Jupiter’s long run in the evening sky is coming to an end this month, but not before there is a superb alignment with Venus and the young Moon on the evening of February 22.

Looking low in the western sky from around 6.30pm, Venus is the lower of the three, the nine per cent illuminated crescent Moon in the middle and then Jupiter just above (see map).

Venus will then move closer to Jupiter each subsequent evening, with the pair at their closest on March 1.

Mars is becoming less bright as its distance from the Earth increases, but it remains prominent throughout February in Taurus. The first quarter Moon is close by the Red Planet on February 27.

At around 8pm mid-month all the bright stars in the winter constellations can be seen, with Orion in the south.

This month comet 2022 E3 ZTF will be moving through Taurus (above and to the right of Orion) and will be visible from about February 7 as the Moon moves out of the evening sky.

On February 10 and 11 the comet can be found close to Mars, which provides a helpful finder object.

The comet and Mars will be visible together in the same field of view of a pair of binoculars on these two nights. The comet should be bright enough to be obvious in binoculars – a hazy patch with perhaps some of its tail showing.

Then on February 14 and 15 the comet will again be close to a bright object that provides a helpful finder.

This time it is the orange coloured star Aldebaran (just below Mars in the sky), which will also sit nicely in the same binocular field as the comet.

Full Moon is on the night of the evening of February 5.  

Looking to the East in the late evening, the bright orange coloured star Arcturus is starting to rise. The name Arcturus comes from the Greek Arktouros, which means “guardian of the bear” because of it position in the sky near the constellation of Ursa Major (the Great Bear).

Following the curve of stars in the tail of Ursa Major downwards leads to Arcturus. Many cultures have had associations and stories for Arcturus, a common one in the Northern hemisphere is the Herald of Spring. 

Daylight expands more rapidly as February progresses and by the end of the month the Sun sets at 5.45pm.