It is Full Moon next Monday, so the sky will be bright and no dim objects can be observed. Mercury is hard to find low in the Eastern horizon from 6.40 am onwards in the constellation Capricornus. Venus is in the same constellation and visible from 6.20 am onwards, both low on the horizon. Mars is best seen from 1.20 am onwards in the constellation Libra. Jupiter is visible earlier and earlier in the evening. The giant planet is best seen from 7.20 pm onwards and in the constellation Leo. The planet with the rings Saturn is best seen from 3.20 am onwards in the constellation Ophiuchus. Although difficult, this is the last week where you would be able to see and find the 5 naked eye planets.
Wednesday 17 February
The International Space Station, called ISS appears as a bright star moving slowly in the sky. Look from 5.42 pm onwards it the West. ISS gets its highest point, called culmination at 5.47 pm in the South South West at an altitude of 43°. ISS disappears in the East South East horizon at 5.52 pm. You don’t need a telescope or binocular to watch. ISS is visible with the naked eye. One orbit around the Earth takes about 90 minutes. ISS appears again at 7.19 pm in the Western horizon. Culmination is at 7.23 pm in the South West. ISS disappears at 7.25 pm in the South at about 9° altitude. Wave at our British astronaut Tim Peake!
In the morning ISS had an orbit manoeuver rocket burn at 10.50 am. So the calculations could be a little off. The orbit of the ISS will be raised by 1.8 miles or 2.9 kilometre within 435 seconds to 246.8 miles x 257.3 miles or 394.8 km x 411.7 km.
Our Moon is in maximum declination North at 11.23 pm. This is the 2nd lowest Northernmost Moon position of the next 10 years, and the 2nd lowest of the year. The former lower Northern Northernmost Moon position was on 31 October 2015. The next lower Northern Northernmost Moon position is on 16 March 2016.
Watch the giant planet Jupiter. If you have a small telescope or a good binocular you can watch features on the disc of the planet and can see the 4 brighter Jupiter Moons, called Jovian Moons. At 3.45 am the Great Red Spot is in transit and can be seen.
Not that you will notice, but for Solar observers at 4.05 am the Solar Rotation begins its Carrington rotation number 2174.
Before Sun rise, a very bright Iridium flare is visible at 7.20 am. Iridiums are satellites, moving like a bright star in the sky and visible with the naked eye. Iridium flares lights up very sudden for a few seconds. This one is visible in the East North East at an altitude of 31° and in the constellation Pegasus. Let us know if you saw it.
Thursday 18 February
After lunch, at 1.10 pm, in full daylight the Moon's Golden Handle is visible. The Sun rises on the Jura mountains, while Sinus Iridium is still in shadow. Look in the early evening when it is dark.
At 1.41 pm, in day time the ISS is very close to the Sun. The separation is only 0.286°. So if the orbit of ISS only slightly changes, it might cross the disc of the Sun. You will need of course a solar telescope to watch.
ISS appears at 6.26 pm in the West. Culmination is at 6.31 pm in the South South West at an altitude of 20°. ISS disappears at 6.35 pm in the South South East.
The Moon is in maximum libration East. Mare Crisium limb is tipped into the Earths view at 7.15 pm.
The Great Red Spot transits the giant planet Jupiter at 11.37 pm.
The Moon is close to the star called Lamda Gem at 4.20 am. The limb separation is only 2 lunar diameters.
At 4.37 am the Jupiter Moon Europa begins its shadow and at 5.32 am its actual transit.
A very bright Iridium flare appears at 6.04 am in the South South East at an altitude of 35° in the constellation Ophiuchus.
Friday 19 February
ISS appears tonight at 5.34 pm in the West. Culmination is at 5.39 pm in the South South West at an altitude of 28°. ISS disappears at 5.44 pm at the South East horizon.
Get your telescope out or take your binocular and watch Jupiter. At 7.28 pm the Great Red Spot will transit the giant planet. At 4.54 am in the morning the Jupiter Moon Io begins its eclipse.
Get up early if you want to see some bright Iridium flares. The first one is very bright at 5.17 am in the North at an altitude of 31° and in the constellation Cassiopeia. The second is at 6.26 am in the East South East , but low on the horizon at an altitude of only 4° in the constellation Aquarius.
Saturday 20 February
ISS appears tonight at 6.18 pm in the Western horizon. Culmination is at 6.23 pm in the South West at an altitude of only 11°. ISS disappears at 6.27 pm in the South South East.
