
Saturn will follow the moon across the predawn sky on February 20. The next night, the moon will appear to be on the other side of Saturn. (Illustration: Andrew Fazekas, SkySafari)
The moon is really working over time to help me spot things in the night sky this month. Tonight and tomorrow, it’s pairing up with Saturn. The best view is, sadly, just before dawn.
Still, Andrew Fazekas at National Geographic tells me that even the smallest telescopes can give you a peek at Saturn’s famous rings. That just might make getting up at Stupid O’Clock to catch the predawn show worth it.
Related Links:
- Top 7 Must-See Sky Events for 2017 (National Geographic)
- Lunar Eclipse and 10 More Can’t Miss Sky Events in February (National Geographic)
- Lunar Eclipses for Beginners (Mr. Eclipse)
Lately, if it isn’t overcast, I see that stuff in the sky. I, however, sometimes lose track of which is supposed to be up until I take a close look. I can automatically identify which planet it is with just a glance, like Jupiter from Venus and Saturn and Mars. Soon, Jupiter will be an evening planet again while Mars is going behind the sun, I think. Mostly, I use the planets to test sky conditions. My interest is deep sky so after I see if the planets are boiling or not, I know whether I can have a better chance for some of the really faint stuff.
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