iTEMS fEATURED iN tgp nominal 10.4
rOSS hOCKHAMS'S sKY gUIDE fEBRUARY 2024:
Mercury, Venus and Mars are all huddled together in the morning sky, but sadly they are quite close to the rising Sun
so will be tougher to spot this month.
Venus will be the easiest to see rising just after 6am, you’ll have an hour or so to spot the bright planet.
On the other side of our star we have Saturn setting at around 7pm
again giving you couple of hours to spot the ringed planet before it sets.
Jupiter is higher in our sky so probably the best planet to try and view at the moment
although the Earth is pretty much the other side of the Sun in its orbit so it won’t be as bright until later in the year.
Uranus is not far above just to Jupiter’s left, although a telescope will be needed to see it.
And Neptune is in-between both planets, slightly closer to Saturn, Setting a little after the ringed planet.
It seems February is not a great time for planet hunting
so we will have to concentrate on some of the other cool sights to occupy us this month.
so will be tougher to spot this month.
Venus will be the easiest to see rising just after 6am, you’ll have an hour or so to spot the bright planet.
On the other side of our star we have Saturn setting at around 7pm
again giving you couple of hours to spot the ringed planet before it sets.
Jupiter is higher in our sky so probably the best planet to try and view at the moment
although the Earth is pretty much the other side of the Sun in its orbit so it won’t be as bright until later in the year.
Uranus is not far above just to Jupiter’s left, although a telescope will be needed to see it.
And Neptune is in-between both planets, slightly closer to Saturn, Setting a little after the ringed planet.
It seems February is not a great time for planet hunting
so we will have to concentrate on some of the other cool sights to occupy us this month.
You now have a few days of good stargazing without the Moon in the way just in time to spot, Comet 144/p Kushida as it passes through the constellation Taurus (The Bull) this month
heading towards the star Aldebaran (The Bulls Eye).
With it being at around 9th magnitude, a reasonably good telescope or some astrophotography
will bring it out to view but will dim to 10th magnitude by the end of the month.
heading towards the star Aldebaran (The Bulls Eye).
With it being at around 9th magnitude, a reasonably good telescope or some astrophotography
will bring it out to view but will dim to 10th magnitude by the end of the month.
On the14th and 15th The Moon passes Jupiter moving from its right to its left side, Getting pretty close to Uranus on 15th.
The dim planet will be to its left and with a bit of star hopping from the Moon you maybe able to spot it in a telescope.
The dim planet will be to its left and with a bit of star hopping from the Moon you maybe able to spot it in a telescope.
On 16th around 8pm, the Moon moves up and sits almost perfectly below M45 The Pleiades which will look really awesome. Almost like the Moon has a halo of blue stars above it.
Early morning on 17th in fact precisely 12:40am you may be able to spot the lunar X and V on our Moon
an illusion of sunlight glinting off the tips of craters covered in shadow.
an illusion of sunlight glinting off the tips of craters covered in shadow.
On the 19th at 3:50pm, spot the daytime Moon and see if you can see the Jewelled Handle another example of sunlight glinting this time off of the tips of a mountain range, The Montes Jura (Jura Mountains).
On the 22nd, Mars and Venus appear close in the morning sky but you will need a low horizon to spot them.
This will be a tough spot, but binoculars or a telescope and a low horizon it will be possible.
Mars will sit just below the brighter Venus rising around 6:30am.
just please be very careful looking near the soon to rise Sun!!!
This will be a tough spot, but binoculars or a telescope and a low horizon it will be possible.
Mars will sit just below the brighter Venus rising around 6:30am.
just please be very careful looking near the soon to rise Sun!!!
On the 25th, The Zeno steps on the Moon are visible around 8pm.
Look for the crater Zeno at this time.
It is at the 12 o’clock area of the Moon at the very edge, with the shadow just creeping across its edge
you should see what looks like some giant steps on the Moon.
Look for the crater Zeno at this time.
It is at the 12 o’clock area of the Moon at the very edge, with the shadow just creeping across its edge
you should see what looks like some giant steps on the Moon.
There's a whole host of objects in the February sky for you to enjoy.
Most of which are best when the Moon is out of the way.
But bright stars like Sirius the Dog Star won’t be affected by it much as it is really bright itself.
If you wait until about 9pm you will have a ton of bright different coloured stars to enjoy
using your eyes to look at and admire:
Sirius in Canis Major (The Big Dog).
Betelgeuse in Orion about to go Supernova, and its host of bright stars including his famous belt of 3 stars
look here with binoculars and you’ll see there’s actually a lot more.
Capella (The Goat Star) in Auriga.
Pollox and Castor, the heads of the Gemini twins.
Procyon one of two stars that make up Canis Minor (The little dog)
And we spoke about Taurus, with his bright eye Aldebaran and the Hyades and Pleiades clusters.
One a V shaped cluster of red stars the other a bunch of blue.
And as a little challenge, see if you can find the Ruby star, the second reddest star in our sky
located between one of Taurus's horns and Orion's raised arm.
located between one of Taurus's horns and Orion's raised arm.
Finally, seeing as its the month for lovers.
Although the original historical meaning of Valentines has changed in modern times.
I am an old romantic, so should probably mention The Heart Nebula.
Which can be found between Perseus and Cassiopeia.
So that those Astrophotographers out there can capture… the Milky Way's heart.
That’s enough of that!
So although the planets aren’t in a great place to view
I hope I have given you plenty of other objects for you to find, look up and admire in our February skies.
Although the original historical meaning of Valentines has changed in modern times.
I am an old romantic, so should probably mention The Heart Nebula.
Which can be found between Perseus and Cassiopeia.
So that those Astrophotographers out there can capture… the Milky Way's heart.
That’s enough of that!
So although the planets aren’t in a great place to view
I hope I have given you plenty of other objects for you to find, look up and admire in our February skies.
UK Astronomy's Trip To Twice Brewed Inn:
Various Multimedia:
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If you enjoyed the excerpt of Richard Garriott Talking about life on the International Space Station
have a listen to the 2015 TGP NOMINAL Yuri's Night Special, which it featured in.
have a listen to the 2015 TGP NOMINAL Yuri's Night Special, which it featured in.