February 2024 Skywatch-10 Celestial Events
By: Sahil Wani
The month of February 2024 will offer a spectacular show of celestial events for skywatchers around the world. From planets and comets to the moon and stars, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Here is a summary of the main events and how to observe them.
February 2: Mercury at aphelion
Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, but it also has a very elliptical orbit. This means that its distance from the sun varies throughout the year. On February 2, Mercury will reach its aphelion, which is the farthest point from the sun in its orbit. Mercury will be about 69.8 million kilometers away from the sun, compared to its average distance of 57.9 million kilometers.
This event will not affect the visibility of Mercury, which will be too close to the sun to be seen for most of the month. However, it is an interesting fact to know about the dynamics of our solar system.
February 7: Moon near Venus
Venus is the brightest planet in the sky, and it can be easily seen in the morning or evening twilight. On February 7, Venus will have a close encounter with the moon, which will be in its waxing crescent phase. The two objects will appear only 3 degreesapart in the sky, which is about the width of your three fingers held at arm’s length.
To see this event, look towards the “western horizon” after sunset. You will see a thin crescent moon with a bright star-like object nearby. That is Venus, shining with a magnitudeof -3.9. Magnitude is a measure of brightness, where lower numbers mean brighter objects. For comparison, the full moon has a magnitude of -12.7.
February 8: Moon and Mars conjunction
Mars is the red planet, and it can be seen as a faint orange dot in the night sky. On February 8, Mars will align with the moon, which will be in its first quarter phase. The two objects will appear only 1.5 degreesapart in the sky, which is about the width of your thumb held at arm’s length.
To see this event, look towards the southwestern sky in the evening. You will see a half-lit moon with a reddish star-like object nearby. That is Mars, shining with a magnitude of 1.2.
February 11: Moon and Saturn conjunction
Saturn is the ringed planet, and it can be seen as a yellowish dot in the sky. On February 11, Saturn will align with the moon, which will be in its waxing gibbous phase. The two objects will appear only 4 degrees apart in the sky, which is about the width of your four fingers held at arm’s length.
To see this event, look towards the “southeastern sky” before dawn. You will see a bright moon with a yellowish star-like object nearby. That is Saturn, shining with a magnitude of 0.6.
February 14: Comet C/2021 S3 at perihelion
Comets are icy bodies that orbit the sun in long and eccentric paths. As they approach the sun, they heat up and release gas and dust, forming a tailthat can be seen from Earth. On February 14, a new comet discovered in 2021, named C/2021 S3, will reach its perihelion, which is the closest point to the sun in its orbit. The comet will be about 88.8 million kilometers away from the sun, and about 149.6 million kilometers away from Earth.
This event will make the comet more visible, as it will reach its peak brightness of about magnitude 7. This means that it will be too faint to be seen with the naked eye, but it can be spotted with a pair of binoculars or a small telescope.
To see this event, look towards the “northeastern sky”before sunrise. You will need a clear and dark sky, away from city lights. You will also need a star chart or an app to help you locate the comet, as it will not have any obvious landmarks nearby. The comet will appear as a fuzzy blob with a faint tail pointing away from the sun.
February 15: Moon near Jupiter
Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system, and it can be seen as a bright white dot in the sky. On February 15, Jupiter will have a close encounter with the moon, which will be in its full phase. The two objects will appear only 4 degrees apart in the sky, which is about the width of your four fingers held at arm’s length.
To see this event, look towards the “southern sky” after sunset. You will see a full moon with a bright star-like object nearby. That is Jupiter, shining with a magnitude of -2.1.
February 16: Moon and Pleiades cluster (M45) close approach
The Pleiades cluster, also known as M45or the “Seven Sisters”, is a group of young and hot stars that can be seen as a small dipper-shaped pattern in the sky. On February 16, the moon, which will be in its “waning gibbous” phase, will pass near the Pleiades cluster. The two objects will appear only 2.5 degreesapart in the sky, which is about the width of your two fingers held at arm’s length.
To see this event, look towards the “western sky” in the late night or early morning. You will see a bright moon with a small cluster of stars nearby. That is the Pleiades, shining with a combined magnitude of 1.6. You may be able to see up to seven stars with the naked eye, but with binoculars or a telescope, you can see more than 100 stars in the cluster.
February 17: Moon, Jupiter, and Orion glow together
Orion is one of the most recognizable constellations in the sky, and it can be seen as a large rectangle with three stars in a row forming its belt. On February 17, the moon, which will be in its waning gibbousphase, will join Jupiter and Orion in the southern sky after sunset. The three objects will form a triangle in the sky, with the moon at the top, Jupiter at the bottom left, and Orion at the bottom right.
To see this event, look towards the “southern sky” after sunset. You will see a bright moon, a bright star-like object, and a large constellation forming a triangle. That is the moon, Jupiter, and Orion, shining with magnitudes of -12.4,-2.1, and 2.5, respectively.
February 22: Venus near Mars
Venus and Mars are the two planets that are closest to Earth, and they can be seen as bright and colorful dots in the sky. On February 22, Venus and Mars will have a close encounter, appearing only 0.4 degreesapart in the sky, which is less than the width of your little finger held at arm’s length. This will be the closest conjunction of the two planets since 2015.
To see this event, look towards the western horizon after sunset. You will see a bright white star-like object and a faint orange star-like object very close to each other. That is Venus and Mars, shining with magnitudes of -3.9and 1.3, respectively.
February 24: Snow moon
The full moon of February is known as the “snow moon”, because it usually occurs when snow covers the ground in many parts of the world. The snow moon of 2024 will be special, because it will also be a supermoon. A supermoon is when the full moon coincides with the moon’s perigee, which is the closest point to Earth in its orbit. The moon will be about 356,761 kilometersaway from Earth, compared to its average distance of 384,400 kilometers.
This event will make the moon appear larger and brighter than usual, by about 7%in diameter and 15% in brightness. The moon will have a magnitude of -12.9, making it the brightest object in the night sky.
To see this event, look towards the eastern horizon as the sun sets. You will see a huge and bright moon rising above the horizon. The best time to see the moon is when it is low in the sky, as it will appear larger due to an optical illusion. You can also enjoy the moon throughout the night, as it will illuminate the landscape with its silvery light.
(The author is an Engineer and a Research Scholar)
KV News
