Feb. 14: Mars And The Pleiades
Two of the most beautiful objects in the night sky are pairing
up right now: Mars and the Pleiades star cluster. They are high in
the southwest at nightfall. Mars looks like a bright orange star.
The tiny, dipper-shaped Pleiades is above it.
Feb. 14: Mars And The Pleiades
Two of the most beautiful objects in the night sky are pairing up right now: Mars and the Pleiades star cluster. They are high in the southwest at nightfall. Mars looks like a bright orange star. The tiny, dipper-shaped Pleiades is above it.
Feb. 15: 10,000 Days
Mu Herculis looks like a modest star in Hercules, which is high in the east at first light. The system actually consists of at least three stars, and perhaps more. If we could travel at the speed of light, it would take 10,000 days to get there.
Feb. 16: Saturn and the Beehive
The planet Saturn is passing close to the Beehive star cluster. The cluster is the most interesting feature of Cancer, the crab. It looks like a small, fuzzy patch of light. Saturn, which looks like a bright golden star, appears near the cluster’s edge.
Feb. 17 Moon and Spica
The Moon will cover the star Spica tonight as seen from the northeastern quadrant of the country. For points west, Spica will stand just above the Moon as they rise, creating a beautiful pairing. They rise around 10 or 11pm
Feb. 18: Lynx
An obscure cat pads through the northern sky at this time of year. It’s known as Lynx, and it stands high in the northeast during early to mid evening. It’s about halfway between the outer stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper, and the bright “twins” of Gemini.
Feb. 19: Moon and Jupiter
The Moon keeps company with the planet Jupiter tonight. They rise well after midnight, with Jupiter is just to the upper left of the Moon. Jupiter looks like a brilliant cream-colored star.
Feb. 20: Moon and Antares
Antares, the bright orange star that represents the “heart” of Scorpius, the scorpion, rises close to the Moon in the wee hours of tomorrow morning. It stands a little to the lower left of the Moon as they rise. They are due south at dawn, and even closer together.
