Southern Skywatch February 2023 edition is now out!

 Evening sky showing the track of comet C/2022 E3 from Monday February 6 to Tuesday February 14 as seen from Adelaide at 21:56 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen). The comet is easily visible in binoculars and can be located by sweeping up from the bright star Capella above the northern horizon towards Mars and the star Aldebaran. For more detailed carts and spotters maps see my C/2022 E3 page.

The February edition of Southern Skywatch is now up. 

This month the planetary action is largely in the evening skies, with Venus. Jupiter and Mars prominent and bright, Saturn is lost in the twilight and Mercury begins to leave morning sky. February is also when the long-awaited comet C/2022 E3 enters the evening sky.

February 4; apogee Moon. February 6; Full Moon. February 5-6; comet C/2022 E3 becomes visible in Australian skies. February 14; Last Quarter Moon. February 19; the thin crescent moon near Mercury in the morning sky. February 19; Moon at perigee. February 20; New Moon. February 22; the crescent Moon is very close to Venus in the twilight. February 22-23; Jupiter, the crescent Moon and Venus make a nice line-up. February 26; the crescent Moon is close to Jupiter. February 29; First Quarter Moon. February 28; the Moon is close to Mars, Venus and Jupiter close. 

Mercury begins to fall back towards the eastern horizon sky this month. On the 19th the thin crescent moon is less than 4° above Mercury. You will need a level, unobstructed horizon to see the pair at their best. You may need binoculars to clearly see the pair. On the 1st Mercury is just one and a half hand-spans from from the eastern horizon an hour before sunrise. On the 15th Mercury is just under one and a half hand-spans from from the eastern horizon an hour before sunrise. By the 28th Mercury is just one and a half hand-spans from from the eastern horizon half an hour before sunrise.

 Venus climbs higher in the evening sky this month; the low angle of the ecliptic means it never gets really high although it is prominent at nautical twilight by the end of the month Venus has three close encounters this month. On the 15th Venus and Neptune are just 10 arc-minutes apart, but this will be almost impossible to observe. On the 22nd Venus will be just 1° from the crescent moon, making a fine binocular sight. Venus currently looks like a gibbous Moon. Venus and Jupiter have been approaching each other all month, and on the 28th are just 2° apart and will be even closer in March, they will make a fine binocular pair but telescopic observation will be tricky.  

Mars is well past opposition this Month but is still prominent, making a triangle with Aldebaran and the Pleiades. As the month progress mars fades more as it moves down the “horns” of Taurus the Bull. By the end of the Month Mars forms a triangle with Beta and Zeta Taurii (the tips of the horns). Mars is shrinking in telescopic view but is still a worthwhile telescopic object this month. On the 28th Mars is around 3° from the waxing moon (very obvious as the brightest object near the moon), mid power binocular fields will fit the pair in.  

Jupiter is lowering in the north-western evening sky. It is a difficult telescopic object best captured just before astronomical twilight early in the month. On the 22nd and the 23rd Jupiter the crescent Moon, and Venus make a pleasing line up in the twilight. Venus and Jupiter have been approaching each other all month, and on the 28th are just 2° apart and will be even closer in March.  

Saturn is lost in the twilight and will enter the morning skies mid-March.