A lot to see on an around the giant planet Jupiter tonight. At 10.51 pm the Jupiter Moon Ganymede reappears from its occultation. At 11.29 pm the Jupiter Moon Europa begins its eclipse. The Great Red Spot will transit the disc of the giant planet Jupiter at 1.15 am. At 2.12 am the Jupiter Moon Io begins its shadow over the disc and at 2.35 am it actual begins its transit. At 3 am the Jupiter Moon Europa reappears from its occultation. At 4.27 am the Jupiter Moon Io ends its shadow and at 4.49 am it ends its transit.
A very bright Iridium flare appears at 5.55 am in the South South East at an altitude of 37° in the constellation Ophiuchus. Another flare is at 6.38 am in the East South East at an altitude of only 8° in the constellation Aquarius.
Sunday 21 February
Not visible, but the smaller planet Mercury is in aphelion at 5.20 pm. The distance to the Sun is 0.4667 AU. One AU (Astronomical Unit) is the average distance from the Earth to the Sun.
ISS appears at 5.26 pm in the West. Culmination is at 5.31 pm in the South West at an altitude of 17°. ISS disappears at 5.35 pm in the South South East.
At 8.48 pm the Jupiter Moon Callisto ends its eclipse. The Great red Spot transit the disc of Jupiter at 9.06 pm. At 9.50 pm the Jupiter Moon Callisto disappears and will be occulted by Jupiter. At 11.23 pm the Jupiter Moon Io begins its eclipse. And at 11.41 pm the Jupiter Moon Callisto reappears from its earlier occultation.
After midnight, at 0.35 am the Moon is close to the star called Subra. The limb separation is just under a lunar diameter.
At 2.01 am the Jupiter Moon Io reappears from its occultation.
A rather bright Iridium flare appears at 6.37 am in the East North East at an altitude of 22° in the constellation of Pegasus.
Monday 22 February
It is Full Moon at 6.19 pm. The sky will be bright and it will be hard to see dim and fainter objects.
A very bright Iridium flare appears at 6.24 pm in the North North East at an altitude of 56° in the constellation Camelopardalis. Another flare is visible at 8.37 pm in the North at an altitude of 41° in the constellation Cepheus.
This is worth to watch. If you have them, try observing the planet with a pair of binoculars. On almost any night, you should be able to see a line of stars (up to four, in total) on either side of the planet. These are Jupiter’s largest Moons, known as the Galilean or Jovian satellites. On Jupiter there will be a double shadow transit of the Jupiter Moons Io and Europa. At 8.40 pm the Jupiter Moon Io begins its shadow. This is the begin of the multi shadow and Moon event and starts for 4.4 minutes: 1 Moon (Europa) and 2 shadows (from Io, Europa) are in front of Jupiter. At 8.44 pm the Jupiter Moon Europa ends its shadow. At 9.01 pm the Jupiter Moon Io begins its transit. Multi Moon and shadow event starts now for 23.4 minutes: 2 Moons (Io, Europa) and 1 shadow (from Io) in front of Jupiter. At 9.25 pm the Jupiter Moon Europa ends its transit. At 10.55 pm the Jupiter Moon Io ends its shadow. The Jupiter Moon Io ends its transit at 11.15 pm and at 2.53 am the Great Red Spot will transit the giant planet Jupiter. You can go to sleep now …
Tuesday 23 February
Jupiter is getting visible earlier and earlier in the evening. Tonight, at 8.27 pm the Jupiter Moon Io reappears from its occultation.
After midnight, at 2.25 am the Moon is close to the giant planet Jupiter. The limb separation is only 2° or about 4 lunar diameters. The altitude of the Moon is 41° and the Moon phase is 98%. The Moon is at ascending node at 0.06 am.
An Iridium flare is visible at 6.15 am in the East North East at an altitude of 19° in the constellation Pegasus.
Wednesday 24 February
The Zodiacal Light is visible at about 7 pm. Zodiacal Light is a triangle glow in the Western horizon, visible just after Sun set. Try to watch or make a picture.
The Moon is close to the star called Zavijah at about 8 pm. They are about 4 lunar diameters separated.
If you have a small telescope or a binocular, you can see some features on the disc or around the giant planet Jupiter. At 4.31 am the Great Red Spot is in transit of the giant planet.
Iridium flares are satellites moving in the sky and visible with the naked eye. Satellites move like a star in the night sky. But Iridium flares get sudden brighter and appear as a flare in the sky. At 4.42 am a flare appears in the North at an altitude of 19° in the constellation Perseus. Another flare, same brightness in the East North East at 5.50 am at an altitude of 14° in the constellation Pegasus.
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