THE NIGHT SKY FEBRUARY 2008
Página de los acontecimientos del cielo de la noche en línea
(image) NASA http://www.nasa.gov/
We will update this monthly with the nightsky events, if you happen to know about a nightsky event then please get in touch with the site our monthly update of the night sky is mainly northern hemisphere but will probally have a section for the south coming soon. Thank you to the people who will be assisting with this page by submitting night sky events to me.
The Lunar Eclipse
At 3am on the 21st February 2008 a total luanr eclipse was due in the UK and unfortunatlly cloud cover ment I could not view this event and alot of british peopel had cloud cover as well. The next total eclipse will be a while away yet for a lunar eclipse but we would still like information or your views on this eclipse so please feel free to get in touch with us thanks.
Email us@ danastrouk@hotmail.co.uk share your experiences, images, other of the Luanr Eclipse get in touch with the site.
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Current Moonphase
The Moon
The Moon is new on 7th February, 1st quarter is on 14th, full on 21st, last quarter on 28th.
The first quarter of The Moon will be close to the Pleiades star cluster in Taurus on the 14th
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Darker Later
The skies are becoming lighter at night and getting darker later on this is a good sign but the only disadvantage is that stargazers
have to await longer to go out stargazing before darkness occurs. The winter months always bring some excellent cold, frosty clear skies
and hopefully 2008 will become a better year.
Thank you to ben and phil for your submission of information on the nightsky
Mercury
It isnt a good month for observing the messenger of the gods. Mercury begins this month as an evening object in Capricornus, but sets less than an hour after the sun.
The planet reaches superior conjunction with the sun around the 8th of Feb, then becomes a morning object, remaining in Capricornus until the end of the month. For UK observers, Mercury's southern declination and unfavourable angle in relation to the sun means that it rises only around 30 minuets before the sun but by the end of February.
Venus
Venus is coming to the end of a long period as a brilliant morning object, which began last summer, with a grand finale' this month! The planet begins February in Sagittarius in a line of sight (as seen from earth) conjunction with Jupiter.
Venus passes less than a degree to the north of (i.e. above) Jupiter on 1st Feb and will appear relatively close to the giant planet for a few days either side of this.
For UK observers, the southern declination of both Venus and Jupiter means that the window for observing the conjunction, before both the planets are lost in the brightness of the dawn sky, is brief. Look low in the south- eastern sky from about 6am GMT to glimpse the conjunction.
Thereafter, Venus continues to move quickly eastwards into Capricornus and rises only about 30 minuets before the sun by the end of the month. The waning crescent moon is close by on the 4th of February, making a Venus/Jupiter/ Moon trio in the morning skies.
Mars
Mars remains very well placed for UK observers and amateur astronomers, high in the south during the evenings throughout the February period.
Thereafter, Mars will move slowly eastwards to be close to Taurus/Gemini by the end of the month. The waxing gibbous moon passes close to Mars on the 16th of February 2008.
Jupiter
Jupiter is in Sagittarius throughout February and begins the month with a close line of sight conjunction with Venus on the 1st (see above)
The planet Jupiter rises in the south-east shortly before 6am at the beggining of the month and whilst always being low in the sky as seen from the United Kingdom, the planet becomes easier to observe, rising at around 4am by the end of Feb. The waning crescent moon is close to Jupiter on the 4th February.
Saturn
Saturn is well placed for British Observers, rising at around 7.30pm at the beggining of February and 5.30pm by the end of the month. The full moon is close to Saturn on the 21st February.
Uranus
Uranus is in the eastern part of Aquarius throughout the month and should be observable by those with astronomy instruments or telescopes. The planet sets at about 8pm at the beggining of the month.
However, the sun is closing in fast and Uranus sets less than an hour after it by the end of the month
Neptune
Neptune is in Capricornus, but it’s ‘line of sight’ proximity to the sun mean that telescopic observation of this distant gas giant isn’t possible this month.
Neptune reaches solar conjunction on the 11th and will not be visible this month from northern latitudes.
There are no significant launches this month.
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