Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on Feb 2, 2006 19:13:19 GMT -6
2/1 Mercury is 1.8 degrees south-southeast of Neptune at 21:00
2/2 Groundhog Day or Candlemas, a cross-quarter day; Saturn is 0.61
degrees south-southwest of the center of the bright open cluster M44
(the Beehive) at 0:00; the Moon is at ascending node (longitude 5.6
degrees) at 8:03
2/3 Venus is stationary in right ascension, with direct (eastward)
motion to follow, at 7:00
2/5 Asteroids 11 Parthenope (magnitude 11.2) and 16 Psyche (magnitude
10.7) are 2 degrees north of the first magnitude star Aldebaran and
only 1.1' apart from each other at approximately 4:00; First Quarter
Moon occurs at 6:28; the Galilean satellites Io, Europa, and Callisto
form a compact, vertically aligned group at 15:24; Mars is 2.1
degrees south-southeast of the Moon at 21:00
2/6 Neptune is in conjunction with the Sun at 6:00; the Moon is 0.29
degrees west of the bright open cluster M45 (the Pleiades) at 7:00;
Jupiter is in western quadrature (90 degrees west of the Sun) at 18:00
2/7 Maximum lunar libration of 9.1 degrees occurs at 10:00
2/10 The Moon is 1.8 degrees south of the first magnitude star Pollux
at 15:00
2/11 The equation of time is at its minimum (-14.26 minutes) for 2006
at 11:00
2/13 Full Moon (known as the Hunger, Snow, Storm, or Wolf Moon)
occurs at 4:44; the Moon is 2.5 degrees north-northeast of the first
magnitude star Regulus at 17:00
2/14 The Moon is at apogee, subtending 29'24" from a distance of
406,359 km, at 1:00; Mercury (magnitude -1.1) is 0.02 degrees
northeast of Uranus (magnitude 5.9) at 16:00
2/15 Minimum lunar libration of 2.8 degrees occurs at 4:00; Venus at
its greatest latitude north of the ecliptic (3.4 degrees) at 16:00
2/17 Venus is at greatest brilliancy at 20:00
2/16 The Sun enters the constellation of Aquarius (ecliptic longitude
327.71 degrees) at 13:00; the Moon is at the descending node
(longitude 184.7 degrees) at 14:40
2/18 Mars is 2.3 degrees south-southeast of the center of the bright
open cluster M45 (the Pleiades) at 2:00; the Moon is 0.41 degrees
north of the first magnitude star Spica at 5:00 - an occultation
occurs in central Africa and the easternmost part of North America;
Mercury is at the ascending node at 8:00
2/19 Mars is in eastern quadrature (90 degrees east of the Sun) at
15:00
2/20 Jupiter is 4.8 degrees north-northeast of the Moon at 5:00
2/21 Last Quarter Moon occurs at 7:17; the Moon is 0.29 degrees
southeast of the first magnitude star Antares at 21:00 - an
occultation occurs in New Zealand, most of Australia, and Indonesia
2/22 Mercury is at perihelion at 0:00; maximum lunar libration of
10.1 degrees occurs at 12:00
2/23 Asteroid 4 Vesta is stationary at 8:00; comet C/2005 E2
(McNaught) is at perihelion at 13:00
2/24 Mercury is at greatest eastern elongation (18 degrees) at 5:00;
Mercury and the star 14 Piscium are within 5.0" of each other at
8:26 - an occultation occurs in Australia
2/25 The Moon is 0.79 degrees south of the asteroid 1 Ceres at 10:00
2/26 The Moon is 3.6 degrees south-southeast of Neptune at 16:00
2/27 The Moon is at perigee, subtending 33'29" from a distance of
356,885 km, at 20:00 - large tides may occur
2/28 New Moon (lunation 1029) occurs at 0:31; the Moon is 1.4 degrees
south-southeast of Uranus at 3:00; minimum lunar libration of 2.5
degrees occurs at 15:00
Times and dates for the lunar light rays predicted to occur this
month are available at www.lunar-
occultations.com/rlo/rays/rays.htm
The zodiacal light may be visible during the second half of February
from a dark site. Look to the west as evening twilight ends.
The planets on February 1: Mercury (-1.4 magnitude, 4.9", 99%
illuminated), Venus (-4.5 magnitude, 53.0", 11% illuminated), Mars
(0.2 magnitude, 8.8", 89% illuminated), Jupiter (- 2.0 magnitude,
36.2", 99% illuminated), Saturn (-0.2 magnitude, 20.4", 100%
illuminated), Uranus (5.9 magnitude, 3.3", 100% illuminated), Neptune
(8.0 magnitude, 2.2", 100% illuminated), and Pluto (14.0 magnitude,
0.1", 100% illuminated).
Mercury has one of its finest evening apparitions of 2006 during the
second half of the month. It gains one degree in altitude each day
after February 8. The closest planetary appulse of the year occurs
between Mercury and Uranus on February 14. Mercury is at its best for
North American planet watchers on the evening of February 23.
Rising about 2.5 hours before the sun, dazzling Venus decreases
nearly 1" in apparent size but increases approximately 1 per cent in
illumination each day during the first two weeks of the month.
