Jupiter, king of our solar system’s planets, continues to dominate the night sky in February.
Lying inside the zodiac constellation Gemini, which sits well up in the eastern sky, it is the brightest object there and cannot be missed.
Jupiter is visible all night.
Look for the gibbous moon just above Jupiter on Feb. 27.
Saturn is gradually getting more difficult to see but may be viewed with several other planets in the western sky shortly after sunset in the first half of February. Look for the ringed planet about 35 degrees above the horizon in the first two weeks of the month.
On Feb. 18 a nice grouping of objects will occur.
Saturn will be the highest, 30 degrees above the western horizon.
Mercury will be 15 degrees below the ringed planet, with the slim crescent moon just to its left.
And very close to the horizon and below Mercury, Venus, the brightest of all these objects, may be seen — especially for sky-watchers who have a good clear view right down to the western horizon.
In the latter half of February both Saturn and Mercury will appear to swing down toward the sun with Mercury disappearing by March.
Saturn will be even more difficult to see in March and will be lost in the glare of the sun by month’s end.
Venus, however, will gradually appear to appear higher toward March.
Mars remains invisible to us again this month.
Feb. 2 is the exact midpoint between the winter solstice, the first day of winter, and the vernal equinox, the first day of spring.
Despite whatever the groundhog sees on Feb. 2, shadow or no shadow, spring is still six weeks away.
However, the night sky in mid-February offers a hint of spring’s arrival. Looking east around 8 or 9 p.m. Zodiac constellation Leo the lion pushes its backward question mark shape into the sky.
Leo lies high in the south in April and May.
In February we see the front of Leo as the promise of spring to come.
Look for the waxing crescent moon very close to the Pleiades’ open star cluster on Feb. 23. Binoculars should show both in the same field of view.
Also look for an early full moon this February, on Feb. 1.