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By Deane Morrison

   In February, the iconic winter stars and constellations reach their prime positions for viewing.

On the 1st, all will be assembled in the east to southeast by nightfall. When March rolls around, they’ll still be up for hours, moving into the southwest to west as midnight approaches.

Lowest and brightest of the bunch is Sirius, in Canis Major, the big dog. Above Sirius, the hourglass form of Orion boasts the bright stars Rigel, his left foot, and Betelgeuse, his right shoulder. Hanging from the three closely spaced stars of his belt, the sword of Orion contains the massive, red-glowing Orion Nebula, where stars are being born. Closer to the belt lies the famous dark cloud of gas and dust aptly named the Horsehead Nebula. It will be too faint to see, so look for an image online.

Above Orion shine two planets: Mars to the left and Jupiter to the right. Mars is fading as Earth leaves it behind in the orbital race, while Jupiter reigns as the brightest object in the array of winter constellations.

Also on the 1st, look to the southwest at nightfall for brilliant Venus and a young moon. That evening the moon will be at perigee — its closest approach to Earth in a lunar cycle — so its crescent will be on the large side. Between Venus and the moon you’ll see Saturn, which is falling and will soon be lost in the sun’s afterglow. Venus, too, begins a descent as it embarks on its next trip between Earth and the sun. When both are up, compare the brightnesses of Venus—the brightest planet—and Sirius, the brightest star. 

To catch February’s full moon at its roundest, get outside by sunrise on the 12th, because the moon sets in the west shortly thereafter. And, of course, enjoy the moonrises on the evenings of the 11th and 12th.

The University of Minnesota offers public viewings of the night sky at its Duluth and Twin Cities campuses. For more information, see:

• Duluth, Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium: www.d.umn.edu/planet

Twin Cities, Minnesota • Institute for Astrophysics: www.astro.umn.edu/outreach/pubnight

• Check out astronomy programs, free telescope events, and planetarium shows at the

• University of Minnesota’s Bell Museum: www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/astronomy

Find U of M astronomers and links to the world of astronomy at: http://www.astro.umn.edu.