Abstract
NEW moon occurs on Feb. l0d. 03h. 02m., U.T., and full moon on Feb. 24d. 17h. 16m. The following conjunctions with the moon take place : Feb. 5d. 06h., Jupiter 3° N. ; Feb. 11d. 06h., Mercury 8° N. ; Feb. 13d. 12h., Venus 3° N. ; Feb. 23d. 13h., Saturn 4° S. ; Feb. 24d. 02h., Mars 0-6° S. During the first part of the month, Mercury is an evening star, setting at 18h. 20m. and 17h. 58m. on Feb. 1 and 14 respectively, and is in inferior conjunction on Feb. 20. At the end of the month it rises about three-quarters of an hour before the sun but will not be an easy object to observe. Venus, stellar magnitude about - 3·5, is conspicuous in the western sky and sets at 20h., 20h. 40m. and 21h. 30m. at the beginning, middle and end of the month respectively —several hours after sunset. Mars, in the constellation of Leo, rises in the early evening hours and can be seen throughout the night. Jupiter does not rise until the early morning hours—4h. 47m. and 3h. 18m. on Feb. 1 and 29 respectively ; but as the planet does not attain an altitude greater than 16° in the latitude of Greenwich, it is not very favourably placed for observation. Saturn, in the constellation of Leo, rises in the early evening hours and can be seen throughout most of the night. The planet is in opposition on Feb. 9. Occupations of stars brighter than magnitude 6 are as follows : Feb. 18d. 18h. 37·7m., ν Taur. (D) ; Feb. 18d. 19h. 05·3m., 72 Taur. (D) ; Feb. 20d. 00h. 49·9m., 125 Taur. (D) ; Feb. 26d. 23h. 02·6m., γ Virg. m (D) ; Feb. 26d. 23h. 29·7m., γ Virg. m (R) ; D and R refer to disappearance and reappearance, respectively, and the latitude and longitude of Greenwich are assumed. In addition to these occultations of stars, Mars is occulted by the moon on Feb. 24d. O1h. 58·9m., reappearing at 02h. 45·4m.
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The Night Sky in February. Nature 161, 164 (1948). https://doi.org/10.1038/161164d0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/161164d0