A monthly look at astronomical events in the sky and on Earth

Compiled and written by Steve Sawyer

Welcome to Februarys edition of What’s Up

Hi and welcome to Februarys column. I hope you found some clear skies amidst the January murk. January saw some spectacular auroras around the world, including parts of the UK. I missed them due to the weather! I hope you managed to catch a glimpse.
This month the winter constellations of Orion and Gemini still dominate our southern skies. For planetary observers, this is a headline month: a rare “planet parade” emerges in the final week, featuring six of our solar system neighbours—Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune—stretching across the western horizon shortly after sunset.
More on these later on but first….

This Months and Upcoming York Astro Presentations

Upcoming events to put in your diary

Date	Title	Speaker
06/02/2026	Variable Stars: Their History and Discovery	Andrew Stephenson
20/02/2026	How the Universe Will End	Brad Gibson
06/03/2026	How It Began: The Origins of Planetary Exploration 1961–1981	Peter Rea

For further details see the events page Astronomy Presentations by guest speakers | York Astro and our Facebook group (20+) The York Astronomical Society Chat Group | Facebook

So what’s on this month?

Northern Sky

_{An artistic view of the Northern night sky}

In February, the northern sky is defined by the steady ascent of Ursa Major, the Great Bear. Its most famous asterism, the Plough (or Big Dipper), stands almost vertically on its handle in the northeast by mid-evening. Polaris, the Pole Star, remains the constant anchor of the north, marking the tip of the Little Bear’s tail (Ursa Minor) as it hangs suspended below.

Low along the northern horizon, the winding form of Draco the Dragon skims the hazy interface between earth and sky, while the “W” of Cassiopeia and the house-shaped Cepheus begin to sink toward the northwest. High toward the zenith, the constellation Gemini becomes a spectacular centrepiece. Its twin stars, Castor and Pollux, shine brightly, but in February 2026, they are joined by the dazzling presence of Jupiter, which dominates this region of the sky.

Southern Sky

_{An artistic view of the southern night sky}

Looking south, the sky is dominated by the scintillating figure of Orion the Hunter, which strides high across the heavens during the winter months. Its “Belt” of three stars—Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka—points downward to the southeast toward Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, located in Canis Major.

Above Sirius sits Procyon in Canis Minor, forming the famous Winter Triangle with Sirius and Orion’s red supergiant star, Betelgeuse. To the east, the Sickle of Leo begins its ascent, with the bright star Regulus marking the lion’s heart—a clear sign that spring is on the horizon. High above this entire scene, Jupiter remains the brilliant “king” of the planets, positioned in Gemini and visible from early evening until well after midnight

February 2026 Calendar

Date	Time (UT)	Event	Details
Feb 01	22:09	Full Moon
Feb 02	23:03	Moon & Regulus	Regulus 0.4°S of Moon
Feb 07	06:58	Moon & Spica	Spica 1.6°N of Moon
Feb 08	Night	α-Centaurid Meteors	Peak of shower (weak in UK)
Feb 09	00:07	Last Quarter Moon
Feb 10	08:49	Moon at Apogee	Distance: 406,096 km
Feb 11	01:33	Moon & Antares	Antares 0.5°N of Moon
Feb 15	04:11	Moon & Mars	Mars 1.1°N of Moon (mag 1.1)
Feb 17	12:01	New Moon
Feb 19	06:57	Mercury at Greatest Elongation East	Best evening view (18.1° from Sun, mag -0.6)
Feb 19	18:12	Moon & Mercury	Mercury 4.2°S of Moon
Feb 20	01:25	Moon & Saturn	Saturn 4.3°S of Moon (mag 1.0)
Feb 20	05:19	Saturn & Neptune	Saturn 0.8°N of Neptune (mag 8.0)
Feb 20	12:20	Venus & Jupiter	Venus 3.1°S of Jupiter (mag -2.5)
Feb 22	13:08	Moon & Venus	Venus 3.0°S of Moon
Feb 22	22:57	Moon & Jupiter	Jupiter 2.7°S of Moon
Feb 24	03:38	Moon & Pleiades	Pleiades cluster 1.0°S of Moon
Feb 24	13:06	First Quarter Moon
Feb 25	05:05	Mercury at Stationary Point	Begins retrograde motion
Feb 26	03:54	Moon at Perigee	Distance: 369,982 km
Feb 27	22:26	Moon & Pollux	Pollux 2.8°N of Moon
Feb 28	06:52	Mars at Perihelion	Closest approach to Sun (1.381 AU)

