March is the month of eclipses, one solar and one lunar. On 15 March, a penumbral eclipse of the Moon will be partially visible from Nepal between 3:06 AM and 07:58 AM. Look for the maximum eclipse at 05:32.

On 29 March 29, a total eclipse of the Sun will be visible from within a narrow corridor that traverses half the Earth, partially visible in Nepal. The Moon's shadow will trace a very narrow path from Brazil to Mongolia via North Africa, Turkey and Central Asia. This will be a spectacular eclipse, lasting over four minutes and visible within a band up to 190 km wide. From Nepal, a partial eclipse, with the moon blocking ? of the Sun, will be seen from 4:58 PM to 6:16 PM local time, with the maximum eclipse visible at 5:38 PM.

From time immemorial, people have interpreted the meaning of eclipses-as indicators of upcoming disasters. In fact, the word eclipse comes from the Greek word for 'abandonment'.

Modern science has given little credence to such legends but eclipses remain deeply studied events. A total solar eclipse gives scientists an opportunity to study the elusive coronal ring, the outer atmosphere of the Sun, which can only be seen when the moon blots out the solar disc. Many such researchers are trying to solve a burning question: Why does the Sun's surface simmer at about 6,000 Celsius while the outer coronal ring blazes at 2 million C?

Remember-it's dangerous to look directly at the Sun even when it is completely covered during the eclipse. The only safe way to see it is to produce a projected image of the Sun on the wall or a screen using a telescope. At moments like this, it seems especially unfortunate that amateur telescopes and solar filters are not available in Nepal. The government has imposed a 100 percent tariff on importing telescopes! Ke garne?

Other highlights in the March sky:

The Sun
The Sun is in the constellation of Aquarius at the start of March, moving into Pisces on the 12th. The Spring Equinox falls on 21 March at 00:11 when the Sun crosses the celestial equator from south to north, making the length of the day equal to the night.

Mercury
Mercury is at inferior conjunction (between Earth and the Sun) on 12 March. We are very unlikely to see this elusive little planet this month.

Venus
Venus is a brilliant "morning Star", visible in the east at dawn each day. It reaches its greatest western elongation from the Sun on 25 March.

Mars
Mars is high in the western sky at dusk and sets in the early hours of the morning. It moves steadily eastward, night-by-night, against the stars of Taurus.

Jupiter
Jupiter, in Libra, rises late in the evening and is at its highest at around 3AM. You'll see it as a very bright, steady star-only Venus, nearly 90 degrees to the left, is brighter.

Saturn
Saturn is high in the eastern sky at dusk. It moves slowly north-west in Cancer, well below and to the left of the "twin" stars of Gemini.

Meteors
Towards the end of the month, we may see a few early meteors from the Virginid shower, which peaks in early April.