![]() 6 depicting comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) lose to Zeta Aurigae in the Auriga constellation. February 6: Comet E3 ZTF close to Zeta Aurigae (evening)Īn illustration of the night sky on Feb. Because this moon will be full only 33 hours after the moon's apogee, its greatest distance from Earth this month, it will look about 5% smaller than average (red circle) - making it the opposite of a supermoon and the smallest full moon of 2023. ![]() February full moons culminate very high in the night sky and cast shadows similar to the summer midday sun. Since it's opposite the sun on this day of the lunar month, the moon will be fully illuminated, and rise at sunset and set at sunrise. For Europeans, it is known as the Snow Moon or Hunger Moon. The Cree of North America call it Kisipisim, the "the Great Moon", a time when the animals remain hidden away and traps are empty. The Algonquin call it Wapicuummilcum, the "Ice in River is Gone" moon. For them, it signifies a time to discover how to see beyond reality and to communicate through energy rather than sound. The indigenous Anishnaabe (Ojibwe and Chippewa) people of the Great Lakes region call the February full moon Namebini-giizis "Sucker Fish Moon" or Mikwa-giizis, the "Bear Moon". The February full moon will occur on Sunday, Feb. (Image credit: Starry Night Software) (opens in new tab) February 3: Bright moon aligns with Gemini's Twins (all night)Īn illustration of the night sky on Feb. The Milky Way passes vertically through the asterism, but you won't see its faint glow while the waxing gibbous moon journeys through the giant shape from Tuesday to Thursday this week (red path with dates:hour). ![]() Viewed during the evening from mid-Northern latitudes, the huge pattern will stand upright in the southern sky - stretching from about 30 degrees above the horizon to overhead. This year, though, the red planet Mars' position in Taurus between Aldebaran and Capella has turned it into the Winter Heptagon! The hexagon is visible during evenings from mid-November to spring every year. The Winter Football, also known as the Winter Hexagon and Winter Circle, is an asterism composed of the brightest stars in the constellations of Canis Major, Orion, Taurus, Auriga, Gemini, and Canis Minor - specifically Sirius, Rigel, Aldebaran, Capella, Castor & Pollux, and Procyon. 2 showing the moon crossing the Winter Heptagon. February 2: Moon crosses the Winter Heptagon (evening)Īn illustration of the night sky on Feb. ![]() An app like Starry Night will show its nightly location where you live. After perigee, the comet will travel higher in the evening sky towards the bright star Capella until Feb. The surrounding nights should be almost as good for viewing, although the moon will be waxing fuller each evening. That translates to mid-day in the Americas, so the best viewing time there for the comet will mid-evening on Wednesday when the comet will be highest in the northern sky, and about two fist diameters above (or 19.5 degrees to the celestial south-southwest of) Polaris. The closest approach of 26.5 million miles (42.7 million km), about 110 times farther than the moon, will occur around 18:00 GMT. The long-period comet designated C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is predicted to become bright enough to see by Northern Hemisphere skywatchers using binoculars and even their unaided eyes when it passes closest to Earth on Wednesday, Feb. ![]() 1 showing Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) at its closest to Earth. ![]()
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