Here are this month’s best astronomical events that you can view right from your backyard. Below is a stunning picture captured of a heart-shaped lenticular cloud that formed over Mount Cook National Park in New Zealand. It’s just the type of ‘lovely’ weather I we like to see during this month of Valentine’s. More information here if you are interested! I hope you find some time to observe the heavens this month. Happy exploring!
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead —his eyes are closed. –Albert Einstein
You can use the star chart provided here. And for any terms or units you may be unfamiliar with, I’ve provided a glossary at the end of the guide for your convenience. All events were calculated based on Boulder, CO (latitude 40⁰ N), but should provide good approximations for most cities near the same latitude. If you would like, you can change your location on the linked sites for each event. Let me know if you have any questions. I’d love to know what you see this month!
Daily Sightings
Daily ISS Passings: here
Daily Iridium Flares: here
Daily Bright Satellite Passings: here
Monday 2/1
06:08 MST Moon-Mars Conjunction
The Moon and Mars will be very close, passing within 2⁰39’ of each other. The Moon will have a magnitude of -11.8, while Mars will have a magnitude of 0.4. Both will be located in the constellation Libra. From Boulder, the pair will become visible around 01:45 MST and reach an altitude of 35⁰ above the Southern horizon around 06:08 MST. The pair will fade from view as dawn breaks around 06:50 MST. More information here.
Wednesday 2/3
06:00 MST Moon-Saturn Conjunction
The Moon and Saturn will be very close, passing within 3⁰28’ of each other. The Moon will have a magnitude of -11.1, while Saturn will have a magnitude of 1.2. Both will be located in the constellation Ophiuchus. From Boulder, the pair will become visible around 03:11 MST and will rise to an altitude of 26⁰ above the Southern horizon. The pair will fade from view as dawn breaks around 06:49 MST. More information here.
Monday 2/8
All Night New Moon (not visible)
A New Moon occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, such that its lighted side is facing directly away from the Earth (sun-side). While the New Moon can be seen during a more rare solar eclipse, most months the Moon passes just above or below the Sun as seen from the Earth. The New Moon rises and sets with the Sun, and this is why we are unable to see the New Moon–it is hidden in the glare of the Sun during the day. More information here.
Friday 2/12
17:47 MST Moon-Uranus Conjunction
The Moon and Uranus will be very close, passing within 1⁰38’ of each other. The Moon will have a magnitude of -11.1, while Uranus will have a magnitude of 5.9. Both will be located in the constellation Pisces. From Boulder, the pair will become visible around 17:47 MST as the dusk sky fades, 45⁰ above the SW horizon. The pair will remain visible until 22:00 MST when they sink below the horizon. More information here.
Thursday 2/18
24:00 Local M81 is well placed
Bode’s Galaxy (aka M81, NGC 3031) is a spiral galaxy 12 million light-years away and will be well placed for observation in the constellation Ursa Major (the Big Dipper). It should be visible for latitudes above 0⁰ S and will remain visible all night because it is circumpolar. M81 will reach its highest point in the sky around midnight local time. In Boulder, the M81 will become visible at 18:49 MST, rising 40⁰ above the NE horizon. It will reach its highest point in the Boulder sky around 00:05 MST, 60⁰ above the Northern horizon, and will become inaccessible around 05:48 MST when it sinks above the NW horizon. At a magnitude of 6.9, the spiral galaxy will be too faint to see easily with the naked eye, but is visible through binoculars or a small telescope. More information here.
Monday 2/22
18:08 MST Full Moon
The Moon will reach full phase, lying almost directly opposite the Sun in the sky. Full moons are traditionally given names according to the season in which they occur. Because this Moon was known to accompany the heaviest snow falls by native tribes in the North, it is called the Snow Moon. More information here.
Tuesday 2/23
19:34 MST Moon-Jupiter Conjunction
The Moon and Jupiter will be very close, passing within 1⁰36’ of each other. The Moon will have a magnitude of -12.6, while Jupiter will have a magnitude of -2.5. Both will be located in the constellation Leo. From Boulder, the pair will become visible around 19:34 MST, rising 7⁰ above the Eastern horizon. The pair will reach its highest point 55⁰ above the southern horizon around 01:15 MST, and will remain visible until 06:26 MST when dawn breaks. More information here.
Monday 2/29
05:09 MST Moon-Mars Conjunction
The Moon and Mars will be very close. The Moon will have a magnitude of -12.0, while Mars will have a magnitude of -0.1. Both will be located in the constellation Libra. From Boulder, the pair will become visible around 01:01 MST and reach an altitude of 31⁰ above the Southern horizon around 05:09 MST. The pair will fade from view as dawn breaks around 06:17 MST. More information here.
Glossary
Arcminute: An angular measurement, defined as 1/60 of one degree. Denoted by ‘. (approx. 1 inch at a distance of 100 yards, the Moon is approx 31’)
Arcsecond: An angular measurement, defined as 1/60 of an arcminute. Denoted by “. (approx. dime at a distance of 1 mile )
A great resource for understanding and approximating angular measurements in the night sky, here. The Moon is approx 1/2⁰. Your outstretched hand is approx 20⁰, with each finger approx 1⁰. Your closed outstretched palm is approx 10⁰.
Conjunction: An alignment of two celestial bodies such that they present the least angular separation as viewed from Earth.
Iridium Flare: Iridium fares occur when sunlight is reflected off the antenna (of one of the 66 active telecommunication sats in LEO, known as the Iridium constellation) directly down at Earth. This reflection causes an illuminated spot on the surface of the Earth. To an observer on the ground, the event appears to be a bright flash, or flare in the sky, which lasts for a few seconds.
ISS: International Space Station. More information here.
Magnitude: A logarithmic measure of the brightness of an object. Brighter objects have a lower (more negative) magnitude. More information here.
Time Conversions from MST
Eastern Daylight Time, EST = MST + 2:00
Central Daylight Time, CST = MST + 1:00
Mountain Daylight Time, MST
Pacific Daylight Time, PST = MST – 1:00
Alaska Daylight Time, AKST = MST – 2:00
The standard for astronomical times is UTC if you happen to come across it, where MST = UTC – 6:00.
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