Astronomy

γ

α

CE
NT

HYDRA CRATER

SEXTANS

CORVUS

LEO

LEO MINOR

M65M66

NGC 5139

NGC 5128

Regulus

M104

Jupiter

E

FEBRUARY 2016

Calendar of events

1 Last Quarter Moon occurs at

3h28m UT

The Moon passes 3° north of

Mars, 9h UT

3 The Moon passes 3° north of

Saturn, 19h UT

6 The Moon passes 4° north of

Venus, 8h UT

The Moon passes 4° north of

Mercury, 17h UT

7 Mercury is at greatest western

elongation (26°), 1h UT

8 New Moon occurs at 14h39m UT

10 The Moon passes 2° north of

Neptune, 0h UT

11 The Moon is at perigee (364,360

kilometers from Earth), 2h41m UT

12 The Moon passes 1.7° south of

Uranus, 14h UT

15 First Quarter Moon occurs at

7h46m UT

Asteroid Astraea is at opposition,

12h U T

16 The Moon passes 0.3° north of

Aldebaran, 8h UT

22 Full Moon occurs at 18h20m UT

24 The Moon passes 1.7° south of

Jupiter, 4h UT

27 The Moon is at apogee

(405,383 kilometers from Earth),

3h28m UT

28 Neptune is in conjunction with

the Sun, 16h UT

29 The Moon passes 4° north of

Mars, 18h UT

STAR COLORS:

Stars’ true colors

depend on surface

temperature. Hot

stars glow blue; slight-

ly cooler ones, white;

intermediate stars (like

the Sun), yellow; followed

by orange and, ulti mately, red.

Fainter stars can’t excite our eyes’

color receptors, and so appear white

without optical aid.

Illustrations by Astronomy: Roen Kelly

HOW TO USE THIS MAP: This map portrays

the sky as seen near 30° south latitude.

Located inside the border are the four

directions: north, south, east, and

west. To find stars, hold the map

overhead and orient it so a

direction label matches the

direction you’re facing.

The stars above the

map’s horizon now

match what’s

in the sky.

BEGINNERS: WATCH A VIDEO ABOUT HOW TO READ A STAR CHART AT http://www.Astronomy.com/starchart.