
A monthly look at astronomical events in the sky and on Earth
Compiled and written by Steve Sawyer
Hi and welcome to Februarys What’s Up. Well January seems have whistled by very quickly despite being the month associated with the post Christmas / winter blues. I hope you’ve managed to enjoy some of the clear nights we’ve had, and fingers crossed for a few more in the coming month.
This Months York Astro Presentations
This month we can look forward to
Short Talks by members on the 7th
Followed by our Chairman Andrew giving a talk on Binocular Astronomy on the 12th
Other upcoming events
Upcoming events to put in your diary
Date | Title | Speaker |
---|---|---|
07/03/2025 | Cosmological Extremes | Gerry Fisher |
21/03/2025 | Building a Radio Telescope | Rod Hine |
04/04/2025 | Stellar Winds: Givers and Takers of Life | Brad Gibson |
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
And in the night sky this month we can look forward to:-
So what’s on this month?
In February and January, the northern Milky Way stretches from Cygnus through Cassiopeia, Perseus, Auriga, Gemini, and Monoceros, showcasing numerous stars even in less dense regions. Key highlights include Draco’s head, Deneb in Cygnus near the northern horizon, and Arcturus in Boötes rising in the east, with Coma Berenices hosting the Melotte 111 star cluster.
In the south, Orion dominates alongside Gemini, with Pollux brighter than Castor, and Sirius, the brightest star, visible in Canis Major. Surrounding constellations include Procyon in Canis Minor, Monoceros with its clusters, and Hydra’s head in the east, foreshadowing its full appearance by March.
And don’t forget about the planetary alignment on the 28th

Sky Diary
This table captures the astronomical events for February, including phases of the moon, planetary alignments, and other notable occurrences.
Date | Event |
---|---|
01 | Saturn (mag. 1.0) 1.0°S of Moon |
01 | Venus (mag. -4.6) 2.3°N of Moon |
02 | Moon at perigee: 367,457 km |
05 | FIRST QUARTER MOON |
06 | Pleiades 0.5°S of Moon |
07 | Jupiter (mag. -2.5) 5.5°S of Moon |
09 | Mars (mag. -0.9) 0.8°S of Moon |
10 | Pollux 2.2°N of Moon |
12 | FULL MOON |
12 | Regulus 2.3°S of Moon |
17 | Spica 0.3°N of Moon |
18 | Moon at apogee: 404,882 km |
19 | Venus at perihelion |
20 | LAST QUARTER MOON |
21 | Antares 0.4°N of Moon |
28 | NEW MOON |
Sky Maps
Looking South on the 15th at 22:00

Looking North on the 15th at 22:00

he 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. For a clickable list of Messier objects with images, use the Wikipedia link
February Objects

The Sun

First a confession this isn’t Februarys Sun as I’m writing this in late January due to being away on holiday at the end of the month. But as you can see there are plenty of developed and developing sunspots. So there’s a very good chance of activity in February
Resources
For more info on the sun and solar weather look here : –
Space Weather Enthusiasts Dashboard | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center
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/2025.html
The Moons Positions in February
Date | Event |
---|---|
01 | Saturn 1.0°S of Moon |
01 | Venus 2.3°N of Moon |
02 | Moon at perigee: 367,457 km |
05 | FIRST QUARTER MOON |
06 | Pleiades 0.5°S of Moon |
07 | Jupiter 5.5°S of Moon |
09 | Mars 0.8°S of Moon |
10 | Pollux 2.2°N of Moon |
12 | FULL MOON |
12 | Regulus 2.3°S of Moon |
17 | Spica 0.3°N of Moon |
18 | Moon at apogee: 404,882 km |
20 | LAST QUARTER MOON |
21 | Antares 0.4°N of Moon |
28 | NEW MOON |
Moon Feature
Plato Crater

