magnetic polarity of the wind fluctuates significantly and aurora may come and go.

Dark sky sites have the best chance of seeing anything, and always allow around 5 minutes for your eyes to become dark adapted.

As always look to the south for shifting red/green glows, mostly green at the moment.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky. https://www.skippysky.com.au/Australia/index.html
Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/
_____________________________________________________________

INCREASED GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY EXPECTED 
FROM 19-23 MARCH 2026
_____________________________________________________________
GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY FORECAST
19 Mar:  Initially G0, then G1-G2
20 Mar:  G1-G2 (minor to moderate)
21 Mar:  G1-G2 (minor to moderate)
22 Mar:  G0-G1 (minor to moderate)

Labels: aurora

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 10:13 pm 0 comments

The First Quarter Moon is Thursday March 26. Earth is is at its autumnal equinox on the 21st.Venus begins to emerge from the twilight and is near the thin crescent moon on the 20th and 21st.. Jupiter dominates the northern sky. It forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. On the 26th Jupiter is close to the  First Quarter  Moon. In the morning Mars and Mercury are visible low to the horizon.

The First Quarter Moon is Thursday March 26. Earth is is at its autumnal equinox on the 21st. The Moon is at perigee (when it is closest to Earth) on the 22nd.

Mars and Mercury are visible low to the horizon. 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time  (45 minutes before sunrise).   

Venus is visible just above the western horizon, you will need a level, unobscured horizon to see it. The thin crescent Moon is nearby.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time  (30 minutes after sunset).  

Northern sky on Thursday, March 26 as seen from Adelaide at 20:43 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on January the 10th, but will be bright for many months. Jupiter forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. Jupiter is close to the  First Quarter  Moon.

 

 

The inset shows the telescopic view of Jupiter at this time.   

 

    

 

 

 

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset). 

 

Whole sky on  Saturday, March 14 as seen from Adelaide at 20:50 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Jupiter is prominent in the north.

 

Bright Canopus and Sirius are near the Zenith. Orion is now in the north-western sky. 

 

The Southern Cross is rising in the Southern sky.  The moon is waxing and the fainter clusters and nebula are becoming hard to see.    

 

 

 

   

Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).

Labels: weekly sky

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 9:04 pm 0 comments

The New Moon is Thursday March 19. Venus begins to emerge from the twilight. Jupiter dominates the northern sky. It forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. Uranus can be seen in binoculars above the Pleiades cluster. The variable star Mira may be visible in the evening. In the morning Mars, Mercury and the crescent moon are visible low to the horizon.

The New Moon is Thursday March 19.

Mars, Mercury and the thin crescent moon form a triangle low to the horizon. You may need binoculars to see Mercury and Mars.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time  (45 minutes before sunrise).   

Venus is visible just above the western horizon, you will need a level, unobscured horizon to see it.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time  (30 minutes after sunset).  

North-western sky on the evening of Saturday, March 14 as seen from Adelaide at 21:01 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

The planet Uranus is theoretically visible to the unaided eye from Dark sky locations, as it is magnitude 5.8, but it is best seen with binoculars. The beautiful and obvious Pleiades cluster is the signpost to the faint planet. The waxing moon will make seeing Uranus more difficult.

The variable star Mira is magnitude 3.5 and should be unaided eye visible, however you may still need binoculars to identify it (the barred circle in the image) especially as it is coming closer to the horizon.

The inset is the binocular view of Mira and the guide stars. 

   

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time  ( 90 minutes after sunset).   

Northern sky on  Saturday, March 14 as seen from Adelaide at 21:01 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on January the 10th, but will be bright for many months. Jupiter forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. 

 

 

The inset shows the telescopic view of Jupiter at this time.   

 

    

 

 

 

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset). 

 

Whole sky on  Saturday, March 14 as seen from Adelaide at 21:01 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Jupiter is prominent in the north.

 

Bright Canopus and Sirius are near the Zenith. Orion is now high in the north-western sky. 

 

The Southern Cross is rising in the Southern sky.  The moon is new and the fainter clusters and nebula are easier to see.    

 

 

 

   

Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).

Labels: weekly sky

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 12:37 am 0 comments

The Last Quarter Moon is Wednesday March 11. Jupiter dominates the northern sky. It forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. Uranus can be seen in binoculars above the Pleiades cluster. The variable star Mira may be visible in the evening. 

The Last Quarter Moon is Wednesday March 11. The Moon is at apogee (when it is furthest from Earth) on the 10th.

