The Night Sky Events To Watch Out For This February 2025 – A Season of Glorious Planets and Astronomy Scenes
February brings with it some wonderful events in February that are guaranteed to captivate your attention. The nighttime sky will be full of bright planets, magnificent moon phases, and dazzling star clusters. Whether you are an advanced skywatcher or a beginner, there is something for everyone throughout the month. Here are some of the most breathtaking astronomical phenomena to enjoy this month, curated by NASA.
A Month Full Of Shiny Aggressive Planets – Venus, Mars, And Jupiter In February
A wonderful collection of bright planets awaits us in February 2025. You can look forward to evenings filled with remakable stargazing. During the entire month, you will have the privilege to notice Venus, the praised Evening Star, shining in all of her radiance. Its position after sunset will be the most favorable as it dominates the sphere. Venus, however, will tend to retreat deeper into the horizon as March gets closer. So make sure to catch it while you can!
January’s reigning champion, Venus, the planet of love, will be the easiest to spot. Make sure to turn your head towards the west section of the sky. Another little gem, Venus, will be in its optimum position towards sunset so make sure to catch the planet that shines the brighted in its crescent phase.
- The Mars glow will be sharp amber-orange, appearing high in the eastern sky. Last to set will be the Mars, visible in the west for hours after sunset. This will make it easy to spot through the night.
- Now, the giant of our solar system, Jupiter will also be very prominently visible this entire evening. Make sure to search for him high in the sky, as he will be gleaming with intense brightness. Makes us wonder his stunning brightness would make him a must see this February!
- Saturn will be hanging low in the western sky and becomes visible during the first hour after sunset. Fainter Saturn will be somewhat visible but as the month progresses, I tend to believe Saturn will sink lower. So don’t wait to capture him if you want to.
Notable Events Skywatching out for Highlights of the Months.
Daily Come out: Brace yourself for the amazing encounters of the combination of the moon and planets! First off some of the days for view watching in February:
- February 1 – Venus & Moon: A stunning sight of a slender crescent moon cozying up of Venus as it climbs in the evening sky. To add a bit of extra sparkle, Saturn will hang just below the pair which makes it amazing!
- February 5 – Sunlight and Pleiades: When the sun sets, the moon will rest a fingers width away from the famed Taurus constellation- Pleiades. If you look at it from afar, you will notice the moon travelling in front of its star cluster which would be a truly captivating sight to witness.
- February 6 – Sunlight and Jupiter: Enthusiasts of the plentiful Jupiter will be delighted with a clear view of the moon hovering amongst its abundance and the Aldebaran star in the Taurus constellation. The spectacular alignment of the moon with Jupiter and Aldebran is one which barely occurs and is not one you should miss.
- February 9 – Sunlight and Mars: For those people looking to the southeast, you will notice the bright Taurus constellation with each of its spectacles. The enthralling view of both the full moon and Mars waiting for daylight in a magnificent view indeed.
- February 12 – Full Moon: The Tauruss have a spectacular view awaiting today with a fully lit moon embellishing the night sky, with plugs of darkness surrounding the mid-day moon. That means, be ready to photograph the moon and get stunning pictures of it.
What is an Appulse?
Like any field of science, studying the sky has its own jargon, and here’s an interesting one. The term “appulse” refers to when two heavenly bodies seem to almost meet; in everyday language, this is roughly similar to what we call “conjunction.” In Latin, “appulse” means “brought near,” so next time you see planets or stars so close to each other that it seems like they can shake hands, rest assured that with this word, you would certainly impress your peers.
Venus Shines Bright – The Goddess of Love Draws Near
Not only is February deemed the month of love, but also the period when we can admire Venus. Throughout February, as the month progresses, Venus will continue to dazzle us with its glory. Although, by mid-February, it will be lower in the sky than its peak in late January, we still have some wonderful evenings in place to look forward to.
In actuality, Venus resembles the moon in that it undergoes phases. Interestingly, Venus shines brightest during its crescent phase. This is due to the fact that when Venus is nearer to Earth, its crescent shape does not cover its light. It is an extraordinary sight and shows that some of the most stunning things in the universe are right next to us.
Final Thoughts on February’s Cosmic Events
Mars and Venus are not the only stunning sights in the sky: January 2025 has amazing moon events, bright planetary stars, and breathtaking constellations. This all helps to make February a terrific month to look up and go outside. Whether you are enjoying the Appulse, the Full Moon, or simply the view of Venus and Mars, there is an abundance of stunning sights to see.
