February skies

Posted on 2007 January 01 @ 00:01 - filed under Astronomy.

Mercury is in the evening twilight setting soon after the Sun and can be seen for the first two weeks before disappearing in the solar glare. It rises shortly before sunrise at month's end. Venus is visible in the western twilight all month, setting an hour after the Sun. Mars is in the morning sky, rising about two and a half hours before the Sun. Jupiter is in the morning sky, rising after midnight. Saturn is visible in the evening sky and can be seen throughout the night (opposition on Feb 10), setting around sunrise.

Early evening, the Milky Way passes overhead, aligned roughly north-south. In the south, Crux and the Pointers are prominent, with the Milky Way extending upward toward the zenith, passing through the bright stars of Argo and Canis Major. Sirius is overhead, onward to Orion and Taurus toward the north. In the south-west, Achernar is high up, while much lower westward is Fomalhaut (in Piscis Austrinus). In the north, Capella (in Auriga) can be seen. Eastward lies Gemini, while in the north-east, Regulus (in Leo) and Saturn can be seen. In the east-south-east, the regular shape of Corvus is low on the horizon.

Around midnight, the Milky Way overhead is aligned south-east to north-west. Aldebaran (Taurus) is low in the north-west, with Orion above it. Saturn can be seen in the north near Regulus (in Leo). In the east, Spica is prominent, with Corvus above it. Very low in the east-northeast is Arcturus (Bootes). Scorpius hugs the south-eastern horizon.

Before sunrise, Crux and the Pointers are high up in the south. Canis Major is on the western horizon. Regulus (in Leo) and Saturn are low in the north-west. The stars of Ursa Major peek above the northern horison. Low in the east, Altair (Aquila) is prominent. Overhead, Antares (Scorpius) is prominent, with brilliant Jupiter nearby to the east. Mars can be seen in the east.

February events

Constellations

Constellations visible from Southern Africa at 21:00 SAST (* = overhead):

Antlia, Apus, Auriga, Caelum*, Cancer, Canis Major*, Canis Minor, Carina, Centaurus, Cetus, Chamaeleon, Circinus, Columba*, Corvus, Crater, Crux, Dorado*, Eridanus, Fornax, Gemini, Horologium*, Hydra, Hydrus, Lepus*, Lynx, Mensa, Monoceros, Musca, Octans, Orion, Pavo, Perseus, Pictor*, Puppis, Pyxis, Reticulum*, Sculptor, Sextans, Taurus, Triangulum Australe, Tucana, Vela, Volans.

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Keywords: Astronomy, Southern Sky Almanack, 2007, monthly sky review, Southern Sky Talk podcast

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