{"id":40207,"date":"2023-01-19T11:22:41","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T11:22:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=40207"},"modified":"2023-01-19T11:22:41","modified_gmt":"2023-01-19T11:22:41","slug":"february-highlights-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/2023\/01\/19\/february-highlights-2\/","title":{"rendered":"February highlights"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Your guide to the night sky this month <\/p>\n\n

2 Thursday<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Naked-eye comet C\/2022 E3 ZTF is located 5\u00b0 southeast of the magnitude +4.2 open cluster Collinder 464 in Camelopardalis this morning. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
5 Sunday<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Today\u2019s full Moon occurs near apogee \u2013 known as a \u2018micromoon\u2019.<\/p>\n\n

Mars and Aldebaran (Alpha (\u03b1) Tauri) have a conjunction in right ascension, Mars 8.2\u00b0 north of the star. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
6 Monday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

This evening and into tomorrow morning, mag. +5.3 comet C\/2022 E3 ZTF is heading south past the Kids asterism in Auriga, a pattern representing baby goats.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

8 Wednesday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

This evening and into tomorrow morning, still just clinging onto naked-eye visibility, mag. +5.6 comet C\/2022 E3 ZTF is less than a degree west of mag. +2.7 Hassaleh (Iota (\u03b9) Aurigae).<\/span><\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
9 Thursday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

As the Moon moves out of the way, now is the time to try our Deep-Sky Tour<\/a>. This month we\u2019re looking at objects in and around Orion\u2019s Sword.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
11 Saturday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

The period from this morning through to tomorrow <\/span>evening sees sixth-magnitude comet C\/2022 E3 ZTF having a close encounter with Mars. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
12 Sunday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Follow our Moonwatch target<\/a>, Fra Mauro and craters around it (Bonpland and Parry pictured above) this morning through to the morning of 14 February.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

13 Monday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Comet C\/2022 E3 ZTF passes just west of the mag. +6.4 open cluster NCG 1647 in Taurus this evening. The cluster and comet are located east of the Hyades open cluster.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
14 Tuesday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

This evening and into tomorrow morning, comet C\/2022 E3 ZTF is located less than 2\u00b0 east of Aldebaran.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

15 Wednesday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Venus and Neptune have a close encounter. As darkness falls, the pair appear 20 arcminutes apart, low above the western horizon. Earlier in the day, at around 12:26 UT in daylight, the pair were just 47 arcseconds apart!<\/span><\/p>\n\n

16 Thursday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

A fairly favourable libration of the Moon can be seen today, tilting the western limb towards Earth. This provides a good view of features such as the Mare Orientale.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
18 Saturday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Fading comet C\/2022 E3 ZTF is travelling on a southward path west and roughly parallel to the faint but distinctive line of stars formed by Pi 1<\/sup>(\u03c0 1<\/sup>) to Pi 6<\/sup>(\u03c0 6<\/sup>) Orionis.<\/p>\n\n

20 Monday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

The <\/strong>beautiful open cluster M35 reaches its highest position in the sky, due south, around 20:00 UT. The cluster is just visible to the naked eye, and a real treat through binoculars or a small scope.<\/p>\n\n

22 Wednesday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

A lovely scene this evening, as the 8%-lit waxing crescent Moon sits midway and slightly below the imaginary line joining Jupiter to Venus low in the west-southwest after sunset.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

26 Sunday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

This evening\u2019s 44%-lit waxing crescent Moon sits 2.7\u00b0 from the Pleiades open cluster. Catch the pair at their best just after darkness falls.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
27 Monday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

As we head towards the end of February, Venus and Jupiter appear to be closing in on one another quite rapidly, ahead of their closest separation of 38 arcminutes on 1 March.<\/p>\n\n

28 Tuesday <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Mars and the Moon appear close in the morning sky, and continue to get closer as they approach setting at the northwest horizon. An occultation does occur, but sadly after they have both set from the UK.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

<\/div>
\n
Family stargazing <\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Bright planets Venus and Jupiter are easy to find in the evening twilight, low in the west after sunset. Wait for the Sun to properly set then set a task: who can spot the planets first? If the weather is reasonable, aim to start looking on every available evening from 20 February through to 10 March. It\u2019s unlikely they will all be clear though. Suggest drawing the arrangement seen on each evening using a finger held out at arm\u2019s length for scale. The Moon will join the scene around 21\u201323 February, adding a bit of extra excitement. 
bbc.co.uk\/cbeebies\/shows\/stargazing<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

NEED TO<\/strong> KNOW<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

The terms and symbols used in The Sky Guide<\/p>\n\n

Universal Time (UT) and British Summer Time (BST)<\/strong>
Universal Time (UT) is the standard time used by astronomers around the world. British Summer Time (BST) is one hour ahead of UT<\/p>\n\n

RA (Right ascension) and dec. (declination)<\/strong>
These coordinates are the night sky\u2019s equivalent of longitude and latitude, describing where an object is on the celestial \u2018globe\u2019<\/p>\n\n

Naked eye<\/strong>
Allow 20 minutes for your eyes to become dark-adapted<\/p>\n\n

Photo opp<\/strong>
Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR<\/p>\n\n

Binoculars<\/strong>
10×50 recommended<\/p>\n\n

Small\/ medium scope<\/strong>
Reflector\/SCT under 6 inches, refractor under 4 inches<\/p>\n\n

Large scope<\/strong>
Reflector\/SCT over 6 inches, refractor over 4 inches<\/p>\n\n

<\/div>
\n
GETTING STARTED<\/strong> IN ASTRONOMY<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re new to astronomy, you\u2019ll find two essential reads on our website. Visit bit.ly\/10_easylessons<\/a> <\/strong>for our 10-step guide to getting started and bit.ly\/buy_scope<\/a> <\/strong>for advice on choosing a scope<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

PHOTOS: PETE LAWRENCE<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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