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Events during February
· The Moon: Full - 28th, New - 14th.
Mercury
Astronomy, Mythology & Astrology of Mercury Click for more information
At -0.1 magnitude during the first two weeks of February, Mercury is visible in the eastern sky before sunrise for observors in the tropics and southern hemisphere then becomes lost in the glare of the dawn twilight.

The best times to observe Mercury in the northen hemisphere are when it is an evening star in the spring and a morning star in the autumn. In midsummer the lighter skies make visibility difficult near the horizon.

Distance from Sun: 47 million kilometres at perihelion to 70 million kilometres at aphelion
Orbit: 88 days Temperature: -183ºC to 467ºC Diameter: 4,880 kilometres
Size: 40% of Earth

Observing Mercury in 2010 Astronomy, Missions, Mythology & Astrology

Venus
Astronomy, Mythology & Astrology of Venus Click for more information
At magnitude -3.9, Venus slowly draws away from the Sun and becomes visible low in the western sky after sunset from mid-February.

On 16th - 17th February Venus passes just 0.2º south of Jupiter but is difficult to observe in northern latitudes in the bright evening twilight. Observors in tropical latitudes, just north of the Equator, will have the best view. The next favourable conjunction of Venus and Jupiter will be on 15th March 2012.

Transit On the 8th June 2004, Venus was at inferior conjunction and transited the sun. Transits of Venus are rare, taking place at greater than 100 year intervals and usually in pairs. The last two transits of Venus were in 1874 and 1882. June's transit began at 7.20h and lasted 6 hours until 13.20h, the total event visible from Europe as a small black disc crossing the lower part of the Sun from left to right. The next transit will be in late June 2012. After that, transits of Venus won't occur again until 2117 and 2125.

Before and after inferior conjuction, when Venus is the closest it comes to the Earth, are the times at which the planet is most brilliant and can be seen setting or rising 4 hours after or before the Sun. The dates of the next two inferior conjunctions are October 28th 2010 and October 26th 2018.

Observing Venus in 2010 Astronomy, Missions, Mythology & Astrology

Mars
Astronomy, Mythology & Astrology of Mars Click for more information
Mars, moving retrograde in Cancer, is still visible as soon as darkness falls and for most of the night but fades from -1.3 to -0.6 magnitude during February as its distance from Earth increases.

At opposition on the 28th August 2003, Mars was only 56 million kilometres from the Earth. It showed a disc of 25.1 seconds of arc across which is almost as large as it can ever appear. Mars started 2003 at 310 million kilometres from the earth at 4.5 seconds of arc and 1.6 magnitude. By opposition it brightened 50 times to reach -2.9 magnitude but faded to 0 magnitude by December. Even to the naked eye Mars was a striking object in the summer and autumn sky, easily identifiable by its reddish hue in an area of sky poor in bright stars. Mars will not be as close again until 2018.

These favourable oppositions occur every 15 or 17 years but other oppositions occur at average intervals of 2 years 2 months during which time the planet makes a complete circle of the Earth. In general Mars is observable every other year, being too close to the sun for favourable conditions during other times. Brightness at opposition varies from -1.0 to -2.9 magnitude, and when furthest from the earth it fades to 1.7 magnitude. The planet can be identified by its orange-red colour.

As in 2003, Mars comes nearest to the Earth at oppositions at the end of August. At these times it can be brighter than Jupiter, although low in the sky in Aquarius for northern observors. In the northern hemisphere, the planet may be better seen at oppositions during autumn and winter months when it is higher in the sky.

Observing Mars in 2010 Astronomy, Missions, Mythology & Astrology

Jupiter
Astronomy, Mythology & Astrology of Jupiter Click for more information
At magnitude -2.0, Jupiter is still a bright object visible low in the western sky after sunset at the beginning of February. Jupiter is in conjunction with the Sun on the 28th, so becomes unobservable towards the end of the month.

During the conjunction with Venus, mentioned under Venus, Venus will be six times as bright as Jupiter.

Varying from 603 (at its closest) to 770 million kilometres from the sun, the difference in brightness between opposition and conjunction varies less than with Mars, from about -2.9 to -1.8 magnitude. Always a bright planet, Jupiter comes to opposition a month later each year, moving approximately from one zodiacal constellation to the next.

The 4 largest moons of Jupiter are easily visible through a small telescope, ranging from 4.6 to 5.6 in magnitude. The innermost, Io, takes 1.8 days to orbit the planet making its motion easily detectable within a few minutes.

Observing Jupiter in 2010 Astronomy, Missions, Mythology & Astrology

Saturn
Astronomy, Mythology & Astrology of Saturn Click for more information
Saturn remains in Virgo, at +0.7 magnitude, moving retrograde. The angular width of the rings has decreased slightly to 4º but should be discernible in all but the smallest instruments.

Saturn The diagram shows Saturn´s rings closing with the south pole presented towards Earth and the far side of the rings no longer appearing clear of the planet´s body. In 2009 the Earth passed through the ring plane making the rings invisible for a short while. It was the first time since 1997 that the planet´s magnitude has faded to this level.

Saturn moves more slowly than Jupiter and can remain in the same constellation for several years. The brightness of the planet depends on the aspect of its rings, as well as its distance from Earth and the Sun.

The planet crossed the equator into the northern hemisphere in 1996 where it will remain until 2010 with the southern side of the ring system facing the earth. Because of its distance, its brightness varies little between opposition and conjunction but is affected by the huge ring system. Seen edge on the rings contribute little or no light.

Every 15 years the plane of Saturn's rings passes through the sun, illuminating first the north and then the south side. For a few days the rings are edge on to the sun. About the same time the Earth passes through the ring plane and, depending on the Earth's position, this may happen just once or 3 times. During 1995/96 there was a triple crossing and the next will be 2038/39. The last single crossing was in 2009 and the next will be 2025.

Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is visible in small telescopes orbiting outside of the ring system.

Observing Saturn in 2010 Astronomy, Missions, Mythology & Astrology

Uranus
Astronomy, Mythology & Astrology of Uranus Click for more information

Brightness varies slightly, reaching a maximum of +5.6 magnitude at opposition. This is bright enough to see with the naked eye but identifying it against the stars is difficult. At closest approach, Uranus is 2,856 million kilometres (1,775 million miles) from Earth.

Observing Uranus in 2010 Astronomy, Missions, Mythology & Astrology

Neptune
Astronomy, Mythology & Astrology of Neptune Click for more information

Neptune is in conjunction with the Sun on the 14th.

Neptune has an average magnitude of 7.9 which varies little with changing distance. At its closest, Neptune is 4,341 million kilometres (2,697 million miles) from Earth.


Observing Neptune in 2010 Astronomy, Missions, Mythology & Astrology

Pluto
Astronomy, Mythology & Astrology of Pluto Click for more information
No longer an offical planet and never brighter than 13 magnitude, Pluto is only visible through powerful telescopes.

  Astronomy, Missions, Mythology & Astrology

Moon
Astronomy, Mythology & Astrology of the Moon Click for more information
February
Last quarter: 5th
New moon: 14th
First quarter: 22nd
Full moon: 28th

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