Stargazing: The February Sky
Source: Selim S. via http://commons.wikimedia.org
We rarely have time to set aside, and gaze upwards at the infinite multitude around us. But if you have the opportunity to do so this month, we recommend the following stargazing highlights.
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It is well worth wrapping up warm and braving the cold this month as the freezing temperatures often mean the clearest skies. There is a lot to see during February.
Moon
Full Moon occurs on February 7th at 22:00 UT and new Moon is on the 21st.
Planets
Venus is about a magnitude -4 and lies close to the horizon in the Western sky after sunset. A telescope will show the planet’s waning gibbous phase decreasing from 75% illumination at the start of the month to 64% by the end. Venus will pass close to Uranus from February 7th to 10th he two getting less than a full Moon’s diameter apart.
Jupiter can be seen high in the South at the beginning of the month, drawing closer to Venus as the month ends. Mars rises in the East each evening, while Mercury will be visible low in the Southwest from February 17th onwards. Saturn rises at midnight in the constellation of Virgo as the month begins, but will be visible by 22:00 UT by the end of February. The rings are tilted 15 degrees towards Earth so are easily seen through a telescope.
Constellations
Orion is still dominating, though it has moved to Southwest as it prepares to leave our winter skies. Before it leaves take a look at the three stars marking the Hunter’s belt. From left to right: Alnitak is itself a triple star , Alnilam is a blue-white supergiant and Mintaka is a multiple four star system.
Below and to the left of Orion lies the constellation of Canis Major, the greater of Orion’s two hunting dogs. This boasts the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius the Dog Star, a magnitude -1.4 double star lying 8.6 light years away. Sirius forms the Winter Triangle with Betelgeuse in Orion and Procyon in Canis Minor.
Deep Sky Objects
Just below Sirius is the M41 open star cluster, containing about 100 stars about 25 or 26 light years across. Just above Sirius in the constellation of Monoceros lies another open cluster M50, containing about 200 mostly blue-white stars, with some yellow stars and a prominent orange star at it’s Southern edge. This cluster lies about 3,000 light years from Earth.
Events
Comet C/2009 P1 Garradd starts the month in the morning sky in the Northeast in the constellation of Hercules. It climbs higher as the month progresses and will pass by the globular cluster M92 on February 3rd and 4th, before moving into the constellation of Draco by mid month. By the end of February it will be visible all night.
Thanks for this Jenny. The next target for my trusty 8X bins will be M41. Wonder if I'll be able to see it?
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[...] Stargazing: The February Sky – Urban TimesFeb 1, 2012 … We rarely have time to set aside, and gaze upwards at the infinite multitude around us. [...]