March 2026 Sunriver Scene - Flipbook - Page 13
March marks the beginning of galaxy season; watch for lunar eclipse
By Alex Yeager, Observatory
Assistant Manager
As winter skies give way to
spring, March nights invite us
to look far beyond the Milky
Way and deep into the vast
universe beyond.
This is the time of year when
distant galaxies rise high in the
night sky, offering some of the
most awe-inspiring views we
can experience through the
telescope.
One of the highlights this
month is the Leo Trio, a striking group of three galaxies
that together contain roughly
five times as many stars as the
Milky Way. Ironically, just as
galaxy season begins in earnest,
the closest major galaxy to us,
the Andromeda Galaxy, will be
slipping out of view by the end
of the month, setting earlier
each night.
March brings excellent planetary viewing.
Jupiter will appear nearly
overhead just a few hours after
sunset, providing exceptionally crisp views of its swirling
Snow
continued from page 12
Learn more at the March
Twilight Talk
Explore this topic by attending the March Twilight Talk on
Thursday, March 19.
Doors open at 5 p.m. and
the lecture begins at 5:30 p.m.
The Mt. Bachelor Ski Patrol
will share insights about recreating safely in winter conditions.
They also give a demonstration
by their avalanche dogs, highlighting the lifesaving role the
dogs play in mountain safety.
PHOTO COURTESY JAVIER ZAYAS
Blood moon eclipse
cloud bands and its four largest
moons lined up like celestial
companions.
On Friday, March 20, we
welcome the Spring Equinox,
when day and night are nearly
L e c t u re s t a k e
place at Sunriver
Nature Center &
Observatory’s Pozzi
Education Building. Snacks and refreshments will be
provided. To RSVP
or learn more visit
www.snco.org.
Sunriver Nature
Center & Observatory is located at
57245 River Road,
off Circle 3, on the
way to the airport
and marina.
equal in length and spring
officially begins on Earth, an
elegant reminder of our planet’s
place in a larger cosmic rhythm.
While there is no shortage
of celestial sights this month,
the standout event occurs in
the early morning hours of
Tuesday, March 3. Beginning
just before 2 a.m. and peaking
around 3:30 a.m., Earth will
pass directly between the sun
and the moon, casting its shadow across the moon’s cratered
surface in a total lunar eclipse.
The moon won’t disappear entirely, instead, sunlight filtered
through Earth’s atmosphere
will bathe it in a soft, coppery
red glow, often called a blood
moon. In a poetic sense, this
light represents all of Earth’s
sunrises and sunsets projected
onto the moon at once.
Setting an alarm and stepping outside with a warm drink
and binoculars will be well
worth it. If you miss this one,
you’ll need patience, the next
total lunar eclipse visible from
Central Oregon won’t occur
until June 2029.
Sunriver Nature Center
& Observatory is located at
57245 River Road, off Circle 3,
on the way to the airport and
marina. Check www.snco.org
for current hours and programs
or to volunteer.
STEPHEN HANS NUETZEL, ARCHITECT
NEW CUSTOM HOMES
REMODELS & ADDITIONS
SROA EXPERIENCED SUNRIVER REFERENCES
PHOTO COURTESY GEORGE LEPP
541.815.8333 Bend, Oregon
This is one of the photographer’s favorite
results, working on a technique that
yields a clean blue background. This
is the result of 30 stacked images at
approximately 6X magni昀椀cation.
S
FO
O
R
2762 NW Crossing Dr. Bend, OR 97703
AR
541.408.0819 | Roger@TheGarnerGroup.com
D ON SUN
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MARCH 2026 SUNRIVER SCENE
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