February Skies

Jon Spargo, New Mexico Tech Astronomy Club

As we begin to leave winter and approach spring, it is once again time to view the ethereal Zodiacal Light. At this time of the year the ecliptic, the plane of the planets orbiting the Sun in our solar system, is nearly vertical in the western sky. The inner solar system is populated by huge numbers of small dust particles thought to have somehow originated from Mars. Sunlight reflects off this myriad of dust particles and appears to us after dark on the western horizon as a pyramid of faint light. This pyramid of light reaches up into the early night sky and is visible on the western horizon for several hours after sunset.

To view this beautiful sight, you’ll need to find a very dark place with a good view of the western horizon. The moon will, of course, be a factor in viewing this faint light. This year the best intervals for moonlight-free observing are: January 20 through February 2, February 18 through March 3; and March 19 to April 3.

Our evening parade of planets is almost over as Jupiter moves closer to the western horizon, disappearing from our view on the 21^st, as it heads for conjunction with the Sun on March 5. Now our planetary viewing must shift to the early morning hours just before sunrise.

Beginning on February 5, a trio of planets will command our view. Starting off will be brilliant Venus as it begins to climb higher into the early morning sky. At magnitude -4.9 Venus will be easy to spot. Venus is joined, early in the month by Mercury, at magnitude +0.3, which can be found below and to the left of Venus for the first few days of the month. Slightly below and to the left of Venus, Mars at magnitude +1.4 completes this trio of early morning planets. While Mercury will soon dip below the horizon again, Mars joins Venus’s steady accent into the pre-dawn sky. While Venus is easily viewable with the naked eye, Mars and Mercury may require a pair of binoculars for viewing.

The Moon will be new on the 1^st, first quarter on the 8^th, full on the 16^th, and last quarter on the 23^rd. Looking southwest on the 2^nd, about 45 minutes after sunset, the new crescent Moon can be found just below and to the left of Jupiter and just above the horizon. The next Lunar encounter with planets occurs late in the month on the 27^th and 28^th. Looking southeast, about 45 minutes before sunrise, the waning crescent Moon can be seen next to and then below Mars and Venus.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions there will not be a first Saturday star party at the Etscorn Campus Observatory.

Clear Skies!

Jon Spargo

New Mexico Tech Astronomy Club

February 2022