Highlights of the Night Sky in February

Here are some of the planets, constellations and deep sky objects to see in February:

6:30 PM, western sky – Venus and Mars visible after sunset; a crescent Moon joins the pair on February 20
7:30 PM, eastern sky – Jupiter rises in the east and stays visible throughout the night
4 AM, southeastern sky – Saturn climbs higher in the sky before dawn
9 PM, southern sky – Orion constellation prominent in the sky, with the bright red supergiant Betelgeuse marking the Hunter’s left shoulder, the blue supergiant Rigel marking the right knee, the stars Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka marking Orion’s Belt, and the famous Orion Nebula (Messier 42) with the Trapezium Cluster located in Orion’s Sword
9 PM southern sky – Canis Major with the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius, and the open star cluster Messier 41 just below the star