Of Venus and Canopus

So far, 2024 has been cold and wet. Folks observing the night sky under these conditions find it challenging when they must deal with frost. Bundle up and head outside anyway.

This week the Moon rises after midnight and its phase shrinks from waning gibbous to a tiny crescent on February 7. Last quarter Moon is February 3. Moreover, the midpoint of our winter season occurs around February 7.

Early morning risers can watch the Moon as its phase shrinks and as it moves eastward each morning. I recommend observing around 6:30 a.m. On February 4, the Moon is above and right of the bright red summer star Antares. The tiny crescent is below and right of Venus on February 7,

Venus is now very low in the southeast at 6:30 a.m. A telescope shows Venus as a not quite full ball. Venus is about as far from Earth as possible, visually on the other side of the Sun. The Sun lights the side facing Earth.

Now let us return to the early evening sky observing around 7:30 p.m. The winter constellation Orion is directly south. The three bright stars in Orion’s belt slant upward to the right. Below and left of Orion is Sirius, the Dog Star, which is the brightest star in the sky.

Right now is the time of year when we can see the second brightest star. It takes some work and a very clear horizon to the south. Around 7:30 p.m., find a hill with no trees or clouds directly south. Look for a twinkling but stationary dot. Be careful! There are many planes in that area but our target star will not move.

The star in question is Canopus in the constellation Carina the Sails. It appears barely above the horizon so any obstructions will hide it. The farther south you go, the higher Canopus appears above the horizon. In Catawba County, we spotted Canopus from Herman Sipe Road and Robinson Road at Highway 10.

Try searching for Canopus and marvel at the winter sky. It’s worth the effort!

Visit www.catawbasky.org for more information.