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  • OwenGwynne

What's up in February 2020?

Firstly the planets

Mercury is an evening planet at the start of the month, but as always, you need to work hard to see it.

It'll be low in the west just after the sun sets - at magnitude -1.0 on 1st Feb, and at -0.4 on 10th Feb when it's at its furthest elongation from the Sun.

Venus is also an evening planet - much more obvious as it's both brighter and higher in the sky - at the start of the month, it'll be at magnitude -4.0 - brightening to -4.1 by the end of the month.

Mars and Jupiter are morning objects, but are not particularly easily visible rising not long before Sunrise

Uranus and Neptune are evening objects, but are both relatively low - in Saggitarius and Aquarius respectively and get progressively less visible as the month goes on.


The Moon is full on 9th February - and is yet another "Supermoon".


Things to look out for...

Betelgeuse - the star at the left 'shoulder' of Orion has been dimming considerably over the last few months. Initially, the popular press were suggesting it may be about to go Supernova - but this is very unlikely - it's expected to go Supernova some time in the next 100,000 years - but this year is very unlikely.

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