February 13-16, 2025: The bright Snow Moon is visible before sunrise and appears farther eastward each morning.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Times described below are relative to sunrise. Find those times in local sources.
Morning Moon
The bright Snow Moon is visible in the western sky before sunrise. Each morning it phase shrinks and it appears farther eastward.
The moon’s orbit carries it in front of Leo and into Virgo. The constellations’ brightest stars are Regulus and Spica. Regulus is the closest bright star to the plane of the solar system. Spica is 2° below the ecliptic, though the moon and planets pass through the region, they do not frequently make compact conjunctions with it.
Highlights: Morning Moon Appears Farther Eastward
Here’s what to see one hour before daybreak:
- February 13: The gibbous moon, 99% illuminated, is over 15° up in the southwest. It is 5.0° to Regulus’ upper left, Leo’s brightest star.
- February 14: Farther eastward than yesterday, the moon, 96% illuminated, is over 20° up in the west-southwest, less then 20° to Regulus’ upper left and about 15° below Denebola, Leo’s tail.
- February 15: This morning the gibbous moon, 92% illuminated, is over halfway from Regulus to Spica, nearly 30° above the southwest horizon.
- February 16: The gibbous moon, 86% illuminated, is nearly 30° up in the southwest and over 12° to Spica’s lower right.
On February 17th, the moon is very close to Spica. In the South Pacific, the moon occults or eclipses the star.
Watch the morning moon move eastward compared to two bright stars that are landmarks along the ecliptic.
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