The
February 1997 StarDial
Some celestial events for
February 1997:
New Moon:
10:06 am EST Feb 7th.
Full Moon:
5:27 am EST Feb 22nd.
Comet Hale-Bopp:
During the month of February, the
comet will be following the Star River
(the Milky Way), travelling northerly.
Dedicated viewers can arise 3 hours
before the sun early this month, or 4
hours earlier than the sun later in the
month. The comet should grow brighter as
the month progresses, and into March.
(Our intrepid explorers, Searles &
Trailstalker, will probably stay up all
night to see the comet for us, since they
stay up all night anyway...) March and
April should bring more optimal viewing
habits to viewers from the Northern
hemisphere. Watch the eastern sky for the
comet. It will start the month in the
constellation Saggita, progress to
Vulpecula, and then into the
constellation of Cygnus. The moon will
interfere with viewing from about the
20th to the end of the month. This only
counts if you are in the Northern
hemisphere. If you are in the Southern
hemisphere, you needs must wait until May
to see the comet as it leaves our solar
system.
On the evening of Feb. 10th, you'll
find the moon just above Saturn in the
west-southwestern skies.
Oh, and while you are hunting for the
comet the morning of Feb. 5th, you may
see, in the southeastly skies, 20 minutes
before sunrise, Jupiter and Venus in
close approximation, with Mercury
slightly higher and to the right, and a
fingernail moon hovering again slightly
above Mercury.
Happy starhunting! -- Jehana.
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