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:  2459247.18
2020-2021:  LXXXI


THE DAILY ASTRONOMER
Monday, February 1, 2021
February 2021 Night Sky Calendar

The last full month of winter has begun.  Of course, astronomically, there
are only two such months.     Although February is the year's shortest
month, it seems interminable for those sensible souls who detest
bone-cracking cold.   Despite the frigidity, one can still enjoy the many
celestial sights high above us, hence the night sky calendar.  Each
calendar includes many astronomical highlights: events that might interest
even the casual observer.       Due to the content amount -and associated
graphics- we divide this calendar into two parts, the second of which we'll
post tomorrow.

*TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2:   GROUNDHOG'S DAY (IMBOLC)*
The year's first cross-quarter day! A cross quarter day is one that occurs
almost directly in the middle of a season.  Groundhog's Day occurs between
the winter solstice and vernal equinox.  According to American folklore, if
the famous groundhog Punxsutawney  Phil sees his shadow on Feb 2, there
will be six more weeks of winter.  If he doesn't see his shadow, spring
will arrive early.   Although the Stormfax Almanac states that Phil has
been correct about 40% of the time since 1877, much to the chagrin of the
Punxsutawney Groundhog's Club.

The other cross-quarter days are:


   - *May 1:*  May Day/Beltane.   The cross-quarter day between the vernal
   equinox and summer solstice.
   -  *August 1: * Lammas        The cross-quarter day between the summer
   solstice and autumnal equinox
   - *October 31: * Halloween/Samhain.   The cross-quarter day between the
   autumnal equinox and winter

*WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3:  GIBBOUS MOON NEAR SPICA*

[image: skychart.png]
Tonight we'll see the gibbous moon (61% illuminated) near Spica, the
brightest star in Virgo the Maiden.       Four very bright stars -
Aldebaran (Taurus) , Antares (Scorpius), Regulus (Leo) and Spica (Virgo)-
are positioned close to the ecliptic.  Consequently, the moon and planets
will appear to pass close to them.  At times, the moon -and much less
frequently, planets- will occult these stars.    The moon will rise at
11:57 p.m. this evening in Portland.

*THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4:   LAST QUARTER MOON*


*SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6: MOON NEAR ANTARES*[image: skychart.png]

Earlier this month, the moon appeared to pass close to Spica.  Tonight, one
will find the crescent moon (29% illuminated) close to Antares, the
brightest star in Scorpius the Scorpion.  The moon rises today at 2:27 a.m.

*MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8:  MERCURY AT INFERIOR CONJUNCTION*
Today, the first world passes between the Sun and Earth.   (Mercury moves
to the far side of the Sun when it reaches superior conjunction.)


                    [image: unnamed.png]
 Only the inferior planets, those closer to the Sun than Earth, can ever
pass into inferior conjunction.    All the planets, inferior and superior,
can pass into superior conjunction.

*WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 10:  MOON, VENUS AND SATURN WITHIN A CIRCLE 5.2
DEGREES IN DIAMETER  (SILVER EVENT!!)*
Fair warning:  this event will be difficult to observe.   The moon, Venus
and Saturn will rise less than half an hour before the sun and so all
bodies will be nearly lost in the intensifying pre-dawn twilight.     One
could almost consider this to be an "academic event," interesting, but not
observable.

*THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11:  NEW MOON*
Beginning of lunation cycle  1214.

*SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13: LOOK FOR EARTHSHINE*
[image: earthshine.jpg]
Have you ever noticed that when the moon is a thin crescent, the entire
moon is visible?     One can see the entire moon at this phase because of
Earthshine: the reflection of Earth's reflected light off the moon and back
to Earth-bound observers.

[image: showOpenGraphArticleImage.jpg]

Earthshine is only visible when the moon is less than 11% illuminated, or
about 3 -4 days after the moon is new.    While moon watching is difficult
one day after the new moon, the moon will generally be visible on the
second day.   See the thin waxing crescent moon tonight in the western
evening sky.


Part II tomorrow




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