The Daily Astronomer will temporarily lapse into oblivion for the next week
while the world is rocked by the sights, sounds, and excitement of February
Fantastic!  (See an intrusive advert at the end of this post.


The DA will return on Monday, February 27!

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Now, as promised, whenever we post an announcement, we'll include a dose of
astronomy.

A couple sky notes for the next week.

On February 20, observers can see the crescent moon skimming north of
Saturn.  Both the planet and moon will rise in the early morning sky.
 The moon will be 33% illuminated  and in the waning phase, meaning that
its illumination percentage is decreasing as the moon draws to the end of
its current lunar cycle.

The moon is new on February 26th.
Some observers within the Southern Hemisphere will see an annular solar
eclipse.


​
This chart shows the region in which observers will either witness an
annular solar eclipse or a partial eclipse. Observers along the red
totality path will see the moon almost cover the Sun during totality.
During an annular eclipse, the moon appears smaller than the Sun and
therefore a ring of light remains around the moon at totality.
Observers north or south of the totality path will see a partial eclipse.
The magnitude of the eclipse decreases with increasing distance from this
totality path.

The numbers indicate the magnitude of the eclipse: the fraction of the
Sun's diameter occulted by the moon.

The *"sub solar point"* marks the Sun's zenith position at the moment of
greatest eclipse, when the axis of the moon's shadow cone attains a minimum
distance from Earth's center.

This event is the first of two solar eclipses which will occur in 2017.
The other is the now famous "Great American Eclipse" which happens on
August 21, 2017!

*FEBRUARY FANTASTIC HAS ARRIVED!*
Astronomy matinees!
Laser shows!!
Space Park 360 Infinity full dome "outer space" theme park rides!!!

Find out more at:
http://usm.maine.edu/planet/february-fantastic