7 amazing sights to see in the February night sky
— -- Take a look at the night sky this month, and you'll see lots of amazing things. There are several planets visible, and the Orion constellation is guarding the evening heavens. Canis Major and the brightest star in our night sky are also perfectly visible this month for all stargazers to enjoy.
Venus
What it is: The second planet in our solar system
Where: In the western sky, low on the horizon
When: Twilight
Venus is a very bright object in our sky that's always easy to spot. It's often mistaken for something like a plane or the mythical UFO.
Mars
What it is: The fourth planet in our solar system
Where: Eastern sky
When: Between 8:30 and 9:00 in the evening
Mars is visible through a telescope, showing up as a large red dot. If there's a good enough view, you can even see the Martian polar ice caps.
Jupiter
What it is: The fifth planet in our solar system
Where: Western sky, high up
When: Early in the evening
When looking at Jupiter through a telescope, you can sometimes see its moons positioned in a straight line through Jupiter .
Saturn
What it is: The sixth planet in our solar system
Where: Southern sky
When: Early morning, just before dawn
If you've got a telescope, point it toward Saturn — if you're lucky, you'll be able to make out its rings. The planet is one of the favorite sights to see for amateur astronomers.
Moon
What it is: Earth's natural satellite
Where: Just look up!
When: Full moon on February 7; new moon on February 21.
While you can see the Moon perfectly fine with your naked eye, pointing a telescope to it shows some amazing things. The large impact crater in the southern part of the moon is called Tycho, which produces the notable ray system that spreads out in all directions from it. If you look at the edges of the moon through a telescope, you'll likely be able to see mountains pushing up past the encroaching darkness.
Orion constellation
What it is: The constellation of the hunter Orion
Where: Southeastern sky
When: Just about any time it's dark
Orion is one of the most recognizable stellar constellations. In it, you'll see Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. Follow Sirius up to see Orion's Belt, made up of the three stars Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka. When looking at these stars, keep in mind that they're so far away that the light we're seeing is between 800 to 1,400 years old.
Betelgeuse, the left shoulder of Orion, is the seventh brightest star in the sky. It's to the upper left of Alnitak, the left-most star of Orion's Belt. Rigel, the fifth brightest star in the night sky, makes up the right leg of Orion. You can find it by following Mintaka, the right-most star of Orion's Belt, down and to the right.
Saiph makes up the left leg of Orion, which you can find by tracing a line from Alnitak down and to the left until you hit a bright star. Bellatrix is the right shoulder, which is up and to the right of Mintaka.
Just south of Orion's Belt, in Orion's Sword sheathed on his waist, you can see what's called M42, the Orion Nebula. It's a stellar nursery, a place where new stars are being born. Looking at it with binoculars, you'll see a bunch of fuzzy light, but looking at it with a telescope gives it more definition and a slightly green glow.
Canis Major constellation
What it is: The constellation of the lead dog in Orion's hunting party
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