This table captures the astronomical events for February, including phases of the moon, planetary alignments, and other notable occurrences.

Sky Maps

Looking South on the 15th at 22:00

Looking North on the 15th at 22:00

The two charts above show all DSOs of magnitude 6.0 or brighter. They are both taken from
SkyViewCafe.com and correct for the 15th of the month.

Februarys Sky Guide

The Sun

☀️ Solar Forecast – February 2026

Source: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Centre (SWPC) | Data: 27-Day Outlook (Issued 26 Jan 2026)

As we move deeper into 2026, Solar Cycle 25 shows no signs of slowing down. February looks set to be a month of distinct phases: a relatively quieter start for sunspot observers, followed by a significant ramp-up in activity during the second half of the month, bringing both complex active regions and high chances of geomagnetic storms.

🌌 Aurora Watch: Mid-Month Storms & Sustained Activity

The Kp Index forecast suggests an unsettled month ahead. We have an immediate window of activity crossing over from January, followed by a notable mid-month peak and a prolonged period of active conditions.

1. Immediate Alert: Late Jan into Early Feb

Forecast: Kp 5 (G1 Minor Storm) on 28 Jan, dropping to Kp 4 on 29 Jan. Another unsettled window (Kp 4) occurs 4 – 5 February.
Details: As this column goes to press, Earth is facing an elevated solar wind stream. The end of January offers a strong chance for aurora, extending into unsettled conditions for the first week of February. Observers in Scotland and Northern England should be on alert during these windows.

2. The Valentine’s Surge: 13 February onwards

Forecast: Kp 5 (G1 Minor Geomagnetic Storm) on 13 Feb, followed by an extended streak of Kp 4 from 14 – 21 Feb.
Details: This is the most significant period in the forecast. A disturbance is predicted to trigger G1 storm conditions around the 13th. Perhaps more unusually, the forecast indicates a full week of sustained Kp 4 (Active) conditions immediately following this peak. This prolonged unsettled spell could provide multiple nights of photographic opportunities for northern observers, rather than just a single fleeting peak.

☀️ Solar Activity: A Game of Two Halves

For solar imagers and observers using safe filtration, the 10.7cm Radio Flux shows a clear trend of increasing complexity as the month progresses.

The Early Lull (1 – 6 Feb): The month begins with relatively moderate activity by Solar Maximum standards. Flux levels are predicted to hover between 120–130 sfu. While sunspots will still be present, the disk may appear less chaotic than in recent months.
The steady climb (7 – 16 Feb): Activity begins to slowly build from the end of the first week, with flux rising steadily from 125 sfu towards 160 sfu.
The Late Peak (17 – 21 Feb): The forecast ends on a high note. Solar activity is expected to surge, peaking at 180 sfu on 18 February and remaining high. This suggests significant, complex active regions rotating into view, offering superb targets for high-resolution solar photography.

📊 February 2026 Key Dates at a Glance

Period	Event	Observation Priority
28 Jan	Kp 5 (G1 Storm)	Immediate Aurora Alert: High probability for northern UK.
4 – 5 Feb	Kp 4 Activity	Aurora: active conditions for high latitudes.
13 Feb	Kp 5 (G1 Storm)	Aurora Peak: Best predicted chance of the month.
14 – 21 Feb	Sustained Kp 4 Streak	Aurora: Prolonged period of unsettled weather; keep watch.
17 – 21 Feb	High Solar Flux (170-180 sfu)	Solar Imaging: Complex sunspot groups expected.

