The planet Mars is to the upper left of the Moon as they climb into good view around 9 p.m. It looks like a bright orange star. The two keep company as they soar high across the south during the night.
Last Week's Stargazing Tips
February 9, 2012
February 8, 2012
The giant but faint planet Uranus passes quite close to Venus, the “evening star,” the next few evenings. Tonight, Uranus is just to the upper left of Venus. Through binoculars, it looks like a tiny star with perhaps a hint of green.
February 7, 2012
Venus, our closest planetary neighbor, is high in the southwest as night falls this month. It is the brilliant "evening star," so you can’t miss it.
February 6, 2012
The Big Dipper is the most famous star pattern. Before and during the Civil War, slaves fleeing to the north paid special attention to it. They knew it as the Drinking Gourd. The rule for a successful escape was to always follow the Drinking Gourd.
February 5, 2012
The gibbous Moon tonight pushes through a wide ring of stars known as the Winter Circle. The Moon is about half-way between Procyon, the brightest star of the little dog, and Pollux and Castor, the “twin” stars of Gemini.
February 4, 2012
The Winter Circle is one of the largest asterisms in the sky — a pattern of stars that doesn’t form a constellation. It incorporates stars from six constellations and spans a swath of the sky that’s six times the width of your fist held at arm’s length.
February 3, 2012
Look toward the northeast this evening for the Big Dipper. Its handle points toward the horizon. The second star from the end of the handle is Mizar. If you look at it under dark skies, you should see a faint star very near Mizar, called Alcor.
