This is the continuing monthly column for the astronomer in all of us; or the aspiring astro-physicist. Compared to areas near Boston or New Bedford, generally speaking, the Tri-Town has pretty good dark skies, and we are very fortunate in that regard. Though we can’t normally make out the Milky Way’s signature glow, we can still spot a lot. This year has already brought with it some great stellar sights, including increased solar activity leading to the lingering possibility of seeing the aurora borealis, though that is never a given.
A full moon will occur on February 1, that being the “Snow Moon” ironically enough, as more snow is forecast that day. It is also known as the “Storm Moon” for similar reasons or the “Hunger Moon” by the nomadic Native Americans during a traditionally harsh time to search for food.
In huge space news, the launching of NASA’s Artemis II is currently scheduled for February 7. The Orion spacecraft will be carried on the long-developed SLS rocket system designed for lunar missions. It will carry four astronauts, Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, and Reid Wiseman, on a flyby of the moon. The last time any astronaut did a flyby of the moon, landing or otherwise, was Apollo 17 in December 1972, nearly 54 years ago. The craft will leave Kennedy Space Center and is scheduled to return about a week later on February 15.
There is no visible meteor shower for us this month, with February’s only meteor show being the Alpha Centaurids visible in the Southern Hemisphere and peaking on February 8.
On February 16, Venus will have its “greatest illuminated extent,” meaning it will be at its brightest point for the year. It will be to the west after sunset near Mars. Also on this day, February 16, Neptune and Saturn have their “final conjunction,” or a point when they are very close in the sky. The next time they appear this close together will be the year 2132, or nearly after a Neptunian orbital period of 165 Earth years.
A New Moon will occur on February 17, and if you find yourself far, far to the south near Antarctica, there will also be a partial solar eclipse. There will be a lunar eclipse early next month that will be partially visible to us!
On February 28, there will be a planetary alignment of six planets, with four being visible to the naked eye: Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn will all be visible without help, while Uranus and Neptune are there for any with telescopes. The Moon will be nearing its full stage, making viewing fainter objects more difficult, but the four nearest planets will be bright enough to spot easily, stretching between the Moon and the horizon.
There are plenty of apps, websites, and other resources you can use to make your cosmic journey easier. NASA offers satellite tracking, too, so you can await the ISS on its flyovers.
Astronomy Update for February
By Sam Bishop