THE SOUTHWORTH PLANETARIUM
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70 Falmouth Street Portland, Maine 04103
43.6667° N 70.2667° W
Altitude: 10 feet below sea level
Founded January 1970
Julian Date: 245883.16
2019-2020: XCVIII
"Heavens above!"
THE DAILY ASTRONOMER
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
February 2020 Night Sky Calendar
Part II
*MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10: MERCURY AT GREATEST EASTERN ELONGATION*
When Mercury is at greatest eastern elongation, it will appear in the
western evening sky. Conversely, when Mercury reaches greatest western
elongation, it will be visible in the eastern pre-dawn sky. This is
the best time of the month to find the first world.
*SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15: LAST QUARTER MOON*
*TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18: MOON NEAR MARS (BRONZE EVENT!)*
See Mars close to the waning crescent moon (22% illuminated) in the eastern
pre-dawn sky.
Both Mars and the moon will rise by 3:20 a.m.
*WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19: MOON NEAR JUPITER (SILVER EVENT!!)*If you missed
the Mars-moon appulse yesterday morning, you can see the waning crescent
moon (15% illuminated) close to Jupiter. See Jupiter and the moon
rising together around 4:15 a.m. this morning. While Jupiter is lower
in the sky, it is nearly 13 times brighter than Mars.
*THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20: MOON NEAR SATURN*
Three mornings. Three moon-planet appulses. Just after 5 a.m this
morning, one will see the thin waning crescent moon (8% illuminated) rising
near Saturn. Though brighter than Mars, Saturn is still more than six
times dimmer than Jupiter. The moon will help you find Saturn this
morning, if you're actually outside looking for it.
*SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23: NEW MOON*
Beginning of lunation cycle 1202
*MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24: MERCURY AT INFERIOR SOLAR CONJUNCTION*
Hopefully you observed Mercury earlier this month because it is now hidden
from sight. Mercury is passing between the Sun and Earth today. It is
Mercury's first inferior conjunction since its November 2019 transit,
which, alas, was not visible for most of us. Inferior solar
conjunction occurs when a planet moves between Earth and the Sun.
Superior solar conjunction happens when a planet moves to the Sun's far
side relative to Earth. Whereas only the inferior planets Mercury and
Venus can ever pass into inferior solar conjunction, all the other planets
can be in superior solar conjunction.
*THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27: MOON NEAR VENUS (GOLD EVENT!!!)*
As we reach month's end, take a moment to venture outside to observe the
waxing crescent moon (14% illuminated) and Venus, the brightest planet.
They will both set just after nine o'clock. There are few sky sights
as eye pleasing as gathering of the night sky's two brightest worlds.
PLANET WATCH
*MERCURY *is best seen during the first two weeks of February. Soon
after it reaches greatest eastern elongation on February 10th, it will
vanish into the dusk. VERDICT: Honestly, seek out Mercury during the
second week of February. After that, don't bother until March
*(PICK PLANET) VENUS* is that gorgeous starlike object one can observe in
the western evening sky. VERDICT: Brilliant sight in the early night.
Who would want to miss it?
*MARS.* Like the other visible superior planets, Mars is a pre-dawn
eastern sky object. Of the three, Mars rises first, but is the dimmest.
VERDICT: If you don't want to rise early, just wait. Mars will be
prominent this summer. (Get used to reading that sentence.)
*JUPITER *is the brightest of the morning planets. It rises after Mars,
but before Saturn. VERDICT: If you don't want to rise early, just wait.
Mars will be prominent this summer. (Get used to reading that sentence.)
*SATURN* is the last the three morning planets to rise. It is brighter
than Mars, but dimmer than Jupiter. VERDICT: If you don't want to rise
early, just wait. Mars will be prominent this summer. (Get used to
reading that sentence.)
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