By Heather Durham | February 28, 2025
March 2025 brings a celestial smorgasbord to New England skies, featuring eclipses, planetary dances, and a meteor shower — all visible without fancy equipment! Early March kicks off wit Mercury’s best evening appearance of the year, followed by a total lunar eclipse (a “Blood Moon”) that will bathe the night in rusty hues.
Mid-month offers a modest meteor shower, while late March treats early risers to a partial solar eclipse. New Hampshire’s March weather is notoriously fickle — clouds plague 73% of day historically — so cross your fingers for clear skies, pack a thermos of hot cocoa, and aim for rural spots like the White Mountains or Lake Winnipesaukee’s shores to dodge light pollution.
The month’s crown jewel is the total lunar eclipse on March 13–14, a cosmic spectacle visible across all of North America. Beginning at 10:07 PM EDT on the 13th, the Moon will glide into Earth’s shadow, reaching totality by 12:14 AM EDT on the 14th. For 63 minutes, the Moon will glow coppery — red as sunlight filters through Earth’s atmosphere — a phenomenon astronaut call “all the sunrises and sunsets on Earth lighting up the Moon.” No special gear is needed; just step outside, face southeast, and enjoy the show. Pair this with Jupiter blazing brightly in the west and Mars rising fiery-red in the east, and you’ve got a sky worth staying up past bedtime.
A close second is the partial solar eclipse on March 29, visible at dawn across northern New England. From Nashua to Berlin, the Moon will take a “bite” out of the Sun starting at 6:30 AM EDT, peaking at 6:38 AM with 55.5% coverage. Use ISO-certified eclipse glasses (never regular sunglasses!) to safely watch the Sun morph into a crescent. Early birds can spot Venus and Saturn forming a tight duo low in the southeast 30 minutes before sunrise, adding planetary sparkle to the eclipse. Just remember: if clouds ruin the view, live streams from NASA or Time and Date offer a cozy plan B.
All times Eastern Daylight Time (EDT); directions assume an observer in central New Hampshire.
March 1–7, Dusk: Venus and Saturn shine side-by-side in the western sky after sunset, separated by 5–8 degrees. Look southwest around 7:00 PM; Venus outshines Saturn 50-fold.
March 8, 7:30 PM: Mercury at greatest eastern elongation — spot it low in the west 45 minutes post-sunset. A challenging naked-eye target; binoculars help.
March 13, 10:07 PM – March 14, 1:56 AM: Total lunar eclipse. Totality (12:14–1:17 AM) offer the best views. Mars glows red 20 degrees east of the eclipsed Moon.
March 14–16, Pre-dawn: γ-Normid meteor shower peaks. Expect 5–10 meteors/hour; face south-southeast between 3:00–5:00 AM. Moonlight interferes after 4:00 AM.
March 20, 5:01 AM: Vernal equinox — spring begins! Day and night nearly equal (12:06 vs. 11:54 hours in Concord).
March 23, Dawn: Saturn’s rings edge-on (theoretical “disappearance” — telescopes only).
March 29, 6:30–7:09 AM: Partial solar eclipse. Maximum coverage (55.5%) at 6:38 AM; use eclipse glasses. Venus and Saturn flank the eclipsed Sun.
References:
In-the-Sky.org. (2025, March 14). γ-Normid meteor shower 2025. in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20250314_10_100
Royal Museums Greenwich. (2025). Lunar eclipse viewing guide. www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/lunar-eclipse
Time and Date. (2025). March 29, 2025 partial solar eclipse in New England. www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@5090122?iso=20250329
EarthSky. (2025, March 1). Mercury’s March 2025 elongation. earthsky.org/astronomyessentials/mercury-evening-visibility-march-2025
BBC Weather. (2025, January 1). 2025 celestial event guide. www.bbc.com/weather/articles/cy470ye4wn8o
Star Walk. (2025). Planetary alignment calendar. starwalk.space/en/news/what-is-planet-parade
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