Sun, Moon, and Stars: February 2000

1

Vesta, the third-largest asteroid, is 0 degrees 4 minutes north of the Moon. The asteroid is occulted, or hidden from view, by the Moon.

0000

7 pm
(Jan 31st)

1

The Moon is at its apogee, or farthest point from Earth in its monthly orbit.

0100

8 pm
(Jan 31st)

2

Venus is 1 degree 4 minutes south of the Moon.

1500

10 am

5

NEW Moon Partial eclipse of the Sun. The eclipse will be visible in Antarctica and the central southern Indian Ocean.

1300

8 am

6

Uranus is in conjunction with the Sun, that is, Uranus and Earth are aligned on opposite sides of the Sun.

0700

2 am

6

Mercury is 1 degree 8 minutes north of the Moon.

1900

2 pm

8

Mars is 4 degrees north of the Moon.

1700

12 pm

10

Ceres, the largest asteroid, appears to be motionless in the sky as its apparent direct motion changes to backward, or retrograde, motion.

1500

10 am

11

Jupiter is 4 degrees north of the Moon.

0200

9 pm
(Feb. 10)

12

Saturn is 3 degrees north of the Moon.

0000

7 pm
(Feb. 11)

12

FIRST QUARTER

2300

6 pm

14

Aldebaran, the brightest star in the constellation Taurus, is 1 degree 2 minutes south of the Moon. The star is occulted, or hidden from view, by the Moon.

0300

10 pm
(Feb. 13)

15

Mercury is at its greatest elongation, or angular distance from the Sun, at 18 degrees east of the Sun.

0100

8 pm
(Feb. 14)

17

The Moon is at its perigee, or closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit.

0300

10 pm
(Feb.16)

19

FULL Moon

1600

11 am

20

Mercury appears to be motionless in the sky as its apparent direct motion changes to backward, or retrograde, motion.

2200

5 pm

22

Venus is 0 degrees 5 minutes south of Neptune.

0600

1 am

26

Pallas, the second-largest asteroid, appears to be motionless in the sky as its apparent backward, or retrograde, motion changes back to direct motion.

0900

4 am

27

LAST QUARTER

0400

11 pm
(Feb. 26)

28

The Moon is at its apogee, or farthest point from Earth in its monthly orbit.

2100

4 pm