The Northern Hemisphere There’s a chill in the air, offering clear, crisp sights

There’s a chill in the air as February rolls around, offering clear, crisp sights

The ‘Dog Star’ Sirius starts to dip low towards the horizon, below and to the left of Orion (the Hunter). Meanwhile, Taurus (the Bull) can be spotted on the other side of the famous Belt of Orion, and Gemini (the Twins) is high in the south. You’ll be able to locate the twins with ease thanks to its member stars Castor and Pollux. Gemini also hosts some beautiful deep-sky targets, including the Medusa Nebula (Abell 21), the Eskimo Nebula (NGC 2392) and open cluster Messier 35. Coming to the end of winter, you’ll still be able to locate the Hyades cluster in Taurus, which sits close to the Bull’s eye, Aldebaran, with the naked eye, as well as the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters, also known as Messier 45.