Safety Reminder: Never look at the Sun directly without professional solar filters. Permanent eye damage can occur instantly.

📊 Forecast Visualisation

The chart below highlights the correlation between the G1 storm threshold (red line) and the predicted Kp peaks for the period.

Auroa Forecasts

A bit US centred but still useful

Aurora Dashboard (Experimental) | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center

And our own Met-office have an excellent space weather forecast page here Space Weather – Met Office

The Moon

Februarys Lunar Calendar

Februarys moon calendar from Sky View Café (skyviewcafe.com)
A full yearly lunar calendar can be found here :-

https://www.mooninfo.org/moon-phases/2026.html

Moon Feature

Mare Crisium

Located on the far eastern edge (the right-hand side) of the Moon, Mare Crisium is an isolated, oval-shaped “sea” of dark basalt. Unlike the other large mare regions that tend to merge into one another, Crisium sits alone, surrounded by high, bright mountains.

Best Time to View: 19–20 February 2026.
What to Look For: Use binoculars or a small telescope to spot the “wrinkle ridges” snaking across the basin floor. Look for the Promontorium Agarum, a dramatic cape-like feature that juts into the sea from the southeast.

Blue Ghost

In March 2025, the private U.S. lander Blue Ghost (Mission 1) successfully touched down in the northern region of Mare Crisium.

Feature	Technical Detail
Dimensions	2m (height) x 3.5m (width)
Mass	1,517 kg (Launch), 469 kg (Dry)
Payload Capacity	155 kg to the lunar surface
Power System	3 solar panels (top & sides) providing 400W nominal / 650W peak
Propulsion	1x LEROS-4 main engine (>1,000 N thrust); 8x Spectre bipropellant thrusters
ACS	12x cold-gas Attitude Control System thrusters
Communications	1x steerable X-band antenna (10 Mbps peak) and 3x S-band antennas
Landing Gear	4 carbon-composite legs with crush-core honeycomb and contact sensors

Mission Profile & Timeline

Launch: January 15, 2025, via a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center.
Transit: A 45-day journey including 25 days in Earth orbit and 16 days in lunar orbit to perform subsystem health checks.
Landing Site: Mare Crisium (Sea of Crises), specifically near the volcanic feature Mons Latreille ($18.56^\circ\text{N}, 61.81^\circ\text{E}$).
Touchdown: March 2, 2025, at 08:34 UTC. The lander used Terrain-Relative Navigation (TRN) to select a hazard-free spot within a 100m target zone.
Surface Duration: Operated for a full lunar day (approx. 14 Earth days), surviving several hours into the lunar night to observe dust behaviour.

Key Technical Payloads (NASA CLPS)

The lander carried 10 NASA-sponsored instruments, focusing on regolith mechanics and the lunar environment:

SCALPSS 1.1: Stereo cameras that captured the “plume-surface interaction”—the exact moment the engine exhaust disturbed the lunar dust during descent.
Lunar PlanetVac (LPV): A pneumatic system that used pressurized nitrogen to collect and sort lunar soil samples.
Electrodynamic Dust Shield (EDS): A solid-state system that uses electric fields to “flick” abrasive lunar dust off solar panels and camera lenses.
LuGRE: A high-sensitivity GNSS receiver that successfully tracked Earth-based GPS/Galileo signals from a record distance of 246,000 miles.
RadPC: A reconfigurable, radiation-tolerant computer system tested for its ability to correct bit-flips caused by cosmic rays.

Operations & Environment

Thermal Management: The lander utilized active heaters, multi-layer insulation (MLI), and radiator panels to survive the lunar noon, which reaches roughly 121°C. During the peak heat, Firefly performed “power cycling” to keep internal temperatures within limits.
Data Downlink: Over the course of the mission, Blue Ghost downlinked over 57 GB of HD video, imagery, and scientific telemetry back to the Mission Operations Center in Cedar Park, Texas.

