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Uranus visible next to Venus
By Larry Mahon
Agate Ridge Observatory
The early night sky at the beginning of February may have the casual observer asking questions, and by the end of the month, there will be many of them asking which of the bright planets is Venus or Jupiter.
Venus is the planet closest to the Western horizon. Its eastward motion will cause it to move to within 12 degrees of Jupiter by month's end. That is only just over a fist width at arm's length (about 10 degrees). It will move even closer in March.
Viewing Venus shortly after sunset, while the sky is still bright, will reduce the planet's glare and you will be able to see its gibbous phase.
If you view this on Feb. 9, leave your telescope set up. After it gets dark, you will find the planet Uranus (magnitude 5.9) only one-third of a degree south of dazzling Venus. Moderate magnification will be required to see the smaller planet as it appears only one-third the diameter of Venus.
Mars makes a colorful evening appearance at about 8:30 p.m. as the month begins. The planet's brightness doubles again this month to -1.2 magnitude, and its rapid retrograde motion, moving westward in relation to the background stars, causes it to rise right after sunset (5:50 p.m.) by month's end.
On Feb. 9, Mars will be to the left of the waning gibbous moon and between the moon and Denebola, the end star of Leo's tail.
The apparent diameter of the planet increases to 13.9 arc seconds this month and viewing Mars near midnight when it is high in the southern sky could show some detail on the planet's surface if the seeing is good.
The bright planet Mercury slips into view late in the month at magnitude -1.0 and will set about an hour after the sun on Feb. 22.
A few minutes after 6 p.m., you will find the planet only 5 degrees above the west-northwest horizon and the same distance to the left of the 1-day-old waxing crescent moon.
A low west-northwest horizon is a must for the possible viewing of this passing. Three nights later, the older crescent moon passes Venus and the following night it passes Jupiter.
Saturn comes up around 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 1. Saturn's ring system is tilted at a temporary 15 degrees from edge-on.
During the next five months, this tilt angle will decrease. Viewing Saturn will be at its best around 5 a.m. when the planet will be highest in the southern sky.
Saturn begins its retrograde motion on Feb. 8, which will allow viewing the planet a couple of hours earlier by the end of the month.
Looking to the Western horizon as the sky darkens, you will see two easily recognized constellations diving out of sight. In the northwest is Cygnus the swan (usually recognized as a large cross) with the Blue and Gold Double stars going first.
Second is Pegasus, the horse, going head first into the Western horizon with the Great Andromeda Galaxy (M-31) swinging northward around Polaris and then setting in the north-northwest at about 1:30 a.m. Look early this month because they will not be seen again for a few months. Happy viewing.