FEBRUARY 2010–OBSERVING HIGHLIGHTS

VENUS :  Venus  may appear around February 10^th and shines at magnitude -3.9 and stands 3 degrees above the horizon 15 minutes after sunset.   With binoculars you may pick up Jupiter 5 degrees higher in the bright twilight.  By the 28^th, it lies 4 degrees above the western horizon 30 minutes after sunset. It will appear high in the sky late spring.

URANUS:   If you want to spot Uranus, do so in early February before it sinks into the twilight.  On February 1^st it lies about 20 degrees above Jupiter. To find Uranus, first locate Lambda Piscium in the circlet asterism of Pisces the Fish.  If you place Lambda at the 1:00 position near the edge of view, the planet will be near the field’s center.

MARS:  Mars is a spectacular object all month.  It reached opposition January 29^th and remains near its best throughout February.  You can spot the bright ruddy object in the Eastern sky at dusk, shining at magnitude -1.3 on February 1^st.  Mars treks westward against the background stars of Northern cancer. During February it passes 3 degrees north of the Bright Beehive star cluster (M44) the night of
February 6^th and 7^th.  On the 25^th, the moon passes 5 degrees South of Mars.  The best views through a telescope come shortly before midnight  When Mars lies 75 degrees high in the South. The  rth polar cap shows well, because its tilted toward Earth.  Mars’ most prominent dark feature, Syrtis Major, lies near the center of the planet’s disk at 11:00 PM      February 17^th.  Also, you will find the asteroid Vesta in Leo.  It reaches opposition and peak visibility February 17 -18 when it glows at magnitude 6.1. You can see it easily through binoculars.

SATURN:  Saturn lies in Virgo.  You will see it low in the East after 10 PM on
February 1^st, and after 8 PM at month’s end.  The rings are the most spectacular aspect of Saturn’s telescopic appearance.  They slightly narrow from 5 degrees to 4 degrees this month, but overall tend to widen through 2010.  By year’s end it will be 10 degrees tilt to online of sight.  Look for Saturn’s moons, the brightest which is Titan. You’ll find it just a little north of Saturn on February 2^nd with at least a 4” scope you’ll also be able to see Tethys and Rhea.  These will always be close to the planet.   Lapetus take a more leisurely unlingated orbit around Saturn.

Comet 81   wind should glow around 9^th magnitude as it treks Eastward through Virgo.  In early February it passes about 5 degrees North of Virgo’s brightest star, 1^st magnitude Spica.