February 10-13: Before sunrise in mid-February, the waning crescent moon moves in front of Scorpius and Sagittarius. Learn when to see earthshine, Antares, and key reference stars in the southeastern sky.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Morning Crescent with Scorpius and Sagittarius
The morning crescent moon moves eastward in front of Scorpius and Sagittarius before sunrise. Step outside about an hour before sunrise to find the crescent moon in the southeastern sky.
As the moon wanes and approaches the New Moon phase and the Lunar New Year on February 17, earthshine becomes visible on the moon’s nighttime portion, especially on February 12 and 13. Earthshine is sunlight reflected from Earth’s clouds, oceans, and land that softly illuminates the lunar night.
Photograph earthshine with a tripod-mounted camera or a steady camera phone using exposures up to several seconds. These images overexpose the bright crescent to reveal the soft illumination across the lunar night.
The Highlights
Here is what to see:
- February 10: The moon, 41% illuminated, is over 20° up in the south, 7.7° to Antares’ upper right, Scorpius’ brightest star. Look carefully for Pi Scorpii (π Sco), 1.0° to the lunar orb’s upper right.
- February 11: The 32% illuminated moon is over 15° above the south-southeast horizon, 4.5° to Antares’ lower left.
- February 12: Look for earthshine on the 23% illuminated crescent, less than 15° above the south-southeast horizon. The moon is over 15° to Antares’ lower left and over 10° to the right of Kaus Borealis in front of Sagittarius. Use a binocular to see the star at this level of twilight.
- February 13: The morning crescent, 16% illuminated, again displays earthshine. The moon is in front of Sagittarius, 3.7° below Kaus Borealis and 4.6° to the right of Nunki. With a clear horizon in the moon’s direction, use a binocular to see the crescent with the stars.
Follow the moon in the southeastern sky as it moves eastward against the background stars of Scorpius and Sagittarius, and look for earthshine as it approaches the Lunar New Year.
No Planet Parade at Month’s End
Late in February, the so-called planet parade consists of planets scattered across the sky rather than aligned or grouped in any meaningful way, even though several are visible during the same evening hours. Jupiter and Moon are the clear standouts, shining high and bright after sunset, while other planets require careful timing and unobstructed horizons. Claims of a rare string of planets across the sky exaggerate what observers can actually see. The February 8 Sky Almanac lays out the geometry, visibility limits, and practical expectations for skywatchers at month’s end.
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