March 19344 224946032 2008-07-11T03:25:38Z 99.168.110.46 {{unreferenced|date=August 2006}} {{Month header}} {{otheruses}} {| style="float:right;" |{{MarchCalendar}} |} '''March''' is the third [[month]] of the [[year]] in the [[Gregorian Calendar]] and one of seven [[months]] with a length of 31 [[day]]s. March begins (according to [[sidereal zodiac|non-sidereal]] [[astrology]]) with the sun in the sign of Pisces and ends in the sign of [[Aries (astrology)|Aries]]. Astronomically speaking, the sun begins in the constellation of [[Aquarius (constellation)|Aquarius]] and ends in the constellation of [[Pisces (constellation)|Pisces]]. March in the [[Southern Hemisphere]] is the seasonal equivalent of [[September]] in the [[Northern Hemisphere]]. The name of March comes from [[Roman Empire|ancient Rome]], when March was the first month of the year and called ''Martius'' after '''[[Mars (mythology)|Mars]]''', the [[Roman Mythology|Roman god]] of war. In [[Rome]], where the climate is [[mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]], March is the first month of [[Spring (season)|spring]], a logical point for the [[New Year|beginning of the year]] as well as the start of the [[military campaign]] season. The numbered year began on [[March 1]] in [[Russia]] until the end of the fifteenth century. [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] and her colonies continued to use [[March 25]] until 1752, the same year they finally adopted the Gregorian calendar. Many other cultures and religions still celebrate the beginning of the [[New Year]] in March. In [[Finnish language|Finnish]], the month is called ''maaliskuu'', which originates from ''maallinen kuu'' meaning ''earthy month''. This is because in maaliskuu earth started to show from under the snow. Historical names for March include [[Saxon language|Saxon]]: ''Lenctmonat'', named for the [[equinox]] and eventual lengthening of days and the eventual namesake of [[Lent]]. [[Saxon]]s also called March ''Rhed-monat'' or ''Hreth-monath'' (for their goddess [[Rhedam]]/[[Hreth]]), and [[Angles]] called it ''Hyld-monath'' [[Image:Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry mars.jpg|right|thumb|March, from the ''Très riches heures du duc de Berry'']] == Events in March == *[[American Red Cross]] Month *Fire Prevention month ([[The Philippines]]) *[[Women's History Month]] ([[United States]]) *[[Mardi Gras]] ([[February 3]] to [[March 9]] in regular years or [[February 4]] to [[March 9]] in [[leap years]]) *[[Ash Wednesday]] ([[February 4]] to [[March 10]] in regular years; [[February 5]] to [[March 10]] in leap years) *The wearing of a [[Martenitsa]] in [[Bulgaria]] and [[Mărţişor]] in [[Romania]] ([[March 1]]) *[[Saint David's Day]] ([[March 1]]) *[[National Reading Day]] (United States) ([[March 2]]) *[[World Maths Day]] The 1st Wednesday in March *[[International Women's Day]] - March 8 *Girl Scout Anniversary - March 12, 1912 [http://www.girlscouts.org] *Pluto Planet Day (New Mexico)- March 13 [[Pluto#IAU decision to reclassify Pluto|(discussed here)]] *[[White Day]](Asia) ([[March 14]]) *[[Pi Day]] ([[March 14]]) *[[The Ides of March]], the anniversary of the [[assassination]] of [[Julius Caesar]] by [[Brutus]], [[Cassius]], [[Casca]], and others ([[March 15]]) * Remembering to the 1848's [[Hungary|Hungarian]] Revolution ([[March 15]]) *[[Saint Patrick's Day]] ([[March 17]]) *[[Saint Joseph's Day]] ([[March 19]]) *The [[equinox]] named the vernal or [[spring (season)|spring]] equinox in the northern hemisphere and the [[autumn]]al equinox in the southern hemisphere occurs on dates varying from [[19 March]] to [[21 March]] (in [[UTC]]). *[[Nowruz]]: New Year's Day in [[Iran]] and several other countries. A holiday in [[Turkey]], and [[Central Asia]]n countries as well. *[[Good