North-western sky on the evening of Saturday, March 7 as seen from Adelaide at 21:12 ACDST ( 90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

The planet Uranus is theoretically visible to the unaided eye from Dark sky locations, as it is magnitude 5.8, but it is best seen with binoculars. The beautiful and obvious Pleiades cluster is the signpost to the faint planet. The waxing moon will make seeing Uranus more difficult.

The variable star Mira is magnitude 3.5 and should be unaided eye visible, however you may still need binoculars to identify it (the barred circle in the image) 

The inset is the binocular view of the Pleiades and Uranus at this time. 

   

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time  ( 90 minutes after sunset).  

 

North-eastern sky on  Saturday, March 7 as seen from Adelaide at 21:12 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on January the 10th, but will be bright for many months. Jupiter forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. 

 

 

The inset shows the telescopic view of Jupiter at this time.   

 

    

 

 

 

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset). 

Whole sky on  Saturday, March 7 as seen from Adelaide at 21:12 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Jupiter is prominent in the north.

 

Bright Canopus and Sirius are near the Zenith. Orion is now high in the north-western sky. 

 

The Southern Cross is rising in the Southern sky.  The moon is nearly full and the fainter clusters and nebula are hard to see.    

 

 

 

   

Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).

Labels: weekly sky

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 11:00 pm 0 comments

Eastern morning sky on Wednesday, March 18  as seen from Adelaide at 6:37 ACDST (45 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).  Mars, the crescent Moon and Mercury form a triangle above the horizon. The inset is the binocular view a this time. Mars and Mercury are at their closest on the 16th. Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (45 minutes before sunrise)

North-western sky on Thursday, March 26  as seen from Adelaide at 20:43 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Jupiter is close to the waxing Moon, forming a narrow triangle with Castor and Pollux and a broad triangle with the bright stars Procyon and Betelgeuse.The inset is the telescopic view Jupiter at this time. Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset)

Sky looking North-east on Tuesday March 3 as seen from Adelaide at 21:18 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). 

The rising full Moon is partially eclipsed. Totality will start at 22:33 and be at maximum eclipse at 23:03. Other states will see similar views at the equivalent local times. The inset show the binocular view at this time. 

Detailed times for selected cites and viewing charts are at my Lunar Eclipse page. 

 

 

 

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset). 

Stars:

North-Eastern sky as seen from Adelaide at midnight1 ACDST on March 12. Similar views will been seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time. (click to embiggen)	Southern sky as seen from Adelaide at 21:05 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset). Similar views will been seen elsewhere in Australia 90 minutes after sunset. Omega Centauri is indicated by the brackets, The inset is the binocular view of Omega Centauri  at this time (click to embiggen)

March nights see the summer constellations of Orion the Hunter and Canis major (Orion’s hunting dog) head towards the western horizon, while Orion’s nemesis, Scorpius the Scorpion, rises in the east.
If you face east around midnight, the distinctive curled shape of Scorpius lies curled above the horizon. Slightly less romantically, it looks like one of those “use no hooks” signs on its side.  

In Greek mythology, Scorpius was a scorpion sent to kill Orion for his hubris. Indigenous Australians interpreted the constellation in a variety of ways. The sting of Scorpius the Scorpion (the curled “hook”) is variously the head of Ingalpir, the crocodile, Karick Karick a pair of hawks or a fringe of feathers around the wings of dark constellation the Emu. The body of the Scorpion contains the bright star Antares the “rival of Mars”. 

Omega Centauri, a magnificent globular cluster, will be readily visible late in the evening forming a triangle with the Southern cross and pointers.

Mira:

North western sky as seen from Adelaide at 21:05 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset) on March 11, when the Moon has not yet risen. Similar views will been seen elsewhere in Australia 90 minutes after sunset. The variable star Mira is above the western horizon and indicated by the jagged circle. The inset is the binocular view of the Mira and the two obvious stars Zeta and Chi Ceti at this time (click to embiggen).

The location of Uranus is indicated by the smooth circle. 

 
The variable star Mira is now around magnitude 3.5, and should be readily visible when the moon is out of the way. 

Labels: binocular, Monthly sky, unaided eye

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 1:18 am 0 comments

North-western sky on the evening of Saturday, February 28 as seen from Adelaide at 20:20 ACDST (30 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).	Western sky on the evening of Saturday, February 28 as seen from Los Angeles at 18:29 local time (30 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

Despite a variety of claims on the internet, you won't be able to see all 6 planets lined up on February 28, 2026 (UPDATE).

