Moon Phase:
New Moon 1st
First Quarter 9th
Full Moon 17th
Last Quarter 24th
Planets:
Evening Sky
Jupiter is low in the western sky after sunset in the constellation Aquarius. Jupiter will move towards the horizon and gradually become lost in the twilight glare by mid-month.
Morning Sky
Mercury is low in the eastern morning sky and mid-month moves from the constellation Sagittarius to Capricornus. Mercury reaches its greatest elongation – 26 degrees on the 17th. The greatest elongation of Mercury is when the planet is at its largest angular separation from the Sun. From mid-February to early March will be the best time this year to view Mercury in the morning sky.
Venus is in the eastern morning sky in the constellation Sagittarius, which it also shares with the Red Planet, Mars. Venus and Mars have a close encounter at the end of the month and will be a mere five degrees apart, though they will be slightly closer next month.
Mars is in the eastern morning sky in the constellation Sagittarius. As mentioned above, Mars and Venus will be close together in the sky at the end of the month.
Saturn returns to the morning sky in the constellation Capricornus from the middle of the month.
Worth a Look:
3rd: The waxing crescent Moon is above and slightly to the west (right) of Jupiter. A good opportunity for widefield photographers.
27th & 28th: The waning crescent Moon on the 27th is above and slightly to the south (right) of Venus and Mars, with Mercury and Saturn closer to the horizon. On the 28th the Moon will be below Venus and Mars and to the south (right) of the planets and almost directly above Mercury and Saturn. This provides a great opportunity for widefield photographers.
You can download a star map for February here.
Clear Skies!
References:
Dawes G., Northfield P., Wallace K. (2020). Astronomy 2022 Australia, Quasar Publishing.
Lomb, N. (2021). 2022 Australasian sky guide. Ultimo, NSW: Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences Media.
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