This is it, as far as I’m concerned: the best stargazing of the year in the Northwest.
Oh sure, it’s still a little cool, but the evening viewing is just fantastic. Bundle up with that thermos of something warm and prepare to be dazzled.
If you’re not already out there, drive to the countryside and see the show. There’s still plenty to see, though, even if you do have some city lights to deal with.
The month starts with a great show Tuesday evening, when the first quarter moon partially passes across the bright Pleiades star cluster in the high southern sky just after evening twilight. It should be quite a sight, enhanced by a small telescope or even a good pair of binoculars.
On Feb. 9, the moon will be full and will really drown out the night sky with its “second-hand sunshine,” but there’s something special and romantic about the full moon close to Valentine’s Day.
During February, Venus will once again dazzle us in the early evening southwest sky. It’s the brightest starlike object you’ll see in the sky this month, for a couple of reasons. First, sunlight really bounces off Venus’ highly reflective atmosphere, and secondly, Venus is getting closer to the Earth this month.
Right now, Venus is only about 51 million miles from Earth, but by the end of the month it will be only about 34 million miles away.
Venus travels faster than Earth in its own orbit around the sun, which lies within Earth’s orbit around our home star. Venus and Earth are now on the same side of the sun, but because of Venus’ more rapid pace it will pass by Earth next month and make its closest approach to us.
Venus is so bright right now that it will cast a faint shadow if you’re really out in the boonies. Despite its brightness, don’t expect to see much on Venus through a telescope, because it has a very thick, obscuring atmosphere.
One thing that’s kind of neat, though, is that because of its orbital mechanics it goes through phase changes just like the moon. This month Venus is crescent shaped.
The main stargazing show this month is in the southern skies. Face that way and you’ll get an eyeful of what I call “Orion and his gang.” I love this part of the heavens, especially the majestic constellation Orion the Hunter, with its three distinctive belt stars and the bright stars Rigel and Betelgeuse.
Below the belt of Orion lies is the wonderful Great Orion Nebula, a huge cloud of hydrogen gas and dust more than 1,500 light-years away, where new stars and solar systems are being born. You can easily see it with your naked eyes. It looks like a fuzzy star.
Binoculars and telescopes reveal a lot more of its natural beauty, and you can even see four stars, arranged in a trapezoid, that were born out of the nebulae not more than 10 million years ago. Believe me, for stars that’s really young.
Surrounding Orion are other bright shiners in neighboring constellations like Taurus (the bull). Auriga (the chariot driver), Gemini (the twins) and Canis Major (the big dog) with the bright star Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky anytime of the year. Sirius is a Greek name that means “scorching.”
In the northern sky, the Big Dipper is standing up on its handle and Cassiopeia is high in the north near the overhead zenith. It’s as bright as the Big Dipper and looks like an upside down “W” that outlines the throne of Queen Cassiopeia. The queen is tied up in her throne because she bragged that she was more beautiful than Hera, the Queen of the Greek gods and the owner of the largest ego in mythology.
In the eastern sky there’s a sign of spring. Look for the diagonal backward question mark that outlines the chest and head of Leo (the lion). The bright star at the bottom of the question mark is Regulus. Leo eventually will lead in the springtime constellations, as well as the planet Saturn that rises behind it about 8:30 p.m.
Saturn is a wonderful telescope target, but from last year into this year, it has lost some of its luster. The gorgeous ring system on Saturn is nearly on edge from our view on Earth, making it really tough to see and enjoy. It’s still worth a gander though.
Mike Lynch is an amateur astronomer and professional broadcast meteorologist for WCCO Radio in Minneapolis and author of the book, “Washington Starwatch,” available at bookstores and at his Web site, www.lynchandthestars.com.
The Everett Astronomical Society welcomes new members and puts on public star parties. The Web site is www.everettastro.org.
Instructions for using the Star Map
To use this map, cut it out and attach it to a stiff backing. Hold it over your head and line up the compass points on the map’s horizon to the actual direction you’re facing. East and west on this map are not backward. When you hold this map over your head, east and west will be in their proper positions. Also use a small flashlight and attach a red piece of cloth or red paper over the lens of the flashlight. You won’t lose your night vision when you look at this map in red light.
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