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.


The Brugh is under construction, so please be sure to wear your hard hats and steel toed <bots>. We wouldn't want you to pick up an E-nail! <G>

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Please send all e-mails to: jehana@summerlands.com

Created by Searles and Deborah O'Dubhain,
Copyright 1996 by The Summerlands, Inc., All rights reserved
Page last updated:
02/07/97 03:56 PM