February may be a short month, but it is packed with planetary activity. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus are all targets in the evening sky.
Venus and Uranus Meet
Uranus is not an easy planet to spot because it shines dimly, at magnitude 5.9, which means you need binoculars or a telescope to snag it. Occasionally it passes by a more familiar and brighter object, making it easier to find. On February 9, Uranus and Venus will be so close that they will be separated by just 18 arcminutes, or less than half the width of your pinky held at arm's length.
Venus is the easiest planet to spot because it outshines all the other planets and stars. When it is up, it draws attention because it is so bright that it is often mistaken for a plane. In February, Venus will be in the southeast after sunset, shining with unmistakable brilliance. On February 9, train a pair of binoculars at Venus and look for a starlike point to Venus's left. This point of light, which may look like a star or even a moon of Venus, is actually the planet Uranus. With some magnification you may see a bluish-green hue to the planet and it may appear slightly more like a disk than a point of light.
Mars in February
On the same night that Venus and Uranus have their close encounter, February 9, a couple hours later in the east the moon will rise alongside reddish Mars. Mars has been slipping into the evening sky where before it had been a late night object. On February 9, the moon will be two days past full and to the lower right of Mars, which is in the constellation Leo. Mars shines at magnitude -0.8, brighter than nearby stars Regulus, above, and Arcturus, lower left. Mars will continue to brighten as February goes on, heading for the planet's opposition in early March.
Jupiter Heads toward Sunset
Jupiter has been in the south but is journeying toward the west each evening. Jupiter is closing in on Venus, and the two bright planets will meet in March. At the end of February, you can spot Venus with Jupiter above it and watch a crescent moon pass the duo. On February 25 the moon will be near Venus, and on February 27 the moon passes Jupiter. The pretty Pleiades cluster, above Jupiter, gets a visit from the moon on the 28th. This is its second encounter with the moon this month; it also had a pairing on February 1.
The Moon and Constellations for February
The full moon of February is sometimes called the Snow Moon or the Hunger Moon. This year the full moon for February occurs on February 7 at 4:54 p.m. EST. New moon occurs two weeks later, on February 21.
The Great Square of Pegasus is setting on February evenings in the west while Leo is rising in the east. The Big Dipper in Ursa Major looks like it is standing on end. During winter, the bowl of the Big Dipper is positioned up and the handle hangs down like an icicle.
Orion is prominent above the southern horizon with Canis Major and its sparkling star Sirius to the lower left. To the upper right of Orion is the V-shape of Taurus the Bull's head and the little Pleiades star cluster above that. The twins of Gemini are to Orion's upper left. Between Gemini and Leo near the eastern horizon is the constellation of Cancer. At the center of the constellation is a notable star cluster known as the Beehive, or M44. The cluster is faint but can be spotted without optical aid and shows up nicely in binoculars or a telescope.
Bundle up and head out on one of these winter nights to catch a sky full of planets and noteworthy constellations!
Source: Celestron's The Sky Software
Kelly Whitt - I have been a professional writer for more than a decade, covering many topics from science-based articles to do-it-yourself home ...