Next Step

With Mission 1 complete, Firefly is preparing Blue Ghost Mission 2 for late 2026, which will target the Lunar Far Side.
This mission has been providing fresh data on:

Lunar Heat Flow: For the first time, scientists are measuring how much heat is escaping from the Moon’s interior in this specific basin, helping us understand the Moon’s volcanic history.
Deep Interior: Instruments on the lander are probing the lunar mantle to depths of up to 700 miles—nearly two-thirds of the way to the Moon’s core—to map its magnetic and electrical properties.
Dust Behavior: The lander observed “lunar horizon glow,” where tiny particles of electrostatically charged dust levitate at sunset—a phenomenon first reported by Apollo 17 astronauts.

Planets

⚪ Mercury

The “Swift Planet” puts on its best evening show of the year this month. From about 8 February onwards, look low in the western twilight after sunset. It reaches its greatest separation from the Sun on 19 February, setting as late as 7:00 pm. It shines brightly at magnitude –0.6, making it much easier to spot than usual.

🟡 Venus

Shining as the brilliant “Evening Star” at magnitude –3.9, Venus dominates the western sky after sunset throughout February. It is unmistakably bright and climbs higher in the sky as the month progresses, making it the most prominent planet in the evening twilight.

🔴 Mars

Mars is slowly returning to prominence but remains relatively low in the pre-dawn sky. While it is technically visible in the early morning hours, it is still quite faint and distant, making it a challenging target for most casual observers this month.

🟠 Jupiter

Jupiter remains the undisputed highlight of the winter sky. Located in Gemini, it is visible from as soon as it gets dark until the early hours of the morning. Shining at a brilliant magnitude –2.4, it is the second brightest “star-like” object in the sky after Venus and offers stunning views of its cloud belts and Galilean moons.

🪐 Saturn

Located in Pisces, Saturn is visible low in the west after sunset at the start of the month, setting around 8:00 pm. However, by the end of February, it begins to descend rapidly into the Sun’s glare, becoming increasingly difficult to observe before it disappears from the evening sky.

🔵 Uranus

Uranus remains in the constellation of Taurus, positioned below the Pleiades star cluster. At magnitude +5.8, it is technically visible to the naked eye under perfectly dark, rural skies, but it is best found using binoculars or a small telescope.

🔷 Neptune

Neptune is located in Pisces, very close to Saturn. Because it shines at a faint magnitude of +8.0, it is invisible to the naked eye. On 20 February, Saturn passes just 0.8° north of Neptune, providing a perfect “signpost” to help telescope users locate the distant blue planet.

Meteor Showers

February is generally a quiet month for meteor activity in the northern UK. There are no major, high-rate meteor showers that peak during the month.

The only active shower is the minor Alpha Centaurids, which reaches its peak on 8 February. However, its radiant point—the spot in the sky from which the meteors appear to originate—is in the southern constellation of Centaurus. From our northerly latitude, this constellation is mostly or entirely below the horizon, making the shower largely unobservable.

However, don’t let this discourage you from looking up! On any clear, dark night, you can still expect to see a few sporadic meteors. These are random “shooting stars” not associated with any specific cometary debris stream. While you won’t witness a spectacular storm, you might just be lucky enough to catch a bright, random meteor streaking overhead.

Comets

Comet Name	Predicted Magnitude	Visibility Period (Approx.)	Notes
24P/Schaumasse	~9.0 – 9.5	Throughout February	The best target for small telescopes. Fading slowly but still well-placed high in the northern sky in the morning hours.
C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos)	~8.7 (at best)	Mid-to-Late February	Reappearing in the Northern Hemisphere evening sky. Closest approach to Earth on 17 Feb, but likely fading.
88P/Howell	~10.0 – 10.5	Mid-to-Late February	A morning object that will be low in the southeastern sky before dawn, brightening gradually.
3I/2025 N1 (ATLAS)	~12.5 – 13.0	Throughout February	The third-ever interstellar object. It is now fading rapidly but remains a unique telescopic target high in the night sky.
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann	~13.0 (Variable)	Irregular	A faint, distant centaur object infamous for sudden, massive outbursts that can brighten it dramatically within hours. Always worth a check.

