Astronomy Guide February 2022

Dear Stargazer Friends,

Since mid-January 2022, Venus is visible at dawn. It will reach maximum mag. (-4.9) on 12 February. 26 February and weather permitting, look out for Venus and the Waning Crescent Moon (SE). Depending on your horizon, you’ll even see Mars appear nearby (low elevation of around 7° above horizon at dawn). 

Jupiter will become unobservable starting mid-February until end of April. Saturn will be back in mid-April. But Uranus remains visible (first part of the night).

In February, the “Winter Constellations” are still well observable but will cross the meridian in the evening already. At the same time, the “Spring Constellations” are on their way in with Leo, Coma Berenices and Bootes. So it’s Leo Triplet time again (M66 Group) and the moment to take last pictures of the winter Deep Sky Objects such as the Horsehead Nebula and other classics.

On 24 February, don’t miss the Waning Crescent Moon at 3.4° N of Antares (Constellation of Scorpio).

Happy Stargazing & Clear Skies!

Isa

The Pleiades – The Seven Sisters in monochrome with a touch of blue – Picture by Isabel Streit 2022

Meteor Showers in February

Nothing special to expect this month. Next show will be the Lyrids starting in mid-April.

Moon phases in February

PhaseDate
New Moon01 Feb, 06:46
First Quarter08 Feb, 14:50
Full Moon16 Feb, 17:56
Third Quarter23 Feb, 23:32
Times are local time for Bern, Switzerland

Planets

For local times go to In-The-Sky.org

Mercury will not be visible from Switzerland.

Venus has become a morning object on 13 January. It’s well visible early mornings and appears close to Mars in the dawn sky. On 12 February it will reach max. magnitude (-4.9). On 26 February Venus will appear together witch the Waning Crescent Moon and Mars. Although Mars will probably remain unobservable from Switzerland due to low elevation (around 7° above horizon at dawn).

Mars is difficult to observe in February – but depends on your horizon (around 7° above horizon at dawn).

Jupiter will be observable at dusk until around 13 February. After that, we’ll have to wait until end of April when it becomes a morning object. 

Saturn is currently unobservable until mid-April. 

Uranus is visible throughout the month of February in the Constellation of Aries (first part of the night). On 7 February the Moon will appear at 1.5° to Uranus. 

Neptune is not visible in February.

Phenomena not to miss in February

Waning Crescent Moon, Venus & Mars on 26.2.2022 at dawn – Source picture: Stellarium.org

Deep Sky Objects to observe: Messer 42 (Orion Nebula), Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33), The Pleiades (Messier 45 in Taurus); Messier 41 (Little Beehive Cluster in Canis Majoris). Leo Triplet (M66 Group) in the Constellation of Leo – the Constellation now appears earlier in the evening than last month. The Constellation of Ursa Major hosts a number of Galaxies so look out for Little Pin Wheel Galaxy or Tiger’s Eye Galaxy.

01New Moon at 06:46 CET
02Jupiter at 4.2°N of the Waxing Crescent Moon at dusk
07The Waxing Crescent Moon appears 1,5° south of Uranus (22:00 CET)
08First Quarter Moon at 14:50 CET
09Pleiades 4.1°N of the Waxing Gibbous Moon
12Venus at max. magnitude mag – early morning SE
13Pollux 2.6°N of Moon
16Full Moon at 17:57 CET
23Last Quarter Moon at 23:32 CET
24Antares 3.5°S of the Waning Crescent Moon at 06:17 CET

Bright Double Stars

NameMag.RiseTransitElev.Set
Polaris1.9517h46m+47°36’23.37″
Mirfak1.7518h13m+86°56’59.88″
Capella0.0520h02m+89°04’11.12″
Menkalinan1.9020h45m+87°59’56.13″
Dubhe2.001h50m+75°18’59.04″
Alioth1.753h40m+81°06’27.63″
Deneb1.2511h28m+88°23’28.28″
Adhara1.5018h06m21h45m+14°06’42.15″1h25m
Mirzam1.9516h26m21h09m+25°07’02.83″1h53m
Sirius-1.4516h43m21h32m+26°20’07.60″2h21m
Alnilam1.6514h24m20h23m+41°52’45.19″2h22m
Alnitak1.8514h32m20h28m+41°08’11.93″2h24m
Aldebaran0.8512h04m19h23m+59°36’40.27″2h42m
Bellatrix1.6013h40m20h12m+49°25’55.25″2h44m
Betelgeuse0.4514h06m20h42m+50°28’21.27″3h19m
Elnath1.6511h44m20h13m+71°40’34.87″4h42m
Alhena1.9014h07m21h25m+59°26’10.19″4h43m
Procyon0.4016h00m22h26m+48°13’47.00″4h53m
Alphard1.9518h49m0h15m+34°19’22.01″5h41m
Pollux1.1514h08m22h33m+71°01’09.71″6h57m
Castor1.9013h27m22h20m+74°53’39.49″7h13m
Regulus1.3517h57m0h54m+54°55’17.36″7h50m
Spica0.9522h56m4h11m+31°48’10.39″9h26m
Shaula1.605h50m8h21m+6°04’19.10″10h52m
Antares1.053h20m7h16m+16°37’35.42″11h12m
Kaus Australis1.756h13m9h11m+8°46’45.31″12h09m
Altair0.753h55m10h38m+51°59’25.49″17h21m
Vega0.0023h16m9h23m+81°51’25.95″19h31m
On 15 Feb – Source: Stellarem.org

