Feb. 15 First-Quarter Moon
The Moon reaches first quarter today at 4:16pm. It stands at a
right angle to the line from Earth to Sun. Sunlight illuminates
exactly half of the hemisphere facing our direction, so it looks as
though the Moon has been sliced in half.
Feb. 15 First-Quarter Moon
The Moon reaches first quarter today at 4:16pm. It stands at a right angle to the line from Earth to Sun. Sunlight illuminates exactly half of the hemisphere facing our direction, so it looks as though the Moon has been sliced in half.
Feb. 16 Wolf 359
Wolf 359, the third-closest star system to Earth, is near the southern boundary of the constellation Leo, which rises during early evening. You need a large telescope to see it.
Feb. 17 Leo Rising
Leo, the lion, moves higher into the evening sky in February. Regulus, its brightest star, rises shortly before sunset and remains visible throughout the night. Leo soars high across the sky, standing almost directly overhead around midnight.
Feb. 18 Pluto
Our solar system’s family of planets expanded 75 years ago today when Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto. He found it by comparing photographic plates made several days apart. Pluto looked like a tiny star that changed position from the first plate to the second.
Feb. 19 Moon, Saturn, and Gemini
The bright planet Saturn and the “twin” stars of Gemini appear to enfold the Moon as they soar across the sky tonight. Saturn looks like a bright star to the lower right of the Moon as darkness falls. Pollux and Castor, the twins of Gemini, stand to the Moon’s lower left.
Feb. 20 More Moon, Saturn, and Gemini
The Moon is well up in the east at nightfall, with the bright golden planet Saturn to its upper right and the twin stars of Gemini to its upper left.
Feb. 21 Bright Stars
Some of the brightest stars in the sky congregate in the southeast this evening. Around 6pm, look well up in the southeast for the brightest of them all, Sirius. Orion stands above Sirius, with Pollux and Castor, the “twins” of Gemini, lining up above the Moon.
