This week’s sky offers brilliant celestial sights and seasonal transitions. On March 20, spring begins with a thin crescent Moon near Venus in the west. Sirius dominates the south-southwest, with Canis Major and Puppis visible, and the Beehive Cluster in dim Cancer offers a binocular target. The Moon passes by Pleiades, Beta Tauri, and Pollux through the week, reaching first quarter on March 25. Orion tilts southwest as the Winter Hexagon fills the evening sky. Jupiter shines brightest high in the south, Venus gleams low in twilight, while Mercury, Mars, Saturn, and Neptune remain hidden. Uranus lingers near the Pleiades after dusk. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/observing-news/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-march-20-29/

The upcoming week features mostly mild, partly cloudy weather with occasional sunshine. Daytime highs range from the upper 70s to low 80s, peaking at 85°F on Sunday, while nighttime lows stay between 50°F and 55°F. Winds remain light to moderate, generally 5 to 10 mph, shifting between NW, W, and SW directions. Early in the week brings a mix of sun and clouds, with mostly clear nights. Tuesday and Friday will be sunnier, while Saturday sees increasing clouds in the afternoon. Overall, the forecast suggests stable, comfortable spring conditions with no major weather events expected. https://www.kcra.com/weather

In March 2026, a total lunar eclipse turned the Moon red, creating a striking Blood Moon. The following months bring the Pink Moon in April, Blue Moon in May, and Strawberry Moon in June, though their names are symbolic and not indicative of actual color changes. These traditional names often reflect seasonal events, such as the blooming of flowers or the harvesting of strawberries. The Moon’s color shifts—appearing yellow, orange, or even blue—depend on atmospheric conditions like scattering of light at low horizons or particles from wildfires or volcanic eruptions. True color changes, like the reddish glow, occur during total lunar eclipses. https://www.timeanddate.com/news/astronomy/colorful-moons-2026

The week’s forecast features mostly clear to partly cloudy conditions with mild temperature swings. Daytimes range from highs near 81°F on Saturday to 89°F on Tuesday, while nights cool to the mid-50s, typically between 55°F and 58°F. Winds remain light, generally 5 to 10 mph, shifting from north-northwest early in the week to west and west-southwest by the weekend. Skies alternate between mostly sunny and partly cloudy, with only a few clouds overnight. Overall, the weather will be calm and pleasant, with steady breezes and comfortable daytime temperatures throughout the week. https://www.kcra.com/weather

This week’s sky highlights include Jupiter shining in central Gemini and the Big Dipper rising high in the northeast, pointing toward Polaris, Leo, Gemini, and Capella. The Little Dipper’s “Guardians of the Pole” are visible near Polaris. As spring approaches on March 20, Cancer climbs high in the southeast with the Beehive Cluster (M44) and fainter M67. Sirius dominates the southern sky, forming the Winter Triangle with Betelgeuse and Procyon. A rare young crescent Moon appears low near Venus on March 19, offering a prime thin-moon challenge. Planet watchers can spot brilliant Venus, high Jupiter, faint Uranus, while Saturn and Neptune hide in sunlight. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-march-13-22/

Corned beef, a staple of American St. Patrick's Day, has Irish roots but is more of an American tradition. In ancient Ireland, beef was rare because cattle were a symbol of wealth, while pork was the primary meat. The 16th century saw increased beef consumption, particularly in Cork.

Many Irish immigrants found corned beef affordable in America, thanks to connections with Eastern European Jews. Today, while Americans celebrate with corned beef, traditional Irish cuisine often features Irish bacon. https://www.foodandwine.com/news/complicated-irish-history-corned-beef#:~:text=While%20the%20tradition%20of%20salting,the%20beef%20the%20country%20produced.

March is marked by a significant increase in daylight, with some cities gaining over 100 minutes by month’s end. Daylight saving time begins on March 8, shifting clocks forward and extending evening light, benefiting businesses but posing health risks. The sun’s strength also increases, making it harder for snow to accumulate during the day and posing a risk of heatstroke in cars. In New York City, daylight increases by 81 minutes, while in Seattle it increases by 103 minutes. The spring equinox on March 20 brings nearly equal day and night lengths. Latitude influences the extent of daylight changes, with northern areas experiencing larger shifts. https://www.accuweather.com/en/space-news/march-adds-daylight-fast-and-the-change-is-bigger-than-most-people-realize/1867563

The week ahead brings mostly sunny to partly cloudy conditions with mild temperatures. Sunday will see intervals of clouds and sunshine with a high near 75°F and light NNW winds, followed by a clear, cool night around 48°F. Monday and Tuesday remain partly cloudy, with highs of 74–76°F and nighttime lows near 50°F, as NNW winds increase up to 20 mph on Tuesday. Wednesday through Saturday feature abundant sunshine, highs in the upper 70s to low 80s, and lows in the upper 40s to mid-50s. Winds will stay light to moderate, mostly from the north to northwest. https://www.kcra.com/weather

Between March 6 and 15, the night sky offers many highlights for observers in mid-northern latitudes. Jupiter dominates near Gemini’s Pollux and Castor, with Orion and Aldebaran below. Venus and Saturn form a close conjunction low in the west after sunset, though Saturn is just 1% as bright. Arcturus rises in the east, marking spring’s approach, while Sirius and the Winter Triangle gleam in the south. Moonless nights favor spotting clusters like M41, M50, and the Beehive in Cancer. Daylight-saving time begins on March 8, and Jupiter’s moons and Great Red Spot provide telescopic events. Uranus remains visible, while Neptune fades into twilight. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/observing-news/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-march-6-15/

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