Science

Green Comet and More: 5 Skywatching Events You Can't Miss in February 2023

by Jennifer Walter
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Wolfram Schoen / 500px/500Px Plus/Getty Images

Though there won’t be any big meteor showers for a few months, the February night sky will still be packed with stargazing opportunities.

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This month, don’t miss a stunning comet flyby, the meetup of several bright planets, and a chance to spot fireballs.

NASA, ESA, A. Simon (Goddard Space Flight Center), and M.H. Wong (University of California, Berkeley)

Here are 5 skywatching events to catch in February:

5. Comet 2022 E3 (ZTF)

Keep your eyes peeled on February 1 when the green comet will be at its closest point to Earth.

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Scientists estimate that Comet 2022 E3 (ZTF) flew in from the Oort Cloud, hundreds of billions of miles away.

It hasn’t passed Earth since the Neanderthal days, so this is truly a historic opportunity to see it.

4. Snow Moon

This month’s Full Moon is sometimes called the Snow Moon, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. It will light up the sky on February 5.

Wolfram Schoen / 500px/500Px Plus/Getty Images

Wolfram Schoen / 500px/500Px Plus/Getty Images

Conversely, you can expect a New Moon on February 20.

The darkened sky will present better opportunities for spotting planets, stars, and bright fireballs.

3. Watch for fireballs!

Though there aren’t any major meteor showers until April, you may still have some exciting opportunities to spot fireballs throughout February.

jimfeng/E+/Getty Images

jimfeng/E+/Getty Images

This month marks the start of evening fireball season in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the American Meteor Society.

Sporadic fireballs tend to light up the sky this time of year, though they’re not connected to a major shower.

2. Jupiter and Venus drift together

Watch for these two bright planets starting February 7, as they appear to move closer and closer together in the night sky.

NASA, ESA, A. Simon (Goddard Space Flight Center), and M.H. Wong (University of California, Berkeley)

NASA, ESA, A. Simon (Goddard Space Flight Center), and M.H. Wong (University of California, Berkeley)

On February 22, both planets will appear very close to the Moon.

And on March 2, Venus and Jupiter to make an extremely close approach to each other, called a conjunction.

1. Moon and Mars conjunction

On the evening of February 27, you’ll be able to spot the Moon and Mars side-by-side in the sky.

And keep an eye out for super-bright Venus and Jupiter for a stunning configuration of bright features in the late-February night sky.

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