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Sky Digest

Saturday, 21 March 2026 | Default Location
Showing the sky from Greenwich, London. Log in to use your own location.
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Tonight at a Glance

Waxing Crescent 10%
Dark window: 19:27 – 04:32 (9 h 4 m)

Aurora Forecast — Unlikely

Kp 5.0 / need 7 Bz -9.4 nT G2

Need Kp 7+ (currently 5.0). Watch for geomagnetic storm upgrades.

View full forecast

Planet Highlights

Jupiter mag -2.3 · 54° alt · Gemini Details
Next GRS transit:
Europa Shadow transit begins
Europa Transit begins
Europa Shadow transit ends
Europa Transit ends
+2 more — Details

For Beginners (naked eye)

M44
Beehive Cluster or Praesepe Open Cluster
mag 3.7

At 21:00 look high in the south

Cancer
M42
Great Orion Nebula Nebula
mag 4.0

At 21:00 look low in the southwest

Orion
M47
NGC 2422 Open Cluster
mag 4.4

At 21:00 look low in the south

Puppis

Binocular Targets

R Leo
Variable Star
mag 6.0

At 21:00 look high in the south

Leo
M48
NGC 2548 Open Cluster
mag 5.5

At 21:00 look halfway up in the south

Hydra
Ghost of Jupiter
NGC 3242 Planetary Nebula
mag 7.8

At 21:00 look low in the south

Hydra

Small Scopes (3–6 inch)

Castor
HIP 36850; Alpha Gem; 66 Gem Double Star
mag 2.0

At 21:00 look high in the southwest

Gem
NGC 2374
Open Cluster
mag 8.0

At 21:00 look low in the southwest

CMa
M97
Owl Nebula Planetary Nebula
mag 9.9

At 21:00 look high in the northeast

Ursa Major
M82
Cigar Galaxy Galaxy
mag 8.4

At 21:00 look near the zenith

Ursa Major
R Cnc
Variable Star
mag 7.1

At 21:00 look high in the south

Cnc

Big Scopes (8–12 inch)

Intergalactic Wanderer
NGC 2419 Globular Cluster
mag 10.4

At 21:00 look near the zenith

Lynx
NGC 2440
Planetary Nebula
mag 11.0

At 21:00 look low in the south

Pup
NGC 2683
Galaxy
mag 9.7

At 21:00 look near the zenith

Lyn
C48
NGC 2775 Galaxy
mag 10.3

At 21:00 look high in the south

Cancer
M95
NGC 3351 Galaxy
mag 9.7

At 21:00 look halfway up in the southeast

Leo

The Week Ahead

Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
🌒 10% 🌒 18% 🌓 28% 🌓 39% 🌔 50% 🌔 62% 🌔 72%
Moon occults 17 Tau Moon occults Beta Tau Moon occults Kappa Gem

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

Galaxies in the River: NGC 1300 and NGC 1297

Spiral NGC 1300 and elliptical NGC 1297 are galaxies that lie on the banks of the southern constellation Eridanus (The River). At 70 million light-years distant or more, both are members of the Eridanus Galaxy Cluster. About 100,000 light-years across, at lower left in this sharp, galaxy group photo NGC 1300 is seen face-on with a prominent central bar and grand, sweeping spiral arms. Like other spiral galaxies, including our own barred spiral Milky Way Galaxy, NGC 1300 is thought to have a supermassive central black hole. A contrast in appearance and slightly more distant, NGC 1297 is the roughly spherical large elliptical galaxy near the top of the frame. With little active star formation, elliptical galaxies are composed of older populations of stars and are likely he result of multiple collisions and mergers with spirals.

Image credit: Dietmar Hager and Eric Benson — APOD is a service of NASA and Michigan Tech. U.

View on NASA APOD

Space News

NASA Simulations Improve Artemis II Launch Environment

NASA uses advanced simulations to optimize launch conditions for Artemis II, a critical crewed test flight around the Moon that represents a major milestone toward returning humans to lunar orbit.

NASA — 20 Mar 2026

Artemis II rolls again

Artemis II rocket completes its second rollout to the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center, advancing preparations for the upcoming crewed lunar mission.

ESA — 20 Mar 2026

How Open NASA Data on Comet 3I/ATLAS Will Power Tomorrow’s Discoveries

NASA's observations of the rare interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS from over a dozen science missions will be archived in public databases for future discoveries before the comet exits our solar system.

NASA — 20 Mar 2026

Meet the Platypi: NASA’s Newest Astronaut Candidate Class

NASA's newest astronaut candidate class, nicknamed 'the Platypi,' begins training for future missions to the ISS, Moon, and Mars, representing the next generation of space explorers.

NASA — 19 Mar 2026

Watch Earth from Space

A 3D globe with real-time day/night terminator, ISS position tracking, aurora oval overlay, and city lights. See where the sun is shining — and where the stars are out.

Watch Earth from Space Open Earth

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