The pairing of the Moon and Pollux will be an attractive sight in the night sky. Pollux, one of the brightest stars in the constellation Gemini, will be situated about 1.6 degrees north of the Moon on this date and time. February 20, 18:54 – Pollux 1.6°N of Moon On this date and time, the Pleiades will be located about 0.6 degrees north of the Moon, creating a stunning visual conjunction. ![]() The Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters or Messier 45, is a beautiful open star cluster in the constellation Taurus. February 16, 13:13 – Pleiades 0.6°N of Moon ![]() It appears as a half-illuminated Moon and is visible in the afternoon and evening sky. ![]() The First Quarter Moon marks the halfway point between the New Moon and the Full Moon. It will be a wonderful sight to observe these two prominent celestial objects in the same part of the sky. Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, will be about 3.2 degrees south of the Moon on this date and time. February 15, 02:15 – Jupiter 3.2°S of Moon The ascending node is the point where the Moon’s path intersects with the ecliptic (the plane of Earth’s orbit), moving from the southern to the northern hemisphere. The Moon’s orbit is slightly tilted relative to the plane of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. February 13, 11:01 – Moon at Ascending Node Observers will have a chance to witness the Moon and Saturn appearing in close proximity in the night sky. Saturn, the ringed planet, will be situated about 1.8 degrees north of the Moon on this date and time. February 10, 18:37 – Saturn 1.8°N of Moon This event is often referred to as a “Supermoon” when it coincides with a Full Moon. On this date, the Moon will be at its closest distance to our planet, approximately 358,088 kilometers away. Perigee is the point in the Moon’s orbit where it is closest to Earth. Since the illuminated side of the Moon is facing away from us, the night sky will be especially dark, making it an excellent time for stargazing without moonlight interference. It occurs when the Moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun. The New Moon is the beginning of the lunar cycle when the Moon is not visible from Earth. The α-Centaurid meteor shower is a minor annual meteor shower that is active from January 28 to February 21 every year. February 8, 22:00 – The Alpha Centaurids meteor shower Observers will be able to see the Moon and Mars in close proximity, making for a striking celestial pairing. The red planet Mars will be positioned about 4.2 degrees north of the Moon on this date and time. The bright reddish hue of Antares makes it easily distinguishable from other stars in the night sky. February 4, 18:15 – Antares 0.6°S of MoonĪntares, a red supergiant star in the constellation Scorpius, will be located about 0.6 degrees south of the Moon on this date and time. At this point, the Moon appears half-illuminated, with the left half visible from the Northern Hemisphere and the right half visible from the Southern Hemisphere. The Last Quarter Moon is the third and final quarter phase of the Moon during its monthly cycle. ![]() This event has an impact on Mercury’s orbital speed, which is slower at aphelion than at perihelion (the closest point to the Sun). On this date, Mercury will reach its aphelion, and it will be at its maximum distance from the Sun. February 2, 11:00 – Mercury at AphelionĪphelion is the point in Mercury’s orbit where it is farthest from the Sun. This conjunction between the Moon and Spica will create a beautiful celestial sight for stargazers. Spica is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo and forms a prominent celestial pair with the planet Jupiter. On this date and time, the bright star Spica will appear about 1.7 degrees south of the Moon in the night sky. Astronomical Highlights February 1, 01:04 – Spica 1.7°S of Moon
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