9 Must-See Events in the February Night Sky (2023)

February is always a short month; in 2023, it also happens to be one of the quietest months of the year for astronomy events. While we normally get creative to find a good number of reasons to get out and go stargazing each month, the February night sky will certainly beautiful – but not particularly full of special astronomical experiences.

Don’t let that dissuade you! Even if you don’t make it out for one of these few astronomy events this month, you can still enjoy all the other wonders of the night sky. In particular, bright Venus and dusty Mars are hanging out in the same part of the sky (pre-dawn actually, so you don’t even need to stay up late – just get up early). These two planets are always beautiful to see.

Where necessary, I’ve noted the astronomical events that require a telescope (or binoculars) to view. There aren’t many this month, but you may still wish to invest in a good pair of astronomical binoculars or a new ‘scope to see even more as we move through the heart of dark winter in the northern hemisphere. I’ve got suggestions for every price point, from $100 to $1000.

Ready to explore what’s up in the February night sky? Let’s dive into the nine events you can look forward to – never mind all the other nights where you’ll hopefully enjoy clear skies.

This post was originally published in 2018, and is updated annually – most recently in January 2023.

February 1 – Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) at its Brightest

February kicks off with a one-of-a-kind, once-in-50,000-years astronomy event: Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) was discovered in March 2022 in Italy, and has since been getting closer to earth – until it reaches its closest on the night of February 1st.

At this point, it will reach “perigee” – its closest point to Earth – before heading back out into the far distant reaches of the solar system. Astronomers have calculated that this comet only orbits the sun once every 50,000 years, so it’s worth grabbing your binoculars or telescope, bundling up, and going to take a look at this distant voyager passing by Earth.

February 8 – Peak of the α-Centaurid Meteor Shower

If you’re looking to spot meteors in February, your best bet will be on the night of February 8th when the α-Centaurid (alpha Centaurid) meteor shower will peak. The α-Centaurids typically occur from January 28th to February 21st each year; in 2023, the peak night is expected to be on February 8th. On this night you can expect to see roughly 5 meteors per hour.

To spot α-Centaurids on this night, look for the constellation Centaurus, which is the radiant point. As this constellation is only visible for those in the southern hemisphere, sky-viewers in the northern hemisphere will struggle to spot any meteors above the horizon.

However, a night sky app may help in case it’s near the horizon based on your latitude. While meteors will appear to radiate from this point, you should be able to see meteors from anywhere in that area of the night sky.

February 19 – Messier 81 is Well-Placed for Viewing

After more than a week of quiet nights from an astronomical events perspective, the second half of February has a lot more to look forward to. It kicks off with a good opportunity to spot one of the Messier objects – M81 in particular.

Also called Bode’s Galaxy, Messier 81 (M81) is a beautiful “grand design” spiral galaxy about 12 million light-years from Earth. It’s located in the constellation Ursa Major (The Big Dipper/Plough) and requires a telescope to see – but it’s worth it on the night of February 19th when it’s high in the sky around midnight local time for most viewers.

February 22 – Close Approach of the Moon & Venus

As is the case most months, the Moon is a central figure in the astronomical events you should mark on your calendar. The final week of February includes four chances where you can see the Moon quite close to other planets in the solar system; these are a great opportunity for stargazing especially if you’re teaching a young family member about the different planets and want them to easily see them.

The first “close approach” occurs in the pre-dawn hours of February 22, when the Moon and bright Venus will be in the same part of the sky. They’ll be just 1°50′ apart, and the Moon will be a brand new waxing crescent; it’s a beautiful reason to get out of bed early.

February 22 – Close Approach of the Moon & Jupiter

The night of February 22nd, the Moon then has a close approach with giant Jupiter. The pair will appear even closer than the Moon and Venus did – just 1°03′ apart. (Admittedly, we aren’t great at telling degrees in the night sky ‘by eye,’ but needless to say, they’ll be close!)

Look for them in the Western sky, as the Moon sets around midnight Eastern (US) time.

February 22 – Lunar Occultation of Jupiter

2023 is a big year for lunar occultations – that is, times when the Moon passes in front of other objects in the night sky (from our Earthly perspective, of course). Of course the Moon is always passing in front of stuff, but certain “lunar occultations” are notable.

In February, there are two; the first one occurs on the same night as Jupiter and the Moon make a close approach. Basically, most of us see a close approach – but people in a certain part of the world will see them so “close” that the Moon actually passes in front of Jupiter. What region will that be? Far southern South America; here‘s a map to show you the region in case you call that part of the world home.

February 25 – Close Approach of the Moon & Uranus

If you have a telescope or high-powered astronomy binoculars and want an excuse to pull them out again before the month ends, here’s your opportunity: in the dawn hours of February 25th, the few-days-old Moon and Uranus will have a close approach, appearing just 1°10′ apart. There won’t be a lunar occultation this time around (the last one of 2023 happened in January), but the Moon will be a nice guide for trying to see distant, icy Uranus if you’ve never looked for it before.

February 27 – Close Approach of the Moon & Mars

The final “close approach” in the February night sky occurs as the month comes to a close: on the night of February 27th, the Moon will cozy up to rusty, dusty Mars. At their closest, they’ll be just 1°03′ apart in the sky, and quite the eye-catching pair sitting high in the night sky. There is no equipment necessary to spot our planet’s largest satellite and nearest planetary neighbor.

February 27 – Lunar Occultation of Mars

Just like with Jupiter earlier in the month, the Moon will pass in front of Mars from the perspective of some areas on Earth, on the same night as most of us see a close approach between the two. While I generally consider it unlikely that anyone reading this resides in the far north Arctic regions of the world or northeastern Greenland – if you are – you’ll be able to see the lunar occultation of mars from there. Here‘s a helpful map if you want to double-check whether you happen to be in the zone where it will be visible.

While February isn’t as astronomically bombastic as other months, there are still a few interesting night sky events worth heading out and setting up your telescope for. Do you have questions about these night sky events in February? Let me know in the comments!

Share this to help others enjoy the night sky!