The good news is that they are lined up. The bad news is that they are too deep in the twilight to see. 

At civil twilight, 30 minutes after sunset, if you have a clear, level, unobstructed horizon, Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Neptune are invisible in the twilight glow (Mercury has set in the southern hemisphere), as is Uranus. Jupiter *might* just be visible. 

Venus may be visible in binoculars (or if you have very good eyesight) in the Northern hemisphere low in the twilight if the horizon conditions are clear. UDPATE: In some places in the Northern hemisphere, Venus may be high enough to see at nautical twilight. Daniel Fischer was able to image it at nautical twilight in Bochum in the EU https://scicomm.xyz/@cosmos4u/116133837700056539 .

60 minutes later at astronomical twilight, when the sky is darker, Venus and Saturn have set (well they are right on the horizon in the Northern Hemisphere and still is high in some places see update above) and Uranus will be just visible in binoculars (Jupiter will be well visible).

Labels: lineup, Mercury, Neptune, public outreach, Saturn, Venus

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 7:32 am 2 comments

The Full Moon is Tuesday March 3. There is a total lunar eclipse in the evening at this time. Saturn is lost in the twilight. Jupiter dominates the northern sky. It forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. Jupiter is close to the waxing moon on the 27th. Uranus can be seen in binoculars above the Pleiades cluster. The variable star Mira may be visible in the evening. 

The Full Moon is Tuesday March 3. There is a total lunar eclipse in the evening at this time.

North-western sky on the evening of Saturday, February 28 as seen from Adelaide at 21:22 ACDST ( 90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

The planet Uranus is theoretically visible to the unaided eye from Dark sky locations, as it is magnitude 5.7, but it is best seen with binoculars. The beautiful and obvious Pleiades cluster is the signpost to the faint planet. The waxing moon will make seeing Uranus more difficult.

The variable star Mira is brightening and should be visible now, but the nearly full moon may mean you need binoculars to identify it (the barred circle in the image) 

The inset is the binocular view of the Pleiades and Uranus at this time. 

   

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time  ( 90 minutes after sunset).  

 

North-eastern sky on Friday, February 27  as seen from Adelaide at 21:24 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).  Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on January the 10th, but will be bright for many months. Jupiter forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. Jupiter is close to the waxing Moon.

 

 

The inset shows the telescopic view of Jupiter at this time.   

 

    

 

 

 

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset). 

 

Sky looking North-east on Tuesday March 3 as seen from Adelaide at 21:18 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). 

The rising full Moon is partially eclipsed. Totality will start at 22:33 and be at maximum eclipse at 23:03. Other states will see similar views at the equivalent local times. The inset show the binocular view at this time. 

Detailed times for selected cites and viewing charts are at my Lunar Eclipse page. 

 

 

 

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset). 

Whole sky on Saturday, February 28  as seen from Adelaide at 21:22 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Jupiter is prominent in the north.

 

Bright Canopus and Sirius are near the Zenith. Orion is now high in the north-western sky. 

 

The Southern Cross is rising in the Southern sky.  The moon is nearly full and the fainter clusters and nebula are hard to see.    

 

 

 

   

Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).

Labels: weekly sky

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 1:52 am 1 comments

North-eastern horizon as seen from Sydney on 3 March at 22:34 AEDST. The Moon is at  totality. The inset shows the telescopic/binocular view at this time. Click to embiggen	North-eastern as seen from Adelaide on 3 March at 22:03 ACDST. The Moon is at totality. The inset shows the telescopic/binocular view at this time. Click to embiggen	Eastern horizon as seen from Perth on 3 March at 19:34 AWST. The Moon is at  totality. The inset shows the telescopic/binocular view at this time. Click to embiggen

On the evening of  Tuesday, March the 3rd there is a nice total eclipse, the last total eclipse in Australia until December 2028 (which is in the early morning). Fortunately, the eclipse starts in the early evening, and is very convenient, especially if you have young children. This is a nice eclipse with totality lasting 59 minutes. 

Times for the eclipse at cities around Australia are below. Western Australia sees the moon rise in the twilight almost completely eclipsed, Central states see the eclipse end around Nautical twilight as the sky is beginning to darken. For the East coast sees the eclipse start either when the sky is fully dark or twilight is just ending. Everywhere will be able to see totality and eclipse end.

You will see some sites calling this a "blood Moon", The Moon does not turn the colour of blood but will go a deep copper colour due to the refraction of red light through our atmosphere.

Labels: eclipse, lunar eclipse, unaided eye

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 12:54 am 0 comments