4P/Schaumasse

Following its peak in January, 24P/Schaumasse is now slowly fading but remains the most accessible comet for observers with small telescopes or large binoculars. Holding steady around magnitude 9.0 to 9.5, it is a morning object. It is currently moving through the northern constellations, meaning it remains high in the sky before dawn, well away from the hazy horizon. Look for a small, fuzzy patch of light; a dark, rural sky is essential for the best view.

C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos)

This comet reappears for Northern Hemisphere observers in February after its swing past the Sun. It will be visible in the evening sky and makes its closest approach to Earth on 17 February. While some earlier optimistic predictions suggested it might reach naked-eye visibility, more recent data indicates it will likely be around magnitude 8.7. This makes it a good target for binoculars and small telescopes in the western sky after sunset.

A Rare Interstellar Visitor: 3I/2025 N1 (ATLAS)

For telescope owners looking for a unique challenge, the interstellar object 3I/2025 N1 (ATLAS) is still visible. This is only the third object from outside our solar system ever discovered. While it is now fading and sits around magnitude 12.5 to 13.0, its status as a visitor from another star system makes it a fascinating target to track down high in the night sky.

Data sources and magnitude predictions are based on analysis from Seiichi Yoshida’s Weekly Information on Bright Comets.

Deep Sky (DSO’s)

A Deeper look at Gemini

While Orion may dominate the lower southern sky, the constellation of Gemini, the Twins, rides high overhead in February. It is a constellation rich in mythology, beautiful stellar contrasts, and accessible deep-sky treasures. This month, it is also the temporary home of the giant planet Jupiter, which blazes brightly among the twins’ stars, making the constellation impossible to miss.

The Constellation Overview

Gemini represents the mythological twins Castor and Pollux. They were the sons of Leda, but had different fathers—Castor was the mortal son of the King of Sparta, while Pollux was the immortal son of Zeus. When Castor was killed, Pollux begged Zeus to let him share his immortality with his brother, and they were placed together in the heavens. Visually, the constellation forms a rough rectangle, with two parallel lines of stars representing the bodies of the twins, capped by the two bright stars that bear their names.

The Bright Stars: The Mortal and the Immortal

Although they are known as the “twins”, the two brightest stars of Gemini are quite different in appearance and nature.

Pollux ($\beta$ Geminorum): Despite its “beta” designation, Pollux is currently the brighter of the pair. It is an orange giant star located roughly 34 light-years away. To the naked eye, it has a distinct golden-yellow hue compared to its brother.
Castor ($\alpha$ Geminorum): Appearing slightly fainter and distinctly white or blue-white to the naked eye, Castor is actually a fascinating sextuplet system—six stars bound together by gravity.

Deep-Sky Treasures: The Star Clusters

Gemini lies away from the densest part of the Milky Way, so it lacks the bright nebulae of Orion, but it is home to some superb open star clusters that are excellent targets for binoculars and small telescopes.

M35 (The Shoe-Buckle Cluster): Located near the “foot” of the twin Castor, M35 is a large, scattered cluster of stars nearly the size of the Full Moon. It is easily visible in binoculars as a fuzzy patch of light and resolves into dozens of individual stars in a small telescope.
NGC 2158: Just southwest of M35 lies this much fainter, more compact cluster. It is roughly four times more distant than M35. Seeing both in the same telescopic field of view provides a wonderful sense of three-dimensional depth in the cosmos.
The Eskimo Nebula (NGC 2392): For those with larger telescopes, this planetary nebula—the puffed-off outer layers of a dying star—resembles a face surrounded by a parka hood.

