Tonight – February 8, 2015 – stay up late (or wake up early) to see the moon with the star Spica. And if you miss them tonight, try again over the next several nights. At mid-northern latitudes, the waning moon and Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden, climb up above the horizon a short while before the midnight hour. At southerly latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, the moon and Spica are up by around mid-evening.
As the Earth spins eastward beneath the starry sky tonight, the moon and Spica will move upward and westward until reaching their high point for the night around 4 a.m. local time Monday morning, February 9. Before daybreak, look for the moon and the star Spica to shine in the western half of sky.
The moon rises and sets an average 50 minutes later each day. On the other hand, the backdrop stars of the Zodiac rise and set about four minutes earlier daily. That’s why the moon and Spica shine together on the sky’s dome for only a few days of the month.
The star Spica rises and sets about one-half hour earlier with each passing week, or some two hours earlier with each passing month. So by the time April comes rolling around, Spica will be up by nightfall. That’s why we in the Northern Hemisphere associate this sparkling blue-white beauty with the season of spring!
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Live by the moon with your 2015 EarthSky lunar calendar!
The moon rises about 50 minutes later each day. That’s why you’ll see the moon sweep past Spica over the nights of February 8 and 9, 2015.
The star Spica is also called Alpha Virginis, because it is the brightest star in Virgo. Its color is distinctly blue-white, even to the eye. Photo by Fred Espenak. Read more about Spica at Fred Espenak’s website.
Bottom line: Either late this evening – February 8, 2015 – or in the wee hours before sunrise on February 9, see the waning moon paired up with Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo.
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Tonight – February 8, 2015 – stay up late (or wake up early) to see the moon with the star Spica. And if you miss them tonight, try again over the next several nights. At mid-northern latitudes, the waning moon and Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden, climb up above the horizon a short while before the midnight hour. At southerly latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, the moon and Spica are up by around mid-evening.
As the Earth spins eastward beneath the starry sky tonight, the moon and Spica will move upward and westward until reaching their high point for the night around 4 a.m. local time Monday morning, February 9. Before daybreak, look for the moon and the star Spica to shine in the western half of sky.
The moon rises and sets an average 50 minutes later each day. On the other hand, the backdrop stars of the Zodiac rise and set about four minutes earlier daily. That’s why the moon and Spica shine together on the sky’s dome for only a few days of the month.
The star Spica rises and sets about one-half hour earlier with each passing week, or some two hours earlier with each passing month. So by the time April comes rolling around, Spica will be up by nightfall. That’s why we in the Northern Hemisphere associate this sparkling blue-white beauty with the season of spring!
Enjoying EarthSky so far? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today!
Live by the moon with your 2015 EarthSky lunar calendar!
The moon rises about 50 minutes later each day. That’s why you’ll see the moon sweep past Spica over the nights of February 8 and 9, 2015.
The star Spica is also called Alpha Virginis, because it is the brightest star in Virgo. Its color is distinctly blue-white, even to the eye. Photo by Fred Espenak. Read more about Spica at Fred Espenak’s website.
Bottom line: Either late this evening – February 8, 2015 – or in the wee hours before sunrise on February 9, see the waning moon paired up with Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo.
Donate: Your support means the world to us
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1yVUdKH
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