✨ February Night Sky Guide: Snow Moons, Eclipses & Cosmic Close-Ups ✨

Hello stargazers! February is serving up a dreamy mix of lunar magic, planetary highlights, and a few celestial surprises you won’t want to miss. Whether you’re rugging up under the stars or just moon-gazing from your backyard, here’s what’s lighting up the sky this month.

🌕 February 1 — Full Moon (The Snow Moon)

February begins with a Full Moon, reaching peak illumination at 20:11 UTC. The Moon sits opposite the Sun, glowing fully in our night sky.

Early Native American tribes called this the Snow Moon, as February often brought the heaviest snowfall of the year. Some also knew it as the Hunger Moon, a nod to how harsh winter conditions made hunting difficult. It’s a beautiful reminder that our sky stories are deeply tied to life on Earth.

✨ Bonus: The Full Moon appears close to the Beehive Cluster (M44) — binoculars can reveal a lovely sprinkling of stars nearby.

🌠 February 8 — α-Centaurid Meteor Shower Peak

Keep an eye out for the α-Centaurids, a minor meteor shower best seen from the Southern Hemisphere. Rates are low, but occasional bright fireballs make this one worth a look if skies are clear.

🌑 February 17 — New Moon

At 12:05 UTC, the Moon slips between the Earth and the Sun, giving us a New Moon and wonderfully dark skies.

This is the best time of the month for deep-sky observing — galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters really shine without moonlight washing them out.

🌘 February 17 — Annular Solar Eclipse

Also on the 17th, an annular solar eclipse occurs. Because the Moon is a little too far from Earth to fully cover the Sun, a glowing “ring of fire” appears around its silhouette.

🔭 This eclipse will only be visible from Antarctica and the southern Indian Ocean, and unfortunately not from Australia. Still, it’s a stunning reminder of celestial clockwork in action.

☿ February 19–20 — Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation

Mercury reaches its greatest eastern elongation, sitting 18.1° from the Sun — its best evening appearance for the month.

Look low in the western sky just after sunset. This is your best chance to spot the elusive planet before it dips back into the Sun’s glare.

🌙 Lunar Occultations (Australia – AEST)

February is packed with lunar occultations, when the Moon passes directly in front of bright stars or planets — a real treat for observers with binoculars or telescopes.

• Feb 3 — 🌟 Regulus11:40–15:48 AEST

• Feb 11 — 🌟 Antares11:58–15:42 AEST

• Feb 14 — 🌟 Sigma Sagittarii05:38–08:24 AEST

• Feb 19 — ☿ Mercury06:50–11:30 AEST

• Feb 26 — 🌟 Beta Tauri01:08–05:18 AEST

Each event offers a fascinating chance to watch the Moon’s motion in real time as it momentarily hides these distant objects.

February reminds us that even the shortest months can be filled with cosmic wonder. Wrap up warm, look up often, and let the night sky do what it does best — inspire. ✨💫

Clear skies,Astrogirl 🌙💜