February 7: Find the February morning Venus and Moon conjunction southeast before sunrise. Use a telescope to observe Venus' approach to Mars.
February 26, 2022: Venus, Mars, and Moon in the southeast before sunrise.
Chicago, IL: Sunrise at 6:57 AM CST and sunset at 5:13 PM CST. Please check local sources for sunrise and sunset times. These times were calculated by the MICA computer program of the US Naval Observatory.
Here is the planetary forecast for today:
Morning sky
One morning in February, Venus and the Moon met.
February 7, 2024: Venus and the New Moon appear in the southeast before sunrise.
This morning, Venus and the crescent moon appeared in the southeast sky before dawn. Although they are not the closest conjunction to Venus this morning, the pair will present a beautiful picture about 45 minutes before sunrise.
At that time, the morning star was less than 10° above the horizon, so look for a place with a good view in that direction. Find the crescent moon, which is located at 7.3° to the lower right of the dazzling planet.
Venus and the Moon are in front of Sagittarius. Using binoculars, the stars Kaus Borealis (λ on the chart) and Nunki (σ) can be observed.
The Moon was in its new moon phase at 4:59 p.m. CST on the 9th. It reappeared in the night sky on the 10th, near Saturn.
Mars continues to emerge slowly from bright sunlight, but it hides in the morning light. Venus passes.
Venus is the second closest planet to the Sun. It has the thickest atmosphere of any rocky body in the solar system, so dense that at the surface and at 92 atmospheres it becomes a supercritical fluid. The planet's surface is dominated by volcanoes – there are 167 volcanoes on Venus that are more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) in diameter. Venus is about 12,104 kilometers (7,521 miles) in diameter and is classified as a terrestrial planet.
February 7, 2024: Venus-Moon conjunction phase early February
February 7: On February morning, the conjunction of Venus and the Moon is spotted in the southeast before sunrise. Use binoculars to observe Venus approaching Mars.
Photo caption- February 26, 2022: Images of Venus, Mars, and the Moon in the northeast before sunrise.
Chicago, IL: Sunrise, 6:57 a.m. CT; Sunset, 5:13 p.m. CT. Check the sunrise and sunset times of local sources. The time was calculated by the calculation system MICA of the US Naval Observatory.
Here is today's planetary forecast:
Morning sky
Venus-Moon conjunction on February morning - February 7, 2024: Venus and the crescent moon are located southeast before sunrise.
This morning, Venus and the New Moon appeared in the southeastern sky before dawn. While this isn't the closest Venus-Moon conjunction this morning, they're still a beautiful picture 45 minutes before sunrise.
At that time, the morning star was less than 10° above the horizon, so an unobstructed view could be found from that direction. The crescent moon can be found at 7.3° to the lower right of this dazzling planet.
Venus and the Moon are located in front of the constellation Sagittarius. Using binoculars, the stars Kaus Borealis (λ on the chart) and Nunki (σ) can be seen.
The Moon is in its new moon phase at 4:59 p.m. Central Time on the 9th. It reappeared in the evening sky near Saturn on the 10th.
Mars still appears slowly in bright sunlight, but it is hidden in the morning light. Venus passes.
Relevant knowledge
Venus is the second closest planet to the Sun. It has the densest atmosphere of any rock mass in the solar system. Dense enough to be at the surface, at 92 atmospheres, it is the presence of a supercritical fluid. The planet's surface is covered with volcanoes – there are 167 Venusian volcanoes with a diameter of more than 100 kilometers (60 miles). Venus is about the same diameter as the Earth, about 12,104 kilometers (7,521 miles), and is classified as a terrestrial planet.
Venus and Mars are in the same frame
Chart description for February 7, 2024: Through binoculars, Venus and Mars appear in the same field of view.
This morning was the first opportunity to see Venus and Mars in the same binoculars field of view. They are in almost exact opposite positions in the field of view close to each other. Thirty minutes before sunrise, the Red Planet is more than 5° above the horizon and 7.1° to the lower left of Venus. Every clear morning, Venus overtakes Mars.
