Ghostly glows of cosmic dust will light up the evening skies this month, while the moon makes a host of stunning celestial visits leading up to the March equinox.

So dust off those binoculars and mark your March calendar!

As dusk sets in, look toward the high western sky for a dramatically thin crescent moon. Seated to its right will be the ruddy planet Mars. The two objects will be less than five degrees apart, or the width of your three middle fingers held at arm’s length.

While the red planet looks like a bright star-like object to the naked eye, it transforms into a disk filled with distinct features when seen under high magnification through a backyard telescope. And under the right