Mercury is on the opposite side of the Sun as seen from Earth on the 14th, and will return to the western evening sky during the last week of the month. Because the angle which the ecliptic makes with the western horizon is steep, this particular apparition of Mercury favors observers in the northern hemisphere. Look for it shortly after sunset. Don't confuse it with the much brighter Venus. Venus is visible in the western evening sky right after sunset. Once again, due to the angle of the ecliptic with the western horizon this particular apparition favors observers in the northern hemisphere. A thin crescent moon passes 7 degrees north of Venus on March 17th. Mars is well positioned in the evening sky, but shrinks from an apparent angular diameter of 12 arcseconds at the beginning of the month, to 9 arcseconds at the end. The planet resumes its direct eastward motion in Cancer on the 11th, and is at aphelion (it's farthest distance from the Sun) on the 30th. Mars is directly due south at 9:30 pm EDT on the 15th of the month. Jupiter reappears in the early dawn twilight by mid-month. Because of the shallow angle that the ecliptic makes with the eastern horizon this time of year, southern hemisphere observers are favored for this morning apparition of the planet. Saturn is visible for most of the night, and will be at opposition on the 21st at 9:00 pm EDT. When any solar system object is in opposition, it appears opposite of the Sun as seen in Earth skies, and the Earth is making its closest approach to the object. For this opposition of Saturn, the planet will be 71 light minutes from the Earth. Saturn is directly due south at 1:30 am EDT on the 15th of the month. Currently, the north side of the ring plane is tilted 3.2 degrees toward the Earth.