Stargazing in February? Yes!

Sure it’s freezing outside. That’s what makes this time of year so perfect for stargazing in New England. You may not be able to throw on a sweater, drag an air mattress outside to recline on, and have a leisurely viewing party (we’ll revisit that possibility in August!), but a clear, dark night sky is never as spectacular as it is in winter. Tonight promises to be clear (yes, and cold), and if you do venture out, you'll be treated to a waxing gibbous moon and the brilliant planet Jupiter (it's the brightest point of light in the sky) right in the constellation of Taurus. As you can see from the diagram below, other points of interest that can be seen with the naked eye right in the same vicinity include the red star Aldebaran, the "eye" of the bull, and The Pleiades, a cluster of stars known as "The Seven Sisters." Without a telescope, you should be able to make out seven of The Pleiades' brightest stars, although, in actuality, the Pleiades star cluster is made up of over 1,000 hot, young, blue stars, formed about 100 million years ago out of a nebula that at one time probably looked similar to today's Orion Nebula. With a good pair of binoculars, you should be able to make out many more than seven stars in the cluster, and you will also be able to see at least two of Jupiter's largest moons. (For a continuously updating star chart and more information on what to look for, see Head in the Clouds Amherst's Night Sky page.) 

Jupiter and Moon tonight, 2-18 (from EarthSky.org)

After the wild events of last week (meterorite crashing in Russia and near-Earth fly-by of Asteroid DA14), it's hard to look up into the sky without realizing just how small we are in relation to the vast universe beyond Earth. And if that isn't enough to get you thinking expansively, just reflect for a moment on the fact that the Earth is hurtling around the sun at an average speed of 18.5 miles per second. When I think about that too long, I tend to feel dizzy and am overcome with a strong urge to hug the ground (again, that would be an August activity!). So tonight, before the clouds return tomorrow and for most of the week ahead, heat up a thermos of something hot to drink, pile on the layers, grab a pair of binoculars if you have some, and don’t let another February night pass you by.