Backyard Stargazer: Meet the winter constellations
By Francis Parnell
It’s February, and the bright winter constellations of Orion, Canis Major, Auriga and Gemini are rising earlier each night. It’s the perfect time to start learning the constellations and star names. A smartphone app, monthly star charts or a “Star Wheel” are very helpful in exploring the night sky.
Francis Parnell, the Backyard Stargazer of Darlington
Look south-southwest on the 10th of the month to spot red Mars, 6 degrees upper right of the waxing crescent Moon. On the 13th, Aldebaran, the brightest star in Taurus, is 2 degrees south of the gibbous Moon.
Before dawn on the 18th, dazzling Venus is 1 degree north of Saturn. This is a close planetary conjunction; binoculars will give a really great view.
It’s Supermoon time! The closest and largest full Moon this year occurs on the 19th; it’s at perigee, only 221,678 miles away. Watch it rise behind distant trees and buildings to see how large it appears.
About 45 minutes after sunset on the 22nd, look west along the twilight line to find elusive Mercury at greatest elongation, 18 degrees east of the Sun.
Looking south-southeast one hour before sunrise on the 26th, the last quarter Moon is 8 degrees north of Antares, the Heart of Scorpius. Antares is a red supergiant star, 883 times the solar diameter, 17,000 times the luminosity and 550 light-years away.
Before sunrise on the 27th, bright Jupiter is 2 degrees south of the waning crescent Moon. The next morning the Moon is about halfway between Jupiter and Saturn.
FAST FACT: The Sun’s brightness is 400 trillion trillion watts. By the time the light spreads out and gets here, each square meter of Earth’s surface is illuminated by about 1,000 watts. It was just 700 watts when earthly life began, but the Sun keeps getting more luminous. Each billion years, it’s 7 percent brighter. Doesn’t sound like much, but the increase will kill all life and sterilize the planet in a few billion years.
“Keep looking up!”
