The heavens in February

Some star-gazing highlights of the month.

• 9-11 The Moon, the planet Saturn, and the star Regulus cluster together for three nights. Regulus is barely to the left of the Moon as they rise on the 9th. The Moon splits the gap between them the next night, and is closest to Saturn on the 11th.
  
• 14 Venus, the “evening star,” is at its brightest tonight. It stands high in the west as night falls.
  
• 17/18 The Moon passes Antares, the brightest star of Scorpius, in the pre-dawn sky. Antares is quite close to the left of the Moon at first light on the 17th, and a little farther to the upper right on the 18th.
  
• 26/27 Venus and the Moon stage a beautiful encounter in the evening sky. Venus stands well above the Moon on the 26th, while they are side by side on the 27th.