Sunrise Sunset

Fri., Jan 25 7:00 4:48

Sat., Jan. 26 6:59 4:49

Sun., Jan. 27 6:58 4:50

Mon., Jan. 28 6:57 4:51

Tues., Jan. 29 6:57 4:53

Wed., Jan. 30 6:56 4:54

Thurs., Jan. 31 6:55 4:55

Fri., Feb. 1 6:54 4:56

The best planetary show of the month takes place early in the morning. The two brightest planets in our night sky appear together as a close pair. Venus and Jupiter are doing a planetary dance and they can be seen close to the horizon an hour before sunrise.

Look toward the southeastern sky while the sky is still dark and you’ll see them. They are in the zodiacal constellation Scorpius, not far from the red star Antares. The planets are closest together, less than a degree apart, on the morning of Friday, Feb. 1. The performance is short-lived, however. They separate in the mornings ahead. Afterwards Jupiter appears higher in the sky on successive mornings and Venus slips closer to the glare of the rising sun.

Mars and Saturn

The planets Mars and Saturn are easy to find at night. The red planet Mars is high in the eastern sky after sunset and in the zodiacal constellation Taurus. Saturn arrives in the eastern sky an hour after sunset and appears in the zodiacal constellation Leo.

February Skies

Stargazers are getting the best of winter skies in February. Groundhog Day is Feb. 2. Skies are mostly moonless and dark until the middle of the month. A lunar eclipse will take place mid-evening on Wednesday, Feb. 20 and be over well before midnight.