Skymatters: March is a good month to catch views of the planets Venus and Jupiter

Dr Niall Smith looks to the stars for the Spring

March is also a good month to catch views of the planets Venus and Jupiter which will continue to be visible throughout the month in the south after sunset.

There’s no doubting the lengthier days are nice to experience again for those of us living in the northern hemisphere. The Sun is rising higher in the sky and staying above the horizon for longer. More of its blue and yellow light is reaching us, making colours more vibrant as well as brighter.

It’s not surprising, therefore, that spring feels very different to winter. On March 20 the Sun will appear directly over the Earth’s equator making day and night equal in duration across our planet. This 'Spring Equinox' is considered to be the start of ‘astronomical spring’, while March 1 is considered to be the start of ‘meteorological spring’ — and in traditional Irish folklore spring starts on February 1.