Feb 1: The full Moon meets up with the "Beehive Cluster", also known as Messier 44 or Praesepe. Due to the moon's brightness, binoculars or a small telescope are recommended for viewing. Follow the line between the Moon and Jupiter to spy this open cluster of stars. There is a repeat, closer meet up on February 28th as well.

 

Feb 2: Lunar occultation of Regulus - A rare treat to see one of the brighter stars in the night sky be covered by the Moon. Look to the east around 8:45PM with binoculars or a small telescope to see the bright blue Regulus disappear behind the Moon. Around 9:35PM, the star will reappear from behind the Moon.

 

Feb 15: Saturn-Neptune conjunction - As we prepare to say goodbye to Saturn, the ringed planet will meet up with Neptune in the early evening western sky. Neptune requires binoculars or a small telescope to view, but will be closest to Saturn and most easily found this evening.

 

Feb 17: Annular Solar Eclipse - Antarctica - An annular solar eclipse, where the more distant Moon leaves a ring of light from the eclipsed Sun will occur on this day, but only visible at extreme southern locations.

 

Feb 18: Moon-Mercury - If you've ever wanted to catch the Moon as the thinnest of slivers, this is a good chance. Right after sunset, around 6:30PM, look to the low western horizon to see Venus setting, with Mercury slighter higher off the horizon. Just below Mercury, look for the 1.5 day old waxing crescent Moon.

 

Feb 23: Moon-Pleiades - The Moon will pass near the Seven Sisters, or Pleiades star cluster, this evening. Due to the Moon's brightness, binoculars or a small telescope are best suited for viewing.

 

End of February: "Planetary Alignment" - You're likely to see overhyped announcements of a planetary alignment in the last week of February. Technically, six planets will be in the sky shortly after sunset, but visibility for the planets is extremely limited. Mercury, Venus, and Saturn will all be very low on the western horizon in the Sun's fading light. Uranus and Neptune, while in the sky, are too faint to be seen with the naked eye. Jupiter, however, will continue to shine bright.

 

February 1st, 2003: The loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia upon reentry of mission STS-107.

 

February 3rd, 1966: The Soviet Union's Luna 9 spacecraft is the first to land on the Moon's surface.

 

February 20th, 1962: John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the Earth on the Mercury-Atlas 6 spacecraft. 

 

NET February 6: Artemis II, NASA's mission to send 4 astronauts around the Moon, has an earliest possible launch date of February 6th. 

 

NET February 15: SpaceX Crew-12 mission plans to send 4 astronauts to the ISS. While currently scheduled for mid February, the mission may be launched earlier in light of the smaller crew currently onboard the ISS due to last month's medical emergency that forced an early return for previous crew members.

February 1st - Full (Snow Moon)

February 9th - 3rd Quarter

February 17th - New

February 24th - 1st Quarter

 

Mercury - Best visible low on the western horizon just after sunset toward the middle of the month. 

 

Venus - Slowly emerging from the Sun's glare low on the western horizon over the course of the month.

 

Mars - Too close to the Sun to be easily visible throughout the month.

 

Jupiter - Visible and bright throughout the month, setting around 6AM early in the month, 4AM late in the month.

 

Saturn - Catch a last glimpse low on the western horizon around 7 or 8PM at the beginning of the month. Lost to the Sun's glare by the end of the month.