Woking Planetarium

Read our February sky notes to find out what’s in the night sky this month!

Map

Constellations

These constellations are well placed in the evening this month, but many more can be seen. Check the star map for more.

Orion the Hunter can be seen in the southern sky after sunset. It gradually lowers towards the west before setting around midnight. It sets later near the beginning of the month, so can be seen for longer. Look for the distinctive Orion’s Belt to find it.

Andromeda is a fainter constellation visible near the zenith at sunset at the beginning of the month. As the month goes on, it appears lower in the sky, so better views will be earlier in the month. It lowers to set in the north over the course of the evening. Deep sky hunters can find the Andromeda galaxy in this area.

Virgo the Maiden, rises due east about 22:00 GMT at the beginning of the month and about 19:00 GMT at the end. You’ll be able to see it easier at the end of the month as it’s visible earlier in the evening. Best views are in the early hours of the morning when it reaches its highest point in the south. Virgo is the largest constellation in the Zodiac an contains the bright blue star Spica.

Planets

Mercury is too close to the Sun to be seen this month.

Venus can only be seen very low on the western horizon just after sunset. It sets after an hour or two and is higher and easier to see at the beginning of the month. Venus will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 1^st, at highest altitude on the 7^th, at greatest brightness on the 16^th, and at perihelion on the 19^th.

Mars appears in the south east at sunset and moves across the southern sky during the night before setting in the north west just before sunrise. Better views will be later in the month when Mars appears higher at sunset, so reaches its highest point earlier. Mars will undergo lunar occultation on the 9^th and ends retrograde motion on the 24^th.

Jupiter appears in the southern sky at sunset and moves to set in the west in the early hours of the morning. The earlier in the month you look for it, the further east it will appear and will reach its highest point earlier. Jupiter ends retrograde motion on the 4^th, and will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 7^th.

Saturn is too close to the Sun to be seen for most of the month. It may be visible immediately before sunrise at the beginning of the month on the western horizon. Saturn will undergo lunar occultation on the 1^st.

Uranus is too faint to be seen with the naked eye. It appears in the south western sky at sunset and sets in the late evening.

Neptune is too faint to be seen with the naked eye. It is close to Mercury and Venus this month so will be difficult to see and low on the horizon.

Moon

Full Moon: 12^th

Last Quarter: 20^th

New Moon: 28^th

First Quarter: 5^th

The Moon reaches apogee, its furthest point from the Earth, on the 18^th and perigee, its closest point, on the 2^nd. This effect is not visually apparent.

The Moon will be at aphelion, its furthest point from the Sun, on the 14^th and perihelion, its closest point, on the 25^th. This effect is not visually apparent.

The Moon will make a close approach with the Pleiades (M45) on the 6^th. The Pleiades (aka Seven Sisters) are a star cluster that can be seen in the constellation of Taurus with the naked eye.

Points of Interest

Asteroid 29 Amphitrite will be at opposition on the 12^th. It can be seen in the constellation of Leo between 19:13 and 05:36 GMT and reaches its highest point in the sky around midnight. You will need at least a four-inch telescope to view this.

Messier 81 (Bode’s Galaxy) will be well placed for observation on the 19^th. It will lie in the constellation of Ursa Major and can be seen all night, with its highest point around midnight. You will need binoculars or a small telescope to view this.

Visit Spot the Station to find out when the ISS will be visible from your location.

Last updated: 6^th December 2024.