SKY EVENTS

FEBRUARY 2012

The Month February is named for the Februa, the Roman festival of purification held on Feb. 15. February was originally the last month of the calendar. Every fourth year, such as 2012, is a leap year, when February has 29 days. This makes up for the fact that the solar year is 1/4 day longer than 365 days. If you were born on Feb. 29, you have a birthday this year!

The Planets Venus approaches Jupiter this month high in the southwest in the early evening. Mars, getting brighter and brighter as it approaches opposition, rises around 9pm. Saturn follows two hours later. Mercury visible 1/2 hour after sunset the last week of the month.

The Moon  

Full Moon 3rd Quarter NewMoon 1st Quarter

Feb. 7 Feb. 14 Feb. 21 Feb. 29

The waxing crescent moon of Feb. 22 or 23 marks the beginning of the lunar month Rabi-al-Thani, the 3rd month of the Islamic calendar.

Events

Thu. Feb. 9 Venus and Uranus are visible in the same telescopic view. Uranus is 0.3° below Venus.

Mars is near the Moon.

Thu. Feb. 23 Canopus, the second brightest star, is very low in the sky due south over Palos Verdes Peninsula at 8 pm. Sirius, the brightest star of the night sky, is higher up.

Fri. Feb. 24 STAR VIEWING—EL CAMINO OBSERVATORY. 6:00-8:00 pm. Roof of the Math Building—go up the stairs on the northeast corner of the Math Building. The public is invited. See www.sabik.org for weather update.

Sat. Feb. 25 Venus is just below the Moon.

Sun. Feb. 26 Jupiter is near the Moon.