Galaxies

NameMag.RiseTransitElev.Set
NGC 24038.9022h25m+71°23’43.44″
M 81 (Bode’s Galaxy)6.940h44m+67°59’35.89″
M 82 (Cigar Galaxy)8.410h44m+67°22’45.08″
M 1068.413h07m+89°43’52.41″
M 51 (Whirlpool Galaxy)8.104h18m+89°45’38.23″
M 101 (Pinwheel Galaxy)7.864h51m+82°42’13.04″
M 33 (Triangulum Galaxy)5.727h35m16h20m+73°49’38.09″1h05m
M 328.084h40m15h29m+84°02’11.37″2h17m
M 31 (Andromeda Galaxy)3.444h30m15h29m+84°26’23.29″2h28m
M 1108.074h14m15h26m+84°51’22.82″2h39m
M 104 (Sombrero Galaxy)8.0022h15m3h28m+31°20’08.39″8h41m
M 66 (Leo Triplet)8.9219h07m2h08m+55°56’04.59″9h09m
M 498.3020h39m3h18m+50°56’40.39″9h56m
M 86 (Faust V051)8.9020h13m3h14m+55°53’15.54″10h15m
M 87 (Virgo Galaxy)8.6320h20m3h19m+55°19’59.87″10h17m
M 64 (Black Eye Galaxy)8.5219h59m3h45m+64°37’24.09″11h30m
M 94 (Croc’s Eye Galaxy)8.2416h50m3h39m+84°03’08.31″14h28m
M 63 (Sunflower Galaxy)8.5916h47m4h04m+84°57’48.16″15h20m
On 15 Feb – Source: Stellarium.org

Clusters of Galaxies

NameMag.RiseTransitElev.Set
Abell 56911.8021h55m+88°21’24.74″
Abell 163111.0022h44m3h39m+27°32’14.85″8h34m
Abell 77911.5014h56m0h05m+76°42’54.56″9h14m
Abell 154111.3020h31m3h13m+51°45’51.87″9h56m
Abell 1367 (Leo Cluster)11.6018h56m2h30m+62°38’13.59″10h05m
Abell 1656 (Coma Cluster)10.7019h22m3h46m+70°55’08.89″12h09m
Abell 194 (Cetus Cluster)11.6010h15m16h14m+41°48’42.34″22h13m
On 15 Feb – Source: Stellarium.org

Messier Objects

NameMag.RiseTransitElev.Set
M 1037.4016h20m+76°11’20.08″
M 34 (Spiral Cluster)5.2017h29m+85°53’56.82″
M 81 (Bode’s Galaxy)6.940h44m+67°59’35.89″
M 101 (Pinwheel Galaxy)7.864h51m+82°42’13.01″
M 926.408h05m+86°08’29.66″
M 394.6012h21m+88°17’40.84″
M 52 (Cassiopeia Salt-and-Pepper Cluster)6.9014h10m+75°14’21.08″
M 33 (Triangulum Galaxy)5.727h35m16h20m+73°49’38.09″1h05m
M 41 (Little Beehive Cluster)4.5017h04m21h33m+22°18’31.96″2h02m
M 42 (Great Orion Nebula)4.0014h41m20h22m+37°41’37.33″2h03m
M 31 (Andromeda Galaxy)3.444h30m15h29m+84°26’23.29″2h28m
M 45 (Pleiades)1.2010h33m18h34m+67°14’25.48″2h34m
M 93 (Butterfly Cluster)6.2018h20m22h31m+19°11’09.09″2h43m
M 50 (Heart-Shaped Cluster)5.9016h22m21h50m+34°42’08.45″3h18m
M 474.4017h24m22h24m+28°32’47.63″3h24m
M 466.1017h30m22h29m+28°13’02.69″3h27m
M 485.8017h22m23h01m+37°15’08.71″4h40m
M 35 (Shoe-Buckle Cluster)5.1012h55m20h56m+67°22’54.77″4h57m
M 36 (Pinwheel Cluster)6.0011h10m20h23m+77°12’02.10″5h37m
M 37 (January Salt-and-Pepper Cluster)5.6011h40m20h39m+75°36’21.09″5h39m
M 38 (Starfish Cluster)6.4010h45m20h16m+78°55’05.70″5h47m
M 67 (Golden-Eye Cluster)6.9016h43m23h39m+54°46’25.25″6h35m
M 44 (Beehive Cluster)3.1015h53m23h28m+62°38’25.93″7h02m
M 687.3023h34m3h27m+16°14’36.19″7h21m
M 104 (Sombrero Galaxy)8.0022h15m3h28m+31°20’08.39″8h41m
M 537.7020h34m4h01m+61°06’44.72″11h28m
M 5 (Rose Cluster)6.6523h54m6h07m+45°04’05.46″12h20m
M 36.2020h04m4h30m+71°19’22.46″12h57m
M 13 (Great Star Cluster in Hercules)5.8021h53m7h30m+79°27’58.71″17h07m
On 15 Feb – Source: Stellarium.org

