Venus and Jupiter take center stage in March night sky

WASHINGTON, March 2 (UPI) -- Jupiter and Venus are two the of brightest orbs in the night sky during the waning weeks of winter. And as spring approaches, the two planets will become brighter and brighter. A dimming Mars will also be visible to some, and Saturn will make an appearance each day in the small hours of the morning.

Venus, the brightest of March's visible planets, will rise each evening in the west. A fading Mars will be visible to some as a red speck just above the west-southwestern horizon. Urban pollution may require star gazers to use binoculars to find Mars. Those with binoculars or a small telescope will also be able to coax out the appearance of the pale blue Uranus, just below Venus on March 4. On March 21, a rail-thin crescent moon will appear directly next to Venus.

An especially bright Jupiter -- brighter than all other stars, and second only to Venus -- will rise each evening in the east, appearing amidst the constellation Cancer. It will remain visible throughout the night. On March 2 and 3, the waxing, near-full moon and Jupiter will pass closely by.

Backyard astronomers wishing to catch a glimpse of Saturn will have to stay up a little later. The ringed gas giant will rise in the southeast about an hour after midnight for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere. Saturn will appear amidst the constellation Scorpius, and on March 12, a half-moon will pass by. Saturn's rings are only visible with a telescope.

Mercury will be barely visible in the hours just before dawn in the Northern Hemisphere, but will put on a better early morning show in the Southern Hemisphere.