Friday]] (some Friday between [[March 20]] to [[April 23]], being the last [[Friday]] before [[Easter]]) *[[World Water Day]] ([[March 22]]) *[[Easter]] (some Sunday between [[March 22]] to [[April 25]]) *[[Pakistan]] Day - March 23 *Day of [[Pole, Hungarian, two good friends|Polish-Hungarian Friendship]] ([[March 23]]) *[[Annunciation]] ([[March 25]]) *[[Hanami]], the traditional Japanese custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers starts in late March. *[[Prince Kūhiō Day]] - [[March 26]]. State holiday in the State of [[Hawaii]], [[United States of America|US]]. * March 2nd is Texas Independance Day. State holiday in the United States of America. ==Miscellaneous== *March begins on the same [[day]] of the [[week]] as [[November]] in all years (i.e. [[March 1]] = [[November 1]]) and [[February]] in [[common year]]s. *From March onwards, every five months will be exactly the same as the day before the day that begins the month five months ago. Thus, March 1 = [[August 2]], [[April 1]] = [[September 2]], [[May 1]] = [[October 2]], etc. This is due to the fact that from March onwards, every five months equal exactly 153 days, which is one day shy of being divisible by seven. *March's [[Birthday#Birthstones|birthstone]] is [[Aquamarine]].{{cn|date=March 2008}} *March's [[Birthday#Birth_flowers|birth flower]] is the [[Daffodil]].{{cn|date=March 2008}} *March is said to "come in like a lion, out like a lamb." Some variants of the proverb reverse the "lamb/lion" ordering.{{cn|date=March 2008}} ==External links== {{wiktionarypar|March}} {{Commonscat|March}} *[http://www.astro.uu.nl/~strous/AA/en/antwoorden/seizoenen.html Astronomy Answers article on the seasons] {{months}} [[Category:Months]] [[Category:March|*]] [[af:Maart]] [[als:März]] [[ang:Hrēþmōnaþ]] [[ar:مارس]] [[an:Marzo]] [[arc:ܐܕܪ]] [[frp:Mârs (mês)]] [[ast:Marzu]] [[gn:Jasyapy]] [[ay:Achuqa phaxsi]] [[az:Mart]] [[bn:মার্চ]] [[zh-min-nan:3 goe̍h]] [[be:Сакавік]] [[be-x-old:Сакавік]] [[bs:Mart]] [[br:Meurzh (miz)]] [[bg:Март]] [[ca:Març]] [[cv:Пуш]] [[ceb:Marso]] [[cs:Březen]] [[co:Marzu]] [[cy:Mawrth (mis)]] [[da:Marts]] [[de:März]] [[dv:މާރޗް]] [[dsb:Pózymski]] [[et:Märts]] [[el:Μάρτιος]] [[myv:Эйзюрков]] [[es:Marzo]] [[eo:Marto]] [[ext:Marçu]] [[eu:Martxo]] [[ee:Tedoxe]] [[fa:مارس]] [[fo:Mars]] [[hif:March]] [[fr:Mars (mois)]] [[fy:Maart]] [[fur:Març]] [[ga:Márta]] [[gan:三月]] [[gv:Mart]] [[gd:Am Màrt]] [[gl:Marzo]] [[ko:3월]] [[haw:Malaki]] [[hy:Մարտ]] [[hsb:Měrc]] [[hr:Ožujak]] [[io:Marto]] [[ig:March]] [[ilo:Marso]] [[id:Maret]] [[ia:Martio]] [[ie:Marte]] [[is:Mars (mánuður)]] [[it:Marzo]] [[he:מרץ]] [[jv:Maret]] [[kn:ಮಾರ್ಚ್]] [[ka:მარტი]] [[csb:Strumiannik]] [[kk:Наурыз]] [[kv:Рака тöлысь]] [[kw:Mys Merth]] [[ky:Март]] [[sw:Machi]] [[ht:Mas (mwa)]] [[ku:Adar]] [[lad:Marso]] [[lo:ມີນາ]] [[la:Martius]] [[lv:Marts]] [[lb:Mäerz]] [[lt:Kovas]] [[lij:Marso]] [[li:Miert]] [[ln:Sánzá ya mísáto]] [[hu:Március]] [[mg:Martsa]] [[ml:മാര്‍ച്ച്]] [[mt:Marzu]] [[mi:Poutū-te-rangi]] [[mr:मार्च]] [[ms:Mac]] [[my:မတ်]] [[nah:Tlayēti]] [[nl:Maart]] [[nds-nl:Meert]] [[ja:3月]] [[nap:Màrzo]] [[no:Mars]] [[nn:Månaden mars]] [[nrm:Mar]] [[nov:Marte]] [[oc:Març]] [[nds:März]] [[pl:Marzec]] [[pt:Março]] [[ksh:Määz]] [[ro:Martie]] [[qu:Pawqar waray killa]] [[ru:Март]] [[sah:Кулун тутар]] [[se:Njukčamánnu]] [[sc:Martzu]] [[sco:Mairch]] [[sq:Marsi (muaj)]] [[scn:Marzu]] [[simple:March]] [[ss:ÍNdlovu]] [[sk:Marec]] [[sl:Marec]] [[so:Maarso]] [[sr:Март]] [[sh:Mart]] [[su:Maret]] [[fi:Maaliskuu]] [[sv:Mars]] [[tl:Marso]] [[ta:மார்ச்]] [[kab:Meɣres]] [[tt:Mart]] [[th:มีนาคม]] [[vi:Tháng ba]] [[tg:Март]] [[tpi:Mas]] [[tr:Mart]] [[uk:Березень]] [[ur:مارچ]] [[vo:Mäzul]] [[fiu-vro:Urbõkuu]] [[wa:Måss (moes)]] [[vls:Moarte]] [[war:Marso]] [[yi:מערץ]] [[yo:March]] [[zh-yue:3月]] [[bat-smg:Kuovs]] [[zh:3月]]