Observation Tips for Gemini

Splitting Castor: Turn a small telescope (even a 60mm refractor) onto Castor at high magnification. You will easily split it into two bright, white stars rotating around each other—a beautiful sight.
Finding M35: The easiest way to locate the M35 cluster is to find the three stars that form the “foot” of Castor ($\eta$, $\mu$, and $\nu$ Geminorum). M35 is located just off the tip of this toe.
Colour Contrast: On a clear, steady night, look back and forth between Pollux and Castor. Try to discern the subtle colour difference between the golden glow of the immortal twin and the icy white of the mortal one.

ISS and other orbiting bits

🚀 ISS Overpasses

Date	Mag	Start Time	Alt	Az	Max Time	Alt	Az	End Time	Alt	Az	Status
13 Feb	-0.8	06:09:43	10°	S	06:11:18	13°	SE	06:12:52	10°	ESE	Visible
15 Feb	-1.6	06:10:50	10°	SSW	06:13:36	24°	SSE	06:16:20	10°	E	Visible
16 Feb	-1.3	05:24:32	11°	S	05:26:40	18°	SSE	05:29:02	10°	ESE	Visible
17 Feb	-1.0	04:39:33	13°	SSE	04:39:46	13°	SE	04:41:26	10°	ESE	Visible
17 Feb	-2.6	06:12:48	10°	SW	06:15:57	38°	SSE	06:19:06	10°	E	Visible
18 Feb	-2.3	05:27:26	21°	SSW	05:28:55	31°	SSE	05:31:56	10°	E	Visible
19 Feb	-1.8	04:42:14	24°	SE	04:42:14	24°	SE	04:44:41	10°	E	Visible
19 Feb	-3.2	06:15:13	11°	WSW	06:18:20	53°	S	06:21:37	10°	E	Visible
20 Feb	-0.6	03:56:57	12°	ESE	03:56:57	12°	ESE	03:57:18	10°	ESE	Visible
20 Feb	-3.1	05:29:56	29°	SW	05:31:13	47°	SSE	05:34:27	10°	E	Visible
21 Feb	-2.6	04:44:35	36°	SE	04:44:35	36°	SE	04:47:16	10°	E	Visible
21 Feb	-3.4	06:17:34	11°	W	06:20:42	58°	S	06:24:00	10°	ESE	Visible
22 Feb	-0.9	03:59:11	16°	E	03:59:11	16°	E	04:00:01	10°	E	Visible
22 Feb	-3.5	05:32:10	31°	WSW	05:33:32	58°	S	05:36:50	10°	E	Visible
23 Feb	-3.1	04:46:44	50°	SE	04:46:44	50°	SE	04:49:38	10°	E	Visible
23 Feb	-3.2	06:19:42	10°	W	06:22:57	50°	SSW	06:26:13	10°	ESE	Visible
24 Feb	-1.1	04:01:17	19°	E	04:01:17	19°	E	04:02:24	10°	E	Visible
24 Feb	-3.5	05:34:15	28°	WSW	05:35:45	55°	S	05:39:03	10°	ESE	Visible
25 Feb	-3.4	04:48:47	56°	SSE	04:48:47	56°	SSE	04:51:51	10°	ESE	Visible
25 Feb	-2.7	06:22:00	10°	W	06:25:05	34°	SSW	06:28:09	10°	SE	Visible
26 Feb	-1.4	04:03:18	21°	ESE	04:03:18	21°	ESE	04:04:36	10°	E	Visible
26 Feb	-3.1	05:36:17	24°	WSW	05:37:52	42°	SSW	05:41:04	10°	SE	Visible
27 Feb	-3.3	04:50:49	49°	S	04:50:49	49°	S	04:53:53	10°	ESE	Visible
28 Feb	-1.5	04:05:23	21°	ESE	04:05:23	21°	ESE	04:06:40	10°	ESE	Visible
28 Feb	-2.5	05:38:22	19°	WSW	05:39:49	26°	SSW	05:42:41	10°	SSE	Visible