Mid-Winter Astronomy Treats
February 2006 :
Note: This article may contain outdated information
This article was published in the February 2006 issue of The Skyscraper and likely contains some information that was pertinent only for that month. It is being provided here for historical reference only.
If the current warm conditions prevail for a while, I may even see my front lawn before February. But this is New England, and I know better. We're going to pay for these balmy conditions.
Lately we amateur astronomers have not had any major astronomical events happening in February. And when the temperatures usually dip into the teens and below, it requires a dedicated individual to venture outdoors to simply do some casual observing. This February is no exception. No major astronomical event is forthcoming.
But, if you just received a telescope for Christmas, I'm sure you're getting anxious to set it up and put it to good use collecting the light of the universe. And for a novice to this fascinating hobby of amateur astronomy, there are many beautiful objects to "discover" for the first time.
Perhaps your first target should be the Moon. It will start out as a thin crescent at the beginning of the month. On the 5th it will be at First Quarter. This phase is a good time to focus on the area known as the terminator (the line that separates the sunlit portion of the lunar surface from the dark). If you were standing anywhere along the terminator, you would see the sun rising. From the Earth we can see a lot of detail along this line because of the long shadows cast by the rising Sun.
Also on the 5th you can easily spot the red planet Mars just two degrees from the Moon. A telescope will reveal a tiny disc that is getting smaller and smaller each night as the Earth quickly recedes from our desert neighbor.
The Moon can also be used as a beacon to find the Pleiades star cluster on the following evening. Also known as the Seven Sisters, the Pleiades are a group of six hot blue stars that resemble a little dipper, for which they are usually misidentified. The stars in this cluster are fairly young, having been born from a cloud of dust and gas in this region of space within the last 100 million years. They are a beautiful sight to behold under low magnification.
And, one day later, the Moon will be at its closest to the Earth for the entire year - 217,000 miles. We can expect large tides on that date, which can cause serious erosion should an ocean storm threaten any seacoast.
Almost everybody's favorite planet is Saturn, and this beautiful world is well placed for observing during February. An observer can find this magnificent ringed planet, bright and with a yellow hue, about halfway up the eastern sky around 8:00 pm. From a dark sky you will notice a fuzzy patch near Saturn. Perhaps your eye will detect 10 to 12 stars in this region of space. Binoculars or a small telescope will reveal 40 to 50 stars. Saturn will remain near this open star cluster, called the Beehive, until both are lost in the solar glare sometime during late July or so.
Even a low power eyepiece will reveal Saturn's ring system. From Earth we are looking at the southern surface of the rings, as the planet is tipped away from us. It's really amazing that we see the rings at all at a distance of over one billion miles, since they are only about 100 yards thick (300 feet). A small telescope may reveal one or two divisions in the ring system. A larger instrument shows much more, though our atmosphere must be steady for any telescope to perform well enough to discern great detail. Don't forget to look closely for any of Saturn's moons. The biggest and brightest of them is Titan, and it can be easily seen.
And finally, want to get a glimpse of the closest planet to the Sun, Mercury? In February it will be quite easy if you have a good view of the western horizon. On February 23-24, Mercury will be 18 degrees above the western horizon during twilight. This time is optimum to observe Mercury, but you should begin your exploration of this world about two weeks before and continue until about a week and a half later.
To find Mercury, note where the Sun sets on any given evening. About half an hour after sunset you should notice Mercury in the darkening sky above the sunset point (between WSW and West). You can watch Mercury quickly run through phases like the Moon. On Feb 12 Mercury will be 90% lit; on the 16th - 80%; 20th - 67%; 24th - 50%; 28th - 31% and March 4, 15%. This appearance of Mercury, away from the glare of the Sun, is a very favorable one for us, so try your luck in seeing this planet named for the fleet-footed messenger of the gods.
Good luck in all your observing endeavors. Let's hope Mother Nature is kind to us for the remaining winter months.
Keep your eyes to the skies.