Mars continues to shrink in both size and magnitude. It travels from
Aries to Taurus early in February. For several days at mid-month,
Mars (magnitude 0.5, 7.8") is located approximately 2.5 degrees away
from M45. It passes two degrees to the south of the star cluster on
February 16.
Positioned in Libra, Jupiter rises in the east-southeast about an
half an hour before midnight at month's end. It passes 3' north of Nu
Librae (magnitude 5.2) on February 28.
At the beginning of the month, Saturn lies very close to the southern
edge of M44 in Cancer. By the end of February, the Ringed Planet has
retrograded to about 2 degrees west of the large open cluster. On the
evening of February 7, a 6.7 magnitude field star lies 2' north of
the center of Saturn. Eight magnitude Titan, Saturn's brightest
satellite, is due north of the planet on February 2 and 18 and due
south on February 10 and 26. Saturn's odd satellite Iapetus is in the
vicinity of Titan from February 14 to 16 and is due north of the
planet on the night of February 19/20.
The outer gas giants, Uranus and Neptune, are not visible this month.
It is possible to see Pluto before sunrise but it will be a far
easier target (not that it's ever a particularly easy target) in late
spring and early summer.
The ninth magnitude Comet C/2005 E2 (McNaught) heads through Pisces
this month. It passes through the Circlet of Pisces during the first
two weeks of February but is more readily observable after Full Moon.
Asteroid 4 Vesta (magnitude 6.9) is located near Epsilon Geminorum.
It passes 5' north of the star SAO 78596 (magnitude 6.4) on the
evening of February 2.
Variable star for February: R Canis Majoris (maximum magnitude 8.0 on
February 24)
Forty binary and multiple stars for February: 41 Aurigae, Struve 872,
Otto Struve 147, Struve 929, 56 Aurigae (Auriga); Nu-1 Canis Majoris,
17 Canis Majoris, Pi Canis Majoris, Mu Canis Majoris, h3945, Tau
Canis Majoris (Canis Major); Struve 1095, Struve 1103, Struve 1149,
14 Canis Minoris (Canis Minor); 20 Geminorum, 38 Geminorum, Alpha
Geminorum (Castor), 15 Geminorum, Lambda Geminorum, Delta Geminorum,
Struve 1108, Kappa Geminorum (Gemini); 5 Lyncis, 12 Lyncis, 19
Lyncis, Struve 968, Struve 1025 (Lynx); Epsilon Monocerotis, Beta
Monocerotis, 15 (S) Monocerotis (Monoceros); Struve 855 (Orion);
Struve 1104, k Puppis, 5 Puppis (Puppis)
2/2 Groundhog Day or Candlemas, a cross-quarter day; Saturn is 0.61
degrees south-southwest of the center of the bright open cluster M44
(the Beehive) at 0:00; the Moon is at ascending node (longitude 5.6
degrees) at 8:03
2/3 Venus is stationary in right ascension, with direct (eastward)
motion to follow, at 7:00
2/5 Asteroids 11 Parthenope (magnitude 11.2) and 16 Psyche (magnitude
10.7) are 2 degrees north of the first magnitude star Aldebaran and
only 1.1' apart from each other at approximately 4:00; First Quarter
Moon occurs at 6:28; the Galilean satellites Io, Europa, and Callisto
form a compact, vertically aligned group at 15:24; Mars is 2.1
degrees south-southeast of the Moon at 21:00
2/6 Neptune is in conjunction with the Sun at 6:00; the Moon is 0.29
degrees west of the bright open cluster M45 (the Pleiades) at 7:00;
Jupiter is in western quadrature (90 degrees west of the Sun) at 18:00
2/7 Maximum lunar libration of 9.1 degrees occurs at 10:00
2/10 The Moon is 1.8 degrees south of the first magnitude star Pollux
at 15:00
2/11 The equation of time is at its minimum (-14.26 minutes) for 2006
at 11:00
2/13 Full Moon (known as the Hunger, Snow, Storm, or Wolf Moon)
occurs at 4:44; the Moon is 2.5 degrees north-northeast of the first
magnitude star Regulus at 17:00
2/14 The Moon is at apogee, subtending 29'24" from a distance of
406,359 km, at 1:00; Mercury (magnitude -1.1) is 0.02 degrees
northeast of Uranus (magnitude 5.9) at 16:00
2/15 Minimum lunar libration of 2.8 degrees occurs at 4:00; Venus at
its greatest latitude north of the ecliptic (3.4 degrees) at 16:00
2/17 Venus is at greatest brilliancy at 20:00
2/16 The Sun enters the constellation of Aquarius (ecliptic longitude
327.71 degrees) at 13:00; the Moon is at the descending node
(longitude 184.7 degrees) at 14:40
2/18 Mars is 2.3 degrees south-southeast of the center of the bright
open cluster M45 (the Pleiades) at 2:00; the Moon is 0.41 degrees
north of the first magnitude star Spica at 5:00 - an occultation
occurs in central Africa and the easternmost part of North America;
Mercury is at the ascending node at 8:00
2/19 Mars is in eastern quadrature (90 degrees east of the Sun) at
15:00
2/20 Jupiter is 4.8 degrees north-northeast of the Moon at 5:00
2/21 Last Quarter Moon occurs at 7:17; the Moon is 0.29 degrees
southeast of the first magnitude star Antares at 21:00 - an
occultation occurs in New Zealand, most of Australia, and Indonesia
2/22 Mercury is at perihelion at 0:00; maximum lunar libration of
10.1 degrees occurs at 12:00
2/23 Asteroid 4 Vesta is stationary at 8:00; comet C/2005 E2
(McNaught) is at perihelion at 13:00
2/24 Mercury is at greatest eastern elongation (18 degrees) at 5:00;
Mercury and the star 14 Piscium are within 5.0" of each other at
8:26 - an occultation occurs in Australia
2/25 The Moon is 0.79 degrees south of the asteroid 1 Ceres at 10:00
2/26 The Moon is 3.6 degrees south-southeast of Neptune at 16:00
2/27 The Moon is at perigee, subtending 33'29" from a distance of
356,885 km, at 20:00 - large tides may occur
2/28 New Moon (lunation 1029) occurs at 0:31; the Moon is 1.4 degrees
south-southeast of Uranus at 3:00; minimum lunar libration of 2.5
degrees occurs at 15:00
Times and dates for the lunar light rays predicted to occur this
month are available at www.lunar-
occultations.com/rlo/rays/rays.htm
The zodiacal light may be visible during the second half of February
from a dark site. Look to the west as evening twilight ends.
