Monday, February 20
New Moon happens at 2:06 A.M. EST, leaving the sky darkish, moonless, and excellent for observing fainter phenomena just like the zodiacal gentle, which is seen simply after sundown presently of yr. In case your observing website incorporates a darkish horizon, look west about an hour after sundown to see should you can spot this faint glow. It would seem as a smooth, cone-shaped pillar of sunshine stretching upward from the horizon and following the ecliptic upward via Pisces (close to brightly shining Jupiter) and Aries above it, narrowing the farther up from the horizon you look. The zodiacal gentle will stay seen for an additional hour or so, setting alongside the celebs in that area of the sky.
Additionally price attempting for tonight is Uranus, which lies in southern Aries — a area devoid of vivid stars. The planet is a faint magnitude 5.8 — an actual battle with the bare eye from all however the darkest websites, however simple to choose up in binoculars. You will discover it by first finding a triangle of stars comprising Fifth-magnitude Sigma (σ), Pi, and Omicron (ο) Arietis. Tonight, Uranus lies practically midway alongside a line working from Sigma to Pi, displaying off a 4″-wide disk that can appear as if a “flat” star with a pale blue hue.
Dawn: 6:46 A.M.
Sundown: 5:42 P.M.
Moonrise: 7:22 A.M.
Moonset: 6:20 P.M.
Moon Part: New
Tuesday, February 21
The now-waxing Moon passes 2° south of Neptune at 1 P.M. EST. An hour after darkish, our satellite continues to be practically 10° excessive within the west, its jap limb (west on the sky) now illuminated within the reverse of its look just a few days in the past. Neptune sits to the Moon’s decrease proper, simply over 3° northwest of our satellite. The distant ice giant is seen solely via binoculars or a small telescope, because it glows a faint magnitude 7.8.
Venus lately handed Neptune, coming shut on the 14th and fifteenth. Now, Venus is sort of 8° to Neptune’s northeast as the previous continues its quick slide alongside the ecliptic. It would quickly mingle with Jupiter in an early March conjunction. The intense (nonetheless magnitude –3.9) terrestrial planet is roughly 87 % lit and 12″ vast via your telescope. To the higher proper of this scene is the Nice Sq. of Pegasus, slowly setting because the Winged Horse dives down within the west. The magnitude 2.5 star Markab is closest to the horizon, whereas Alpheratz (magnitude 2.1) sits 20° above it. To the best is 2nd-magnitude Scheat; to the left is Third-magnitude Algenib.
Dawn: 6:45 A.M.
Sundown: 5:43 P.M.
Moonrise: 7:51 A.M.
Moonset: 7:37 P.M.
Moon Part: Waxing crescent (3%)
Wednesday, February 22
Persevering with alongside the ecliptic, the Moon passes 2° south of Venus at 3 A.M. EST, then strikes 1.2° south of Jupiter at 5 P.M. EST. An hour after sundown within the Midwest, the Moon sits simply beside the solar system’s largest planet with lower than 1.5° separating them. Jupiter lies throughout the bounds of Pisces, whereas our satellite is simply over the border in Cetus.
Coming into view on the jap limb of the Moon is the darkish blotch of Mare Fecunditatis (the Sea of Fertility). See whether or not you’ll be able to detect any options on the shadowed portion of Luna’s face, as earthshine — mirrored daylight bouncing off Earth — usually lights up the areas of our satellite nonetheless in darkness.
In spite of everything gentle has left the sky, flip a telescope upward to the jap fringe of Pisces. There, you’ll discover the grand design spiral M74, which glows at magnitude 9.4 some 1.3° northeast of Eta (η) Piscium. This attractive galaxy spans about 10′, which sadly lends it a low floor brightness. Take your time discovering it and bump up your aperture as a lot as potential to see whether or not you’ll be able to detect the faint spiral arms winding round its brighter core.
Dawn: 6:44 A.M.
Sundown: 5:44 P.M.
Moonrise: 8:16 A.M.
Moonset: 8:50 P.M.
Moon Part: Waxing crescent (9%)
