Welcome to this issue of
Qué tal in the Current Skies


Here you will find useful observing information about the visible planets, our Moon and other moons, the Sun, as well as various 'things' celestial. Among these web pages you will find monthly star maps for either the northern or southern hemisphere that are suitable for printout. Animated images are utilized to illustrate celestial motions such as orbital motions of the planets, and other solar orbiting objects, or apparent and real motions along the ecliptic and the local horizon. Regular features include plotting the monthly positions of the visible planets using heliocentric coordinates; following - moon phases; conjunctions; Sun's apparent, and Earth's real motion along the ecliptic.


Volume 26          Issue 2
February 2020
   Month at a Glance:
Click here for the month at a glance calendar.

     This year is a Leap Year and so this month, February, has an extra day, a Leap Day, added to the end of the month giving us a February 29th almost every four years. This month is also a a decent month for planet viewing with the 5 easily visible naked eye planets (not counting the Earth!) divided into a pair in the evening skies and a trio in the morning skies. The two inner planets, Mercury and Venus, are visible over the western horizon at sunset while Mars leads Jupiter and Saturn as they rise a few hours before sunrise local time.
The Morning and Evening Skies of Leap Day 2020

Mercury is visible over the western horizon at sunset local time, and will stay visible as an evening 'star' for about the first 3 weeks of February.
Venus is very visible high above the southwestern horizon at sunset local time, and will remain as a prominent bright celestial object through the month.
Mars rises several hours before the Sun rises and the 'Red Planet' will be visible over the southern horizon at sunrise local time. Watch during the month as Mars gradually moves closer to Jupiter and Saturn.
Dwarf Planet Ceres is still too close to the Sun as the two increase their angular separation following Ceres reaching solar conjunction last month.
Jupiter rises a few hours before sunrise local time and is about 8-10o above, to the west, from Saturn.
Saturn rises about 1 hour after Jupiter and like Jupiter Saturn will be visible low over the eastern horizon at sunrise local time.
Star Maps and More
Visit bobs-spaces for regular updates on what is up.
Contact Me

E-Mail Starwalk
-.-. .-.. . .- .-.    ... -.- .. . ...

Previous Issue

Click on this link to read the Previous Issue of Qué tal? in the Current Skies

Credits and Privacy
Click here to read the Privacy Statement for this web site (I don't bite!!), and about this web site and me.
Did you know? Qué tal in the Current Skies was selected by Sky & Telescope Magazine as one of the "Seven Best of the Web" personal web sites.

      
February Sky Calendar

01. First Quarter Moon
02. Ground Hog Day
03. Waxing Gibbous Moon near Aldebaran
06. Moon at Ascending Node
07. Waxing Gibbous Moon near Gemini Twins
09. Full Moon
      Moon near Regulus
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
10. Mercury at Eastern Elongation
      Moon at Perigee: 223,981 miles (360,463 km)
13. Waning Gibbous Moon near Spica
15. Last Quarter Moon
16. Waning Crescent Moon near Antares
17. Sun Does Enter Aquarius the Water Bearer
18. Waning Crescent Moon near Mars
      Moon at Descending Node
19. Waning Crescent Moon near Jupiter
      Sun Does Not Enter Pisces the Fishes
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
20. Waning Crescent Moon near Saturn
23. New Moon
25. Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
26. Moon at Apogee: 252,448 miles (406,276 km)
27. Waxing Crescent Moon near Venus
29. A Leap Day
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
February 3February 3 - 6:00 am CST
February 7February 7 - 7:00 pm CST
February 9February 9 - 8:00 pm CST
February 10February 10 - Mercury at Eastern Elongation
February 10February 10 - Moon at Perigee
223,981 miles (360,463 km)
February 13February 13 - 5:00 am CST
February 16February 16 - 5:00 am CST
February 18February 18 - 7:00 am CST
February 19February 19 - 7:00 am CST
February 20February 20 - 7:15 am CST
February 25February 25 - Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
February 26February 26 - Moon at Apogee
252,448 miles (406,276 km)
February 27February 27 - 7:15 pm CST
February 28February 29 - 6:30 am CST
February 29February 29 - 6:30 am CST
Above the Solar System at 10 day Intervals
Planet Coordinates for February


      Planet cordinate data for the visible planets and the Sun at 10-day intervals for this month.
      Click here to see the web page showing this information, and also for a larger and easier to read version of the above graphic.


Above the Terrestrial Planets at 10 day Intervals
My Local Time CST (UT-6)
Lee's Summit, Missouri, U.S.A.
38.9116°N, 94.3617°W

Your Current Local Date and Time:
-

Some Astronomy Web Links


    Click here.

Credits and Privacy

Click here to read the Privacy Statement for this web site (I don't bite!!), and about this web site and me.
    Disclaimer: Any use of my posted information, in any manner whatsoever, will raise the amount of disorder in the universe. Although no liability is implied herein, the reader is warned that this process will ultimately lead to the heat death of the universe.

>