The Plato Crater is one of the Moon’s most distinctive features, located at the northern edge of the Mare Imbrium. Measuring approximately 101 kilometers in diameter, Plato is characterized by its remarkably flat and dark basaltic floor, which contrasts sharply with its bright and rugged surrounding highlands. The crater’s walls rise up to 2,000 meters in height, creating a striking rim that often casts dramatic shadows when the Sun is low in the lunar sky. Named after the ancient Greek philosopher Plato by Giovanni Riccioli in the 17th century.
Formed approximately 3.8 billion years ago during the Imbrian period, Plato is thought to be the result of an ancient impact event. The impact breached the lunar crust, allowing basaltic lava to flood and fill the crater floor during subsequent volcanic activity. This gives the crater its smooth, dark interior, which is in stark contrast to the surrounding highlands. Despite its smooth appearance, the floor of Plato is dotted with small craterlets—tiny impact craters ranging from 1 to 2 kilometres in diameter
See if you can spot these!
When Plato lies near the terminator (e.g., during the First Quarter Moon), its rim casts dramatic shadows onto its floor, highlighting its depth and structure.
Nearby Features
Vallis Alpes (Alpine Valley)
- Location: Southeast of Plato, cutting through the lunar Alps.
- Description: A stunning 166-km-long valley with a narrow rille running along its floor. It’s believed to have formed through tectonic or volcanic processes.
- Challenge: Observing the rille in the valley floor requires steady seeing and high magnification.
Mare Frigoris (Sea of Cold)
- Location: Just north of Plato.
- Description: A vast, relatively featureless plain, perfect for providing contrast to the rugged terrain around Plato.
- Observation Tip: This region is often overlooked but serves as a quiet backdrop to nearby features.
Planets

On February 28, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Saturn and Mercury will all be in alignment, with Mars appearing right at the top. The others will appear in an arc downwards towards the horizon.
Mercury
In February, Mercury begins too close to the Sun to be visible in the morning sky, reaching superior conjunction on February 9. After this date, it gradually transitions to the evening sky. By February 24, Mercury sets just over an hour after the Sun, shining at a magnitude of -1.1 and appearing 5 arcseconds across with a phase of 87%. The best viewing opportunity is around February 28, from 30 minutes after sunset, when it is located low in the western sky in Pisces. Notably, Mercury and Saturn will appear 1.5° apart on February 25, offering an interesting conjunction for observers.
Venus
n February, Venus shines brilliantly in the evening sky, making it a striking object after sunset. At the start of the month, it reaches a magnitude of -4.5, dominating the twilight. As the month progresses, Venus gradually moves closer to the Sun, and by February 28, its crescent phase shrinks to just 14% illumination, appearing larger in telescopic views. The best time to observe Venus is early in the evening while the sky is still bright, allowing for clear views through telescopes or binoculars. Positioned in the southwestern sky, Venus is a standout celestial object this month.
Mars
In February, Mars remains prominently visible in the evening sky, situated in Gemini. On February 1, it reaches its best visibility at 22:50 UT, attaining a high altitude of 63° when due south. Following its opposition last month, Mars continues to shine brightly, starting the month at magnitude -1.1 and appearing 13 arcseconds across through a telescope. On February 9, it lies 20 arcminutes south of the 91%-lit waxing Moon at 18:57 UT, making for a beautiful conjunction. By February 24, Mars reverses its motion, transitioning from westward to eastward movement across the sky. By the end of the month, on February 28, it dims slightly to magnitude -0.3, appearing 10 arcseconds across. Mars remains a striking object throughout February, offering excellent opportunities for observation and imaging.
Jupiter
Jupiter is a prominent object throughout February, situated in Taurus. It shines brightly at magnitude -2.4, reaching its peak altitude of nearly 60° around 20:00 UT on February 1. A conjunction with a 69%-lit gibbous Moon occurs just 48 arcminutes north of Jupiter on the morning of February 7. By the end of the month, Jupiter’s visibility begins to diminish as it sets earlier in the evening. Despite this, it remains an impressive and well-presented target in the twilight sky.
Saturn
Saturn, located in Aquarius, is visible in the evening sky at the start of February, shining faintly at magnitude +0.8. However, its viewing window gradually closes as it sinks lower into the twilight, becoming difficult to observe by the end of the month. Its position low in the sky during the early evening makes observation challenging but rewarding with a clear horizon.
Uranus
Uranus is well-placed in Aries, visible in the evening sky at an altitude of 55° at 18:50 UT on February 1. Shining at magnitude +5.7, Uranus is a good target for binoculars or small telescopes under dark skies. However, it loses altitude as the month progresses, becoming less accessible by late February.
Neptune
Neptune, located in Pisces, is visible early in the month at an altitude of 17° at 19:00 UT on February 1, shining faintly at magnitude +7.9. It is positioned 3.3° southwest of Venus on February 1, offering an excellent opportunity for observation alongside the bright planet. However, Neptune rapidly becomes less visible as it sinks lower into the evening sky, eventually becoming unobservable later in the month.
Meteor Showers

There are no major northern hemisphere meteor showers occurring in February 2025. During February, observers might spot sporadic meteors, but no organised meteor streams reach their peak visibility during this month.
Comets

