Tonight’s Sky: February 2014 Constellations, Deep-Sky Objects, Planets and Events - Highlights of the February Sky (Video)

Evening Planets
After the Sun sets on these cold February days, look for a
bright “star” blazing high overhead. This is actually not a star at all but the planet Jupiter.
A telescope will provide a better view.
Mars rises in the east late in the evening. The ruddy planet
will climb higher into the sky throughout the night.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-1U7cRgzhg

IMAGE CREDIT: HUBBLESITE/TONIGHT’S SKY – JUPITER

Constellations and Deep-Sky Objects
The winter night sky, filled with brilliant stars, presents one of
the best celestial views.
Orion, the Great Hunter of Greek mythology, dominates the
winter sky. This constellation is among the easiest to
recognize. It is full of young stars, dying stars, and many
nebulae.
Betelgeuse, one of Orion’s “shoulders,” is a red supergiant
star about 650 times bigger than the Sun. It shines with the
brightness of tens of thousands of Suns.

IMAGE CREDIT: HUBBLESITE/TONIGHT’S SKY – ORION

Canis Major, the Great Dog, is the faithful companion who
follows in Orion’s footsteps. Canis Major is dominated by the
most brilliant star in the night sky, Sirius.

Sirius is actually a double system, containing a bright star and a much smaller and fainter companion. It is a mere 8.6 light-years away.

 Scanning with binoculars just below Sirius will reveal a lovely
cluster of stars called M41. It contains about 100 stars, including several red giants.
Stars in clusters like M41 were born together and are all about the same age.

IMAGE CREDIT: HUBBLESITE/TONIGHT’S SKY – Star Cluster M41

Morning Planets
Saturn rises well after midnight and climbs higher throughout
the early morning hours.
Use a telescope to spy its marvelous rings.
Before daybreak, look for Venus blazing over the eastern horizon.
A telescope will reveal the planet’s crescent form.

IMAGE CREDIT: HUBBLESITE/TONIGHT’S SKY – VENUS

VIGEO CREDITS:  http://hubblesite.org/