What’s Up in Denver? March 17th through 23rd, 2025

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Here’s a brief look at what’s going on in the Mile High City this week.

March 17:

The Moon reaches apogee at 405,754 km away.
The Moon reaches apogee at 405,754 km away.
  • The Moon reaches apogee (252,123 miles / 405,754 km away – its farthest distance from Earth in its elliptical orbit): 10:00 AM.
  • St. Patrick’s Day

March 18:

March 19:

Neptune - Image via NASA.
Neptune – Image via NASA.
    • Neptune in Conjunction with Sun – The ice giant won’t be visible as it moves across the sky next to the sun during daylight hours.

March 20:

Standley Like Stargazing
Standley Like Stargazing
  • Standlely Lake Stargazing Virtual Program (Virtual Lecture) – 6PM (Zoom link).
  • Spring arrives! The Vernal Equinox – when the Sun crosses into the northern celestial hemisphere along the ecliptic marking the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere: 1:59 AM.

March 21:

The Moon near Antares - Created with Stellarium
The Moon near Antares – Created with Stellarium
  • Look for the the waning gibbous Worm Moon near Antares — the red supergiant, who’s name means “the rival of Mars (Ares)”, due to it’s brilliant red hue — in the constellation Scorpius.

March 22:

Lunar Standstill
Lunar Standstill
  • Last Quarter Worm Moon: 5:29 AM
  • Moon at sourthern-most declination at Midnight. The moon’s orbit is inclined to Earth’s orbit by about 5.1 degrees, causing its declination (its angular distance north or south of the celestial equator) to change rapidly throughout the month. When the moon reaches its maximum or minimum declination, the changing rise and set azimuths halt and reverse direction, an event called lunar standstill.
  • Venus at inferior conjunction with the Sun at 7:00 PM. The brightest planet passes into the morning sky.

March 23:

The Moon in the Handle of the Teapot - Created with Stellarium
The Moon in the Handle of the Teapot – Created with Stellarium
  • Look for the waning crescent Worm Moon in the handle of the Teapot asterism in the constellation Sagittarius around 5:30 AM.

This Week’s Meteoric Activity:

You can keep track of the activity of meteor showers as well as those beyond the limits of visual observing by visiting the NASA Meteor Shower Portal.

  • Anthelion (ANT): 1:00 AM local time in western Leo: 2 per hour.
  • Xi Herculids (XHE): Last hour prior to dawn in northwestern Hercules: Less than 1 per hour.
  • Eta Ophiuchids (EOP): Last hour prior to dawn in southern Ophiuchus: Less than 1 per hour.

Clear skies and happy stargazing!