The planets on February 1: Mercury (-1.4 magnitude, 4.9", 99%
illuminated), Venus (-4.5 magnitude, 53.0", 11% illuminated), Mars
(0.2 magnitude, 8.8", 89% illuminated), Jupiter (- 2.0 magnitude,
36.2", 99% illuminated), Saturn (-0.2 magnitude, 20.4", 100%
illuminated), Uranus (5.9 magnitude, 3.3", 100% illuminated), Neptune
(8.0 magnitude, 2.2", 100% illuminated), and Pluto (14.0 magnitude,
0.1", 100% illuminated).
Mercury has one of its finest evening apparitions of 2006 during the
second half of the month. It gains one degree in altitude each day
after February 8. The closest planetary appulse of the year occurs
between Mercury and Uranus on February 14. Mercury is at its best for
North American planet watchers on the evening of February 23.
Rising about 2.5 hours before the sun, dazzling Venus decreases
nearly 1" in apparent size but increases approximately 1 per cent in
illumination each day during the first two weeks of the month.
Mars continues to shrink in both size and magnitude. It travels from
Aries to Taurus early in February. For several days at mid-month,
Mars (magnitude 0.5, 7.8") is located approximately 2.5 degrees away
from M45. It passes two degrees to the south of the star cluster on
February 16.
Positioned in Libra, Jupiter rises in the east-southeast about an
half an hour before midnight at month's end. It passes 3' north of Nu
Librae (magnitude 5.2) on February 28.
At the beginning of the month, Saturn lies very close to the southern
edge of M44 in Cancer. By the end of February, the Ringed Planet has
retrograded to about 2 degrees west of the large open cluster. On the
evening of February 7, a 6.7 magnitude field star lies 2' north of
the center of Saturn. Eight magnitude Titan, Saturn's brightest
satellite, is due north of the planet on February 2 and 18 and due
south on February 10 and 26. Saturn's odd satellite Iapetus is in the
vicinity of Titan from February 14 to 16 and is due north of the
planet on the night of February 19/20.
The outer gas giants, Uranus and Neptune, are not visible this month.
It is possible to see Pluto before sunrise but it will be a far
easier target (not that it's ever a particularly easy target) in late
spring and early summer.
The ninth magnitude Comet C/2005 E2 (McNaught) heads through Pisces
this month. It passes through the Circlet of Pisces during the first
two weeks of February but is more readily observable after Full Moon.
Asteroid 4 Vesta (magnitude 6.9) is located near Epsilon Geminorum.
It passes 5' north of the star SAO 78596 (magnitude 6.4) on the
evening of February 2.
Variable star for February: R Canis Majoris (maximum magnitude 8.0 on
February 24)
Forty binary and multiple stars for February: 41 Aurigae, Struve 872,
Otto Struve 147, Struve 929, 56 Aurigae (Auriga); Nu-1 Canis Majoris,
17 Canis Majoris, Pi Canis Majoris, Mu Canis Majoris, h3945, Tau
Canis Majoris (Canis Major); Struve 1095, Struve 1103, Struve 1149,
14 Canis Minoris (Canis Minor); 20 Geminorum, 38 Geminorum, Alpha
Geminorum (Castor), 15 Geminorum, Lambda Geminorum, Delta Geminorum,
Struve 1108, Kappa Geminorum (Gemini); 5 Lyncis, 12 Lyncis, 19
Lyncis, Struve 968, Struve 1025 (Lynx); Epsilon Monocerotis, Beta
Monocerotis, 15 (S) Monocerotis (Monoceros); Struve 855 (Orion);
Struve 1104, k Puppis, 5 Puppis (Puppis)