Date | Comet Name | Magnitude |
---|---|---|
25 Feb | C/2022 E2 (ATLAS) | 13.59 |
25 Feb | 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 | 13.29 |
25 Feb | 13P/Olbers | 13.21 |
Comet C/2022 E2 (ATLAS)
Comet C/2022 E2 (ATLAS) was discovered in March 2022 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey. Initially appearing asteroidal, subsequent observations revealed a condensed coma, confirming its cometary nature.
The comet reached its perihelion on September 14, 2024, at a distance of 3.666 AU from the Sun. During its approach, it was observed to have a magnitude of approximately 14.3 in January 2025, indicating it remained a relatively faint object.
Link here for further details of each comet and how to locate it.
Visual Comets in the Future (Northern Hemisphere) (aerith.net)
Deep Sky (DSO’s)

ion
This month we’ll look at Orion and some of the lesser known sights within this constellation.
NGC 2023 (Reflection Nebula):
- Description: Often overshadowed by the nearby Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33), NGC 2023 is a stunning blue reflection nebula illuminated by the B-type star HD 37903. It is one of the brightest reflection nebulae in the sky and is located within the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex.
- Observational Notes: A small telescope will reveal a faint glow surrounding the star, while larger instruments can bring out the nebula’s structure.
APOD link
APOD: 2018 March 29 – NGC 2023 in the Horsehead’s Shadow
Sh2-264 (Meissa Ring):
- Description: Surrounding the star Meissa (Lambda Orionis), this large but faint emission nebula forms part of the Lambda Orionis molecular ring, an extensive star-forming region.
- Observational Notes: A wide-field telescope or binoculars under dark skies will show its faint glow, though the details are better captured in photographs.
APOD Link
APOD: 2021 March 22 – From Auriga to Orion
IC 2118 (Witch Head Nebula):
- Description: Located near Rigel, this faint reflection nebula resembles the profile of a witch’s head. It is illuminated by the light from Rigel and is often overlooked due to its faintness.
- Observational Notes: Dark skies are essential, and long-exposure photography reveals its intricate structure and bluish hue.
APOD Link
APOD: 2006 December 11 – IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula
Barnard’s Loop (Sh2-276):
- Description: This faint, crescent-shaped emission nebula encircles a large portion of Orion, likely formed by supernova activity millions of years ago.
- Observational Notes: Extremely faint and best seen with a wide-field telescope or astrophotography equipment using long exposures.
APOD Link
APOD: 2020 March 29 – A 212 Hour Exposure of Orion
Unique and Interesting Stars in Orion
- Meissa (Lambda Orionis):
- Description: Meissa is a hot, young O-type giant and the central star of the Lambda Orionis molecular ring. Its intense ultraviolet radiation powers the surrounding nebulae and makes it a prominent feature in the constellation’s northern region.
- Interesting Fact: Meissa forms the “head” of Orion and has played a critical role in shaping the surrounding molecular cloud.
Meissa – Wikipedia
- Bellatrix (Gamma Orionis):
- Description: Often overshadowed by Betelgeuse and Rigel, Bellatrix is a massive B2-type star located around 240 light-years away. It is evolving off the main sequence, becoming a giant.
– Interesting Fact: Bellatrix means “female warrior” in Latin, aligning with Orion’s mythological association as a hunter.
- Theta-1 Orionis C:
- Description: Found within the Trapezium Cluster in the heart of M42 (Orion Nebula), this massive O-type star is the most luminous member of the cluster and significantly influences the nebula’s appearance.
– Interesting Fact: It emits intense radiation, which carves out cavities in the surrounding gas and shapes the intricate structure of the Orion Nebula.
- Iota Orionis (Hatysa):
- Description: The brightest star in Orion’s sword, Iota Orionis is a binary system with a hot O9 giant as its primary component.
- Interesting Fact: Its strong stellar wind contributes to the ionization of nearby gas clouds, and it provides a bright anchor point for navigating Orion’s sword.

ISS and other orbiting bits
Use the this NASA website for exact timings for York overpasses. York, England, United Kingdom | Sighting Opportunity | Spot The Station | NASA
Useful Resources
StarLust – A Website for People with a Passion for Astronomy, Stargazing, and Space Exploration.
http://www.n3kl.org/sun/noaa.html
http://skymaps.com/downloads.html
Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events 2024 – Sea and Sky (seasky.org)
https://www.constellation-guide.com
IMO | International Meteor Organization
and of course the Sky at Night magazine!
Steve, these guides just get better and better! Thank you and well done.