February 2008
Some of the best skywatching action this month takes place in the southeastern sky just before dawn. Venus, the “morning star,” anchors that spot, with other bright objects passing it by. On the first dawn of the month, its companion is Jupiter, which looks almost as bright as Venus. As Venus and Jupiter move apart over the following few days, the crescent Moon sweeps past them. Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun, basks in Venus’ glory late in the month. Since it’s still wintertime, the Sun rises late, so most people won’t have to rise early to view the goings-on.
1 Venus and Jupiter, the brightest objects in the night sky after the Moon, are low in the southeast at first light. Venus is brighter, with Jupiter to its lower right. The star Antares stands to the left of the Moon.
3 Venus, Jupiter, and the crescent Moon line up low in the southeast at dawn. The Moon is to the right of the bright planets on the 3rd and below them on the 4th.
7 There’s an annular solar eclipse today, but it’s visible only from Antarctica and parts of the South Pacific.
15 Orange Mars huddles close to the Moon tonight. They pass closest together in the wee hours of the 16th.
20 A total lunar eclipse is visible from the United States tonight. Regulus, the “heart” of Leo, the lion, is to the upper right of the Moon during the evening, with golden Saturn to the lower left.
21 Saturn and Regulus line up above the Moon.
24 Saturn is at opposition, so it shines brightest for the year and is visible all night.
Spica, the leading light of Virgo, stands just to the left of the Moon as they rise in late evening.
25 The planet Mercury cuddles close to Venus, the “morning star,” low in the east-southeast at first light.
29 Antares, the “heart” of Scorpius, stands above the Moon as they rise in the early morning. They are in the south at first light.
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* Lunar phase times are listed for the U.S. Central Time Zone.
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