Planets on display

The sky truly belongs to Venus this month as it takes centre stage in the morning sky

Venus, Jupiter and Saturn keep each other close company in the pre-dawn sky

“The planet is such a stunning sight that it is hard to drag your eyes away from it”

Without a shadow of a doubt the February morning sky belongs to Venus. Go outside before sunrise on any crisp, chilly February morning and you’ll see Venus blazing like a lantern in the southeast, looking like a piece of burning magnesium to the lower left of fainter, but still impressive Jupiter. It will be so striking you’ll simply be unable to miss it. Looking at Venus on a still, dark morning you’ll appreciate why it was named after the Roman Goddess of Love – the planet is such a stunning sight that it is hard to drag your eyes away from it; it almost hypnotises you…

However, Venus’ lovely appearance is very deceptive. Often called ‘Earth’s Twin’, Venus is similar to our own world in size only; in almost every other way it is a hell planet. Ironically it is that thick atmosphere which makes Venus such a stunning sight in our sky. It acts like a mirror, reflecting the Sun’s rays back into space. So as you gaze lovingly at Venus this month, take a moment to reflect on the fact that you’re staring across millions of kilometres of space at a world that is as alien and hostile to life as it is beautiful.

Venus will be at its best at the start of the month when it will rise two-and-a-half hours before the Sun, meaning we will be able to see it in a dark sky from around 5:00am. By month’s end Venus will have moved closer to the Sun and will rise just an hourand-a-half before it, reducing the time available for us to see it.

February will be a very social month for Venus. As well as keeping Jupiter company in the pre-dawn sky it will also be visited by Saturn and the Moon. On the morning of the 18th Venus and the Ringed Planet will be just a degree apart and will be a lovely sight through binoculars or a small telescope. Before sunrise on the 27th Venus will be on the end of a chain of worlds stretching from the southeast to the south, with Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and the waning crescent Moon all spread out across the sky in a celestial parade no self-respecting astrophotographer or planet-watcher will want to miss.