PARADE OF PLANETS • March 2026

Best in a month or two before Sunrise
Mars now precedes the Sun and rises in the morning before and above the Sun. However, it is very close to the Sun so it will take a few months for it to move farther away and seen more easily. At this time, Mars is farthest from the Earth and is very small in a telescope.

EVENING
Saturn is too close to the Sun to be seen at this time.
Jupiter is in Gemini and high at near the Zenith  ( point in sky directly overhead)  90 minutes after sunset. It is always brighter than any other “star” except for Venus. And, it will be amongst many of the brightest winter stars—a nice sight filling the top and southern areas of the sky.

Venus is trailing the Sun so you might be able to spot it within an hour after sunset, but it will be very low in the Western sky and thus possibly blocked by horizon “clutter.” It might look like the headlight of a jet during twilight. It will get higher and higher in the western sky as the weeks go buy.

Remember • Twinkle Factor
The planets DO NOT normally twinkle like stars unless they are very close to the horizon or the atmosphere is extremely turbulent. So, even thought Saturn is not very bright, it is easier to identify because it does not twinkle.

March 2026 Sky Chart