The night sky February 2023 | February astronomical events | Astronomical events today | Sky Tonight

The February sky offers wonderful nights for stargazers from both hemispheres. Read on to find out when and where to see these amazing events. For more astronomical events this year, check out our 2023 Astronomy Calendar.

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Planets visible from the northern hemisphere

the brightest Venus (magnitude -3.9) it shines low over the southwestern horizon in the evening. The planet will first be in the constellation Aquarius, and then move to Pisces. reddish Mars They can be seen in Taurus in the evening and at night. Apparent volume drops from -0.3 to 0.4 in February. Jupiter (Magnitude -2.0) Visible after sunset in the southwest, in the constellation of Pisces. Mercury (magnitude -0.3) The month starts very low in the east before sunrise in Sagittarius and then fades into the sun’s glare.

Uranus (Volume 5.7) f Neptune (Magnitude 7.9) It can be seen through binoculars or a telescope in the evening and at night. You can find Uranus in the constellation Aries, and Neptune – in Pisces.

Saturn (magnitude 0.8) is too close to the Sun to be observed properly. The planet will reappear as the morning planet in March.

Use the Sky TonightThe app to find out when the planet will reach its highest position in the sky for your exact location and exact altitude/times. Open the search window and search for the celestial object you are interested in or find out what is generally visible in the sky using the Visible Tonight window (telescope icon on the main screen).

Planets visible from the southern hemisphere

Mercury (magnitude -0.3) is easier to see from southern latitudes. In the morning, look for the elusive planet to the east, low above the horizon in Sagittarius and then Capricorn. Venus (magnitude -3.9) flying over the western horizon in the evening; The planet can be seen first in the constellation Aquarius, and then moves to the sign of Pisces. reddish Mars In the constellation Taurus, it is visible in the evening and at night. Jupiter (Magnitude -2.0) It can be seen in the west for no more than an hour in the constellation of Pisces.

Look for Uranus (magnitude 5.7) to the northwest in the constellation Aries. Neptune (magnitude 7.9) is also low in the western constellation of Pisces. Both planets rise above the horizon in the evening. Don’t forget to use the telescope or at least bring your binoculars.

Find out when the planet is best visible from your location using Sky TonightImplementation. The app also shows when a planet or other celestial body is rising, adjusts to your exact location, and helps you plan a starry night.

come and eat

Observers can enter at the beginning of February both hemispheres Comet c/2022 E3 (ZTF). The comet will reach its zenith on February 1 (about 5 degrees) – look for it in the constellation Giraffe. For more information on Comet ZTF, read our dedicated article.

Telescope owners can also look for P/96 Machholz (magnitude 10.5) low in the southeast in the constellation Aquila. The comet rises above the horizon in the morning.

Moon

• Feb 4The Moon passes near the Beehive Cluster in the constellation of Cancer. Our natural satellite reaches the farthest distance from Earth (406.476 km);
• Feb 5th : Badr;
• Feb 6: The Moon passes 4.5° of Regulus in the constellation Leo.
• February 11th: The Moon passes 3.6° of Spica in the constellation Virgo.
• February 14th: The Moon passes 1.9 degrees from Antares in the constellation Scorpio.
• February 19th: The Moon reaches its closest distance to Earth (358,267 km);
• Feb 20: new Moon;
• Feb 22: the moon passes 1 ° 50 ‘from Venus in the constellation of Pisces and then 1 ° 03’ from Jupiter in the constellation of whales. Jupiter’s eclipse can be seen from parts of South America and Antarctica.
• Feb 25th: Lunar eclipses of Uranus (visible from Canada and Greenland);
• Feb 26th: The Moon passes 2.1° from the Pleiades in the constellation Taurus.
• Feb 28th: The Moon passes 1 ° 03 ‘from Mars in the constellation Taurus. Lunar eclipses of Mars can be seen from parts of northern Europe and Greenland.

meteor showers

There will be no meteor shower peaks visible in the Northern Hemisphere in February. However, it’s still worth going out, especially during New Moon week. Remember that sporadic meteors (not associated with a specific meteor shower) can be observed at any time!

Observers from the Southern Hemisphere can try to spot some “shooting stars” for Alpha Centauri for constipation. This small meteor shower produces up to 6 meteors per hour during its peak. In 2023, peak activity will occur shortly after the full moon, so the bright moonlight will fade most meteors.

How do you navigate the night sky?

You can easily identify objects in the sky with an extension Sky Tonight app. Launch the app and face your device up; The app shows you an interactive sky map of your location. Tap the big blue button in the bottom right corner of your screen to enable AR mode; On it will be a map of the sky True heavenly image from your camera.

Something small

February 2023 is an excellent month for planetary observations, comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) and other celestial bodies. You don’t even need binoculars or a telescope to see it! However, stargazing is useful – use a Sky Tonight Mobile app to find all celestial bodies and get information for free.

We wish you clear skies and happy stargazing!