Sun, Moon, and Stars: March 2002

Updated August 5, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

March 2002 Overview Week by Week Go to week 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 Major phenomena 6 Last Quarter 14 New Moon 20 Vernal Equinox 22 First Quarter 28 Full Moon UT (universal time) Other Months Month February JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember Year 20072006200520042003200220012000 (available through 3/2007) 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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