The Last Quarter Moon is Monday February 9. Saturn is low in the western sky. Jupiter is rising before astronomical twilight and dominates the northern sky. It forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and
Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. Uranus can be seen in binoculars above the Pleiades cluster. Comet C/2024 E1 Wierzchos may be visible in binoculars. The variable star Mira may be visible in the evening.
The Last Quarter Moon is Monday February 9. The Moon is at apogee (when it is furthest from Earth) on the 11th.
North-western sky on the evening of Saturday, February 7 as seen from Adelaide
at 21:52 ACDST ( 90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).
The planet Uranus is theoretically visible to the unaided eye from Dark sky locations, as it is magnitude 5.7, but it is best seen with binoculars. The beautiful and obvious Pleiades cluster is the signpost to the faint planet. The waning moon will not interfere in the early evening.
The inset is the binocular view of the Pleiades and Uranus at this time.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time ( 90 minutes after sunset).
Western
sky on Saturday, February 7 as seen from Adelaide at 21:17 ACDST (60
minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Saturn is lowering in the west.
The inset shows the telescopic view of Saturn at this time.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset).
North-eastern sky on Saturday, February 7 as seen from Adelaide at 21:52 ACDST (90
minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 10th, but will be bright for many months. Jupiter forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux.
The inset shows the telescopic view of Jupiter at this time.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90
minutes after sunset).
Western
sky on Saturday, February 7 as seen from Adelaide at 21:52 ACDST (90
minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Saturn is setting in the west. Comet C/2024 E1 Wierzchos is close to the constellation of the Phoenix.
Comet C/2024 E1 Wierzchos was predicted to be bright, but has remained dim. The comet will be higher in the evening skies when the sky is fully dark and the waning moon is rising well after the Comet has set. It may be visible in binoculars at this time.
the circle shows the location of the variable star Mira, which is brightening, it should be visible to the unaided eye about now.
The inset shows the binocular view of the comet at this this time.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset).
Whole sky on Saturday, February 7 as seen from Adelaide at 21:52 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click
to embiggen).
Saturn is setting in the northwest. Jupiter is rising in the northeast.
Bright Canopus and Sirius are near the Zenith. Orion is now high in the north-western sky.
The
Southern Cross is low in the Southern sky. The moon is waning and
the fainter clusters and nebula are becoming easier to see.
Elsewhere
in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).
Mercury is lost in the twilight.
Venus is lost in the twilight glow.
Mars is lost in the twilight.
Jupiter climbs in the morning twilight and is now rising before astronomical twilight. Jupiter forms a triangle with the bright stars Castor and Pollux, and Procyon. Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 10th.
Saturn is the brightest object in the north-western skies but is getting lower.
Labels: weekly sky
# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 6:00 pm
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