Sun, Moon, and Stars: March 2002

Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff Updated by an Factmonster Editor on February 21, 2017

Major phenomena

Last Quarter

New Moon

Vernal Equinox

First Quarter

Full Moon

UT (universal time)

Other Months

Celestial Links

Astronomical terms

Sunrise/Sunset, Moonrise/Moonset

Equinoxes and Solstices

Eclipses in 2002

Calendar 2002

Universal Time

Visit the Astronomy Center for more on the universe, the solar system, and related astronomical phenomena

March 2002—Week 1 (March 1-5)

3/1:	1500 UT, 10 am EST Jupiter appears to be motionless in the sky as its apparent backward, or retrograde, motion changes back to direct motion.

March 2002—Week 2 (March 6-12)

3/6:	0100 UT, 8 pm EST (March 5) LAST QUARTER
3/9:	0300 UT, 10 pm EST (March 8) Mercury is 1 degree 2 minutes south of Uranus.
3/10:	0900 UT, 4 am EST Neptune is 4 degrees north of the Moon.
3/11:	1700 UT, 12 pm EST (noon) Uranus is 4 degrees north of the Moon.
3/12:	0100 UT, 8 pm EST (March 11) Mercury is 3 degrees north of the Moon.
Top of page

March 2002—Week 3 (March 13-19)

3/14:	0100 UT, 8 pm EST (March 13) The Moon is at its apogee, or farthest point from Earth in its monthly orbit. 0200 UT, 9 pm EST (March 13) NEW MOON
3/18:	0100 UT, 8 pm EST (March 17) Mars is 4 degrees north of the Moon.
Top of page

March 2002—Week 4 (March 20-26)

3/20:	1000 UT, 5 am EST Saturn is 0 degrees 5 minutes south of the Moon. Saturn is occulted, or hidden from view, by the Moon. 1000 UT, 5 am EST Vesta, the third-largest asteroid, is 0 degrees 5 minutes south of the Moon. The asteroid is occulted, or hidden from view, by the Moon. 1900 UT, 2 pm EST EQUINOX [more about the Vernal Equinox]
3/21:	0600 UT, 1 am EST Pluto appears to be motionless in the sky as its direct motion changes to apparent backward, or retrograde, motion.
3/22:	0200 UT, 9 pm EST FIRST QUARTER 1200 UT, 7 am EST Jupiter is 1 degree 1 minute south of the Moon.
3/23:	1200 UT, 7 am EST The asteroid Juno appears to be motionless in the sky as its direct motion changes to apparent backward, or retrograde, motion.
Top of page

March 2002—Week 5 (March 27-31)

3/28:	0800 UT, 3 am EST The Moon is at its perigee, or closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit. 1800 UT, 1 pm EST FULL MOON
3/31:	1600 UT, 11 am EST Saturn is 4 degrees north of Aldebaran, the brightest star in the constellation Taurus.
Top of page

Sources +

See also: