March 2026 will feature the year’s only total lunar eclipse, visible overnight from March 2 to early March 3. The best views of totality—when the moon turns red—will occur along the U.S. West Coast, including cities like Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, around 3:33 a.m. PT. Totality lasts about an hour, ending near 5:17 a.m. PT, with partial phases visible elsewhere in the U.S. The moon appears red because Earth’s atmosphere scatters blue light and refracts red wavelengths onto its surface. Atmospheric conditions, such as dust or smoke, can deepen the hue. Over 3.3 billion people worldwide can view this celestial event. https://www.accuweather.com/en/space-news/marchs-total-lunar-eclipse-will-turn-the-moon-red-heres-when-to-see-it/1853015

This week’s sky highlights include Venus, Saturn, and fading Mercury forming a sunset triangle, with binoculars aiding Mercury’s view. The Moon progresses from Cancer to Leo, aligning with stars like Regulus and forming patterns with Castor, Pollux, and Jupiter—a total lunar eclipse peaks on March 3, visible mainly in western North America. Jupiter dominates the evening sky, with Europa’s shadow transit on March 5. Sirius and its nearby clusters, M41 and M50, are prime binocular targets. Daylight-saving time begins March 8, while Cancer’s Beehive Cluster and Leo mark the transition from winter to spring skies. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/observing-news/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-february-27-march-8/

The upcoming week features mostly mild, pleasant weather, with a mix of sun and clouds. Daytime highs range from the mid-60s to the mid-70s, starting around 67°F on Sunday and gradually reaching 74°F by Saturday. Nights will be cool, with lows in the 46°F to 49°F range. Winds are generally light and variable, occasionally shifting to the northwest or north at 5 to 10 mph. The forecast includes occasional passing clouds, but no significant storms or precipitation are expected, making it a calm and comfortable week overall with plenty of sunshine and mild evenings. https://www.kcra.com/weather

At the end of February 2026, six planets—Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune—will align with a nearly full moon in the evening sky. Shortly after sunset, all will appear above the horizon, creating the first major planetary alignment of the year. Jupiter will be the brightest and easiest to spot high in the southern sky near the moon, while Saturn, Venus, and Mercury cluster low in the west, best viewed about 45 minutes after sunset. Uranus and Neptune will require binoculars or a telescope. The alignment continues into early March, though Mercury will soon fade from view. https://www.accuweather.com/en/space-news/6-planets-moon-will-align-in-february-but-theres-a-catch/1860418

From February 20 to March 1, the night sky offers striking planetary and lunar displays. Early evenings feature a waxing crescent Moon and a trio of visible planets—Venus, Mercury, and Saturn—forming shifting lines and triangles in the western twilight. Kemble’s Cascade and the open cluster M41 reward binocular users under dark skies, while Sirius B challenges telescope observers. The Moon passes by the Pleiades, reaches first quarter on the 24th, and later aligns with Castor, Pollux, and Jupiter. Venus and Mercury fade as Saturn descends, Jupiter dominates overhead, and Uranus lingers near the Pleiades, while Neptune becomes nearly unobservable. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/observing-news/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-february-20-march-1/

The upcoming week will feature mostly cloudy weather with frequent rain showers. Sunday through Wednesday will see highs around 60–63°F and lows near 49–52°F, with rain chances ranging from 40% to 60%. Winds will generally be light to moderate, shifting between southerly and southwesterly directions. Thursday brings showers in the morning with some sunshine later, followed by continued overnight showers. Friday will remain cloudy with occasional showers, with highs near 63°F. The weekend will improve, with Saturday turning partly cloudy and drier, reaching a high of 67°F, and a mild, mostly clear night around 45°F. https://www.kcra.com/weather

The upcoming week will be predominantly cloudy with frequent rain showers. Sunday through Wednesday sees highs in the low 50s to low 60s and lows in the mid-40s, with rain chances mostly around 50% to 60%. Winds remain light, generally between 5 and 15 mph, shifting from south to southeast. Thursday and Friday continue the cloudy, showery pattern, with similar temperatures and moderate rain chances, easing slightly into the weekend. Saturday brings fewer showers and a 30% chance of rain, before cloudier, wetter conditions return Saturday night with a 50% chance of rain. https://www.kcra.com/weather

Death Valley National Park, one of the hottest and driest places in North America, may experience its first superbloom in a decade, with early signs already visible along the south end of Badwater Road. The National Park Service credits unusually high rainfall since October 1—2.45 inches, which exceeds the yearly average, for creating ideal conditions. Superbloom peaks typically occur between late February and early April, showcasing flowers like desert gold, sand verbena, and primrose. Past superblooms occurred in 2016, 2005, and 1998. Visitors are reminded not to pick wildflowers, as seeds are essential for future blooming seasons. https://www.accuweather.com/en/leisure-recreation/death-valley-could-have-rare-superbloom-in-2026-that-is-likely-already-underway/1862430

This week’s sky, February 13–22, features evening views of Mercury and Venus low in the west-southwest, with Saturn emerging later in twilight. Orion reaches its highest in the south around 8 p.m., accompanied by Canis Major and Lepus. Highlights include the new Moon on February 17 with an annular solar eclipse for Antarctica, and a conjunction or occultation of Mercury by a thin crescent Moon on February 18. Jupiter dominates the evening sky in Gemini, while Saturn lingers low, and Uranus is high in Taurus. Observers can also enjoy Kemble’s Cascade, hidden gems in deep-sky objects, and variable star Algol’s minima. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/observing-news/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-february-13-22/

The week begins with mild and partly cloudy conditions on Sunday, with highs around 64°F and lows near 45°F under light winds. Monday sees a mix of sun and clouds, with a high of 59°F, followed by 42°F at night. Tuesday turns mainly cloudy, 57°F, with showers possible at night and lows of 43°F. Wednesday offers partial sun, 55°F, with light rain chances overnight. Thursday reaches 61°F with increasing clouds and late-night showers. Friday is partly sunny, 61°F, before clouds return at night. Saturday and Saturday night bring frequent rain showers, highs near 56°F, and lows around 40°F. https://www.kcra.com/weather