NGC/IC Objects

NameMag.RiseTransitElev.Set
NGC 869 (Double Cluster)3.8017h06m+79°43’12.58″
NGC 884 (Double Cluster)3.8017h09m+79°43’26.86″
M 34 (Spiral Cluster)5.2017h29m+85°53’56.82″
NGC 7000 (North America Nebula)4.0011h48m+87°23’22.51″
M 394.6012h21m+88°17’40.84″
NGC 76865.6014h15m+87°39’24.26″
IC 1396 (Elephant’s Trunk Nebula)3.5012h28m+79°20’47.69″
IC 50765.6911h45m+89°11’10.99″
M 33 (Triangulum Galaxy)5.727h35m16h20m+73°49’38.09″1h05m
NGC 1980 (The Lost Jewel of Orion)2.5014h43m20h22m+37°10’12.64″2h01m
M 41 (Little Beehive Cluster)4.5017h04m21h33m+22°18’31.96″2h02m
M 42 (Great Orion Nebula)4.0014h41m20h22m+37°41’37.33″2h03m
NGC 1981 (Coal Car Cluster)4.2014h37m20h22m+38°39’07.59″2h07m
NGC 2362 (τ CMa Cluster)4.1018h00m22h06m+18°06’13.86″2h11m
M 31 (Andromeda Galaxy)3.444h30m15h29m+84°26’23.29″2h28m
NGC 1435 (Merope Nebula)4.1810h34m18h33m+67°01’26.30″2h32m
NGC 1432 (Maia Nebula)3.8810h32m18h33m+67°19’25.81″2h34m
NGC 7525.706h49m16h44m+80°56’34.69″2h39m
NGC 2232 (Double Wedge Cluster)3.9015h30m21h14m+38°17’53.01″2h58m
M 50 (Heart-Shaped Cluster)5.9016h22m21h50m+34°42’08.45″3h18m
M 474.4017h24m22h24m+28°32’47.63″3h24m
NGC 2244 (Rosette Nebula)4.8014h53m21h19m+47°59’19.68″3h44m
NGC 2301 (Hagrid’s Dragon Cluster)6.0015h33m21h39m+43°29’56.31″3h45m
IC 4484.4814h45m21h21m+50°20’39.40″3h57m
NGC 2169 (The 37 Cluster)5.9013h49m20h55m+57°02’40.68″4h02m
NGC 2264 (Christmas Tree Cluster)3.9014h41m21h28m+52°56’02.45″4h16m
M 485.8017h22m23h01m+37°15’08.71″4h40m
M 35 (Shoe-Buckle Cluster)5.1012h55m20h56m+67°22’54.77″4h57m
IC 405 (Flaming Star Nebula)6.0010h48m20h04m+77°27’03.64″5h21m
M 36 (Pinwheel Cluster)6.0011h10m20h23m+77°12’02.10″5h37m
M 37 (January Salt-and-Pepper Cluster)5.6011h40m20h39m+75°36’21.09″5h39m
M 44 (Beehive Cluster)3.1015h53m23h28m+62°38’25.93″7h02m
NGC 2281 (Broken Heart Cluster)5.4010h46m21h36m+84°05’02.98″8h26m
M 13 (Great Star Cluster in Hercules)5.8021h53m7h30m+79°27’58.71″17h07m
On 15 Feb – Source: Stellarium.org

Sources

© 2020-2023 isasastroatelier.ch – Created using WordPress