Constellations by month

Constellations of March

The eight constellations at their best in March are Cancer, Canis Minor, Carina, Lynx, Puppis, Pyxis, Vela and Volans. The charts show the whole sky at 9 pm on March 15 from 40°N and 35°S.

The sky at 9 pm in mid-March from 40°N LYNX CANCER PYXIS CANIS MINOR HYDRA VIRGO URSA MAJOR DRACO LEO BOÖTES TAURUS CAMELOPARDALIS AURIGA PERSEUS CASSIOPEIA ORION CEPHEUS GEMINI MONOCEROS CANES VENATICI ARIES COMA BERENICES CANIS MAJOR SEXTANS LEPUS CRATER URSA MINOR ANTLIA LEO MINOR CORVUS CORONA BOREALIS TRIANGULUM N S E W
From 40°N (the United States, southern Europe, northern China, Japan). North at top; turn the chart so the direction you face is at the bottom.
The sky at 9 pm in mid-March from 35°S PUPPIS CANCER VELA CARINA PYXIS CANIS MINOR VOLANS HYDRA VIRGO ERIDANUS CENTAURUS LEO AURIGA ORION GEMINI MONOCEROS PHOENIX FORNAX CANIS MAJOR PAVO LUPUS SEXTANS TUCANA OCTANS LEPUS CRATER COLUMBA HOROLOGIUM PICTOR HYDRUS ANTLIA ARA LEO MINOR APUS CORVUS DORADO NORMA MENSA MUSCA CHAMAELEON RETICULUM CRUX S N W E
From 35°S (Sydney, Cape Town, Buenos Aires). South at top; the center is overhead and the rim is the horizon.

Bright lines and names: constellations at their best in March. Gold dashes: the ecliptic, where the Moon and planets travel. 9 pm local standard time on March 15; the same view comes an hour earlier at the end of the month and an hour later at the start. Click a name to open its chart.

Cancer, Canis Minor, Carina, Lynx, Puppis, Pyxis, Vela and Volans are at their best in March

A constellation is at its best when it stands highest in the evening, due south from the northern hemisphere or due north from the southern. The last two columns give its height above the horizon at 9 pm in mid-March.

ConstellationMeaningHemisphereBrightest starMessierAt 40°NAt 35°S
CancerCrabNorthernAltarf277°28°
Canis MinorLesser DogNorthernProcyon51°46°
CarinaKeelSouthernCanopusbelow horizon58°
LynxLynxNorthernAlpha Lyncis80°6°
PuppisSternSouthernNaos33°73°
PyxisCompassSouthernAlpha Pyxidis26°78°
VelaSailsSouthernGamma Velorum3°74°
VolansFlying FishSouthernGamma Volantisbelow horizon51°

Constellations more than 20° high at 9 pm in March

Measured at the center of each constellation. Large constellations can be partly visible when their center is lower.

From 40°N: 20 constellations

From 35°S: 35 constellations

Meteor showers peaking in March

Rates are the zenithal hourly rate, the count one observer would see under a dark sky with the radiant overhead; real counts are lower. Peak dates move by about a day from year to year.

ShowerPeakActiveRate per hourRadiantParent body
sigma LeonidsMar 29Virgo
Zeta BootidsMar 10Boötes

Video: March stargazing

March Stargazing: Find these Constellations · Watch on YouTube

Constellations month by month

← February · April →