February Skies by Dick Cookman

Highlights: Comet Journal, Martian Landers, Meteor Showers, Planet Plotting, February Moon 

Focus Constellations: Ursa Major, Draco, Ursa Minor, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Camelopardalis, Lynx, Leo Minor, Leo, Cancer, Gemini, Orion, Taurus, Auriga, Perseus, Andromeda, Triangulum, Aries, Pisces

  • Comet Journals 

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) has dimmed to 11th magnitude in Aquila and is retreating to the Oort Belt as it leaves the inner solar system. 

Comet ATLAS C/2024 G3 was decapitated by the Sun after passing perihelion on January 13. The headless comet is in southern hemisphere skies in the constellations Piscis Austrinus and Grus in February and displays a disintegrating tail at magnitude -1.0. It reached magnitude -3.8 near perihelion.

Mars Landers

“The arid and cold landscape of modern Mars contrasts sharply with its past, when flowing rivers and lakes carved its surface billions of years ago…Scientists at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have uncovered the chemical processes that allowed Mars to sustain warm conditions long enough to host liquid water – and possibly primitive life. Their findings build on earlier theories suggesting that ancient Mars experienced cycles of warming and cooling. “It’s been such a puzzle that there was liquid water on Mars, because Mars is further from the sun, and also, the sun was fainter early on,” said Danica Adams, NASA Sagan Postdoctoral Fellow and lead author of the study published in Nature Geoscience. Previous theories posited that hydrogen mixed with carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere caused greenhouse warming. However, since atmospheric hydrogen dissipates quickly, researchers needed a more detailed analysis to explain its persistence…During Mars’ Noachian and Hesperian periods, between 4 and 3 billion years ago, the planet experienced episodic warm spells spanning approximately 40 million years. Each warming episode, lasting 100,000 years or more, was driven by crustal hydration, which released hydrogen into the atmosphere over extended periods. These estimates align with Mars’ geological features observed today.”

  • Meteor Showers

There are no February northern hemisphere meteor shower. The radiant of the Alpha Centaurid Shower is about 59°S latitude, too far south for observers in the USA. 

February 8: Alpha Centaurids, Active January 28 – February 21. Radiant 14h00m -59°. ZHR up to 25+. 41 km/sec. Waxing Crescent Moon. Progenitor: Unknown.

  • Planet Plottings 

Southwestern evening skies in February include Mercury (0.9 to -1.0) in Capricornus and Pisces, Saturn (+1.1) in Aquarius, Venus (-4.5) in Pisces, and Neptune (+7.9 to 8.0) in Pisces. Uranus (+5.7 to +5.8) in Aries, and Jupiter (-2.4 to -2.2) in Taurus appear high in the southeastern sky. Mars (-1.0 to -0.3) in Gemini is visible all night long and is the only morning planet. 

On the 1st, the waxing crescent Moon passes Saturn at midnight and brilliant Venus in the afternoon, before sunset when Venus appears above Saturn. Venus is 3.0° from Neptune on the 3rd. Mercury reaches superior conjunction at 7:00AM EST on the 9th and is not visible in early February. Look for it to appear low in the southwest near Saturn on the 24th and near the waxing crescent Moon on the 28th. Saturn, with its rings almost edge on, sets in the southwest 3 hours before the Sun on the 1st and about an hour earlier on the 15th. Uranus and Jupiter are high in the southeastern sky after sunset in early February. They set well after midnight throughout the month. The waxing gibbous Moon passes Uranus on the 5th, Jupiter on the 6th, and Mars on the 9th. Mars was closest to Earth on January 12, and at opposition on the 15th when it reached maximum brightness (magnitude -1.4). Although it has dimmed by a factor of almost 1.5, surface details like polar caps and mares may be still observed in high quality refractors and other large telescopes. With excellent seeing conditions and sufficient patience, amateur observers report seeing hints of features like Olympus Mons or Valles Marineris! The next opposition, when Earth is between the Sun and Mars, is 26 months from now in 2027.

Planet

Constellation(s)

Magnitude

Planet Passages

Time

Date

Sun

Capricornus – Aquarius

-26.5

New Moon

7:45PM EST

2/27

Mercury

Capricornus – Pisces

-0.9 to -1.0

Superior Conjunction

7:00AM EST

2/9

Venus

Pisces

-4.5

Neptune 3.0°S

3:00PM EST

2/3

Mars

Gemini

-1.0 to -0.3

Jupiter

Taurus

-2.4 to -2.2

Saturn

Aquarius

1.1

Uranus

Aries

5.7 to 5.8

Neptune

Pisces

7.9 to 8.0

Venus 3.0°N

3:00PM EST

2/3

  • February Moon

February’s New Moon is in Aquarius on the 27th at 7:45PM EST. It marks the start of Lunation 1264 which ends 29.47 days later with the New Moon on March 29 at 6:58AM EST. The Full Moon on the 12th at 8:53AM EST is in Leo which is just above the back of the Anishnaabe constellation of the Great Lynx or Panther (Mishi bizhiw). The Great Lynx is close to the right hand of “Beboonkeonini” (The Wintermaker), which is centered on modern day Orion. Mishi bizhiw were believed to be powerful underworld monsters native to Michipicoten Island in Lake Superior who protected Great Lakes waters and the vast metal resources. February’s Moon is also known as the Wolf, Snow or Hunger Moon. Colonial Americans called it the “Trapper’s Moon”. To the Celts it was the “Moon of Ice”, and it is the “Budding Moon” for the Chinese. Medieval English thought of it as the “Storm Moon”, and the Anishinaabe (Odawa and Ojibwe) people of northern Michigan recognize it as “Namebini-giizis” (Suckerfish Moon) in the eastern dialect and Mkwa-giizis (Bear Moon) in the western dialect. Ontario’s Earth Haven Farm presents cultural teachings of the Mississauga branch of the Anishinabek Nation. They explain the cycle of life and nature of the 13 Grandmother Moons. “The second moon of Creation is Bear Moon, when we honour the vision quest that it began in the fall. During this time, we discover how to see beyond reality and to communicate through energy rather than sound.”Lunar perigee – Feb. 1, 9:47PM EST. The Moon is at 228,327 mi. (57.61 Earth radii). Lunar Apogee (maximum lunar distance) – Feb. 17 at 8:10PM EST. The Moon’s distance is 251,582 mi. (63.48 Earth radii).

Planet

Constellation

Magnitude

Moon Passages

Moon Phase

Moon Age

Sun Aquarius

-26.8

7:45PM EST, 2/27 New 0 Days
Mercury Pisces

-1.0

0.4°S, 11:00PM EST, 2/28 Waxing Crescent 1.14 Days
Venus Pisces

-4.5

2.0°S, 3:00PM EST, 2/1 Waxing Crescent 3.31 Days
Mars Gemini

-0.8

0.8°N, 3:00PM EST, 2/9 Waxing Gibbous 11.31 Days
Jupiter Taurus

-2.3

5.0°N, 11:00PM EST, 2/6 Waxing Gibbous 8.64 Days
Saturn Aquarius

1.1

1.0°NNW, Midnight EST, 2/1 Waxing Crescent 2.58 Days
Uranus Aries

5.7

5.0°N, 4:00PM EST, 2/5 Waxing Gibbous 7.35 Days
Neptune Pisces

7.9

1.4° N, 6:00PM EST, 2/1 Waxing Crescent 3.43 Days