February Skywatching with binoculars

There are plenty of interesting deep space objects that can be viewed with binoculars. Its easiest to steady them against a surface before viewing & is probably easier to view through one eye piece. Alternatively use a monoscope, as powerful as possible. Here is a list of interesting deep space objects that can be seen in February with binoculars.

M41 cluster in Canis Major
M44 Beehive cluster in Cancer
M81 & M82 Galxies in Ursa Major
Mizar & Alcor double in the plough
M51 Whirlpool galaxy in Ursa Major
M35 cluster in Gemini
M42 Orion Nebula
M45 Pleiades luster in Taurus
Hyades loose cluster in Taurus
M36, M37 & M38 Cluster in Auriga
M33 Pinwheel galaxy in Andromeda
Double cluster in Perseus
M52 cluster in Cassiopeia

Many of the pictures we are used to seeing of these objects have been tinted and coloured, but the real things are still spectacular!If you can see them with binoculars they should be easy to see with telescopes too.

These objects are best viewed on new / dark moons & in dark sky areas.

Try flickr for some excellent pictures! Happy Skywatching!

Astronomical February dates

3rd February – Imbolc, Winter’s Cross Quarter Point
3rd February – Disseminating Moon 14:14 Virgo
5th February – 3rd Quarter 23:48 Libra
8th February – Balsamic Crescent Moon 14:16 Ophiuchus
(near Sagittarius & Scorpio)
14th February – New Moon 2:51 Aquarius
19th February – Crescent Moon 12:20 Aries
22nd February – 1st Quarter Moon 0:42 Taurus
24th February – Gibbous Moon 9:01 Gemini
28th February – Full Moon 16:37 Leo / Sextans Constellation

Astronomical January dates

3rd January – Meteor Shower – the Quadrantids
5th January – Disseminating Moon 3.01 Leo
7th January – 3rd Quarter Moon 10:39 Virgo
15th January – Annular Solar Eclipse,
viewed from Central Africa, Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka, Malymar & China
15th January – New Moon 7.11 Sagittarius
20th January – Crescent Moon 19:54 Pisces
23rd January – 1st Quarter 10:53 Aries
25th January – Gibbous Moon 21:17 Taurus
29th January – Mars in Opposition
best viewing, bright red “star” near the Moon
30th January – Full Moon 6.17 Cancer