Mercury
Mercury will conjunct the Sun near the aphelion of the Sun on the 28th. It rises more than thirty minutes before sunrise, under the bright sunlight of a northern hemisphere sky observer.
Evening sky
Saturn
Chart illustration for February 7, 2024: Saturn is low west-southwest 45 minutes after sunset.
Saturn is rapidly leaving the evening sky. It was too low for telescope observations because the haze near the horizon blurred and darkened the celestial body. Forty-five minutes after sunset, the Ring Wonder is less than 10° above the west-southwest horizon. Saturn sets each night about ninety minutes after the sun rises and before the end of tonight's twilight, four minutes before sunset.
Mars is the fourth closest planet to the Sun. The surface of Mars is orange-red because it is covered with iron oxide dust, hence the name "Red Planet". Mars is home to many massive extinct volcanoes (such as Mount Olympus, 21.9 kilometers or 13.6 miles high) and one of the largest canyons in the solar system (Valles Marineris, 4,000 kilometers or 2,500 miles long). In comparison, Mars has a diameter of 6,779 kilometers (4,212 miles). It is classified as a terrestrial planet and is the second smallest planet among the planets in the solar system.
On closer inspection, the relatively flat plains of the northern part of Mars contrast sharply with the crater terrain of the southern highlands – a topographic observation known as the Martian dichotomy. Geologically, Mars is quite active, with Martian earthquakes shaking underground, dust and cirrus clouds sweeping across the planet. Carbon dioxide is abundant in Mars' polar ice caps and thin atmosphere.
Jupiter
Chart Caption - February 7, 2024: Jupiter is located in the south-west high after sunset.
Jupiter is a bright star located higher in the southwestern sky after sunset. From night to night, you can observe it slowly moving eastward in front of the constellation Aries. Tonight, it is about 11.0° to the lower left of Lou Su (the brightest star in the constellation Aries) and about 13.3° above the "nostrils" of the constellation Cetus. The planet is approaching the line between the two stars.
Since Jupiter's retrograde ended on December 30, the planet's position has shifted significantly eastward every night. Every clear night, it shines in the western sky and lasts until mid-spring.
You can use binoculars to observe the Pleiades star cluster, located in the upper left of the giant Jupiter. These sapphire stars resemble a small spoon. Count dozens of stars in the field of view of binoculars.
Look for Uranus
Uranus is located halfway from Jupiter to the Pleiades. It is too far away from these celestial wonders to be observed simultaneously in the same binoculars' field of view as them. You can see the planet in the darkest areas where there is no outdoor lighting and bright moonlight.
Uranus is relatively easy to find. You can use the most recent article to locate the planet through binoculars, starting with the cluster.
Jupiter sets after midnight and at the beginning of a new day.
Relevant knowledge
Uranus is the seventh-farthest planet from the Sun. It is a light blue gas ice giant. Most of the planet is made up of water, ammonia, and methane, and is in a supercritical phase of matter, which astronomically calls "ice" or "volatiles". Uranus' atmosphere has a complex layered cloud structure and has the lowest minimum temperature of any planet in the solar system, at 49 K (−224 °C; −371 °F). It has a pronounced axial inclination of 82.23° and rotates in reverse at a speed of 17 hour revolutions. This means that during its orbital cycle around the Sun for 84 Earth years, its poles will receive about 42 consecutive years of sunlight, followed by 42 consecutive years of darkness.
Uranus is the third largest planet in the solar system in terms of diameter and fourth in mass. According to current models, Uranus' interior is surrounded by an unstable mantle layer that wraps around a rocky core with a thick atmosphere of hydrogen and helium. Trace amounts of hydrocarbons (thought to be produced by hydrolysis) as well as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide (thought to be from comets) were detected in the upper atmosphere. There are many unexplained climate phenomena in Uranus' atmosphere, such as its maximum wind speed reaching 900 kilometers (560 miles) per hour. In addition, there are variations in the polar crown of Uranus, and the formation of clouds also shows irregularities. Uranus's interior heat is very low compared to other giant planets, and the reason for this is unknown.
BY：Jeffrey L. Hunt
FY：Astronomical volunteer team
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