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Venus, Jupiter take the award for dazzle

By DARYL L. SCHRADER
Published January 29, 2007

For the first half of the month, Mercury will be to the lower right of brilliant Venus at dusk, in the west-southwest. After that, Mercury will be lost in the sun's glare, as Venus climbs higher in the sky each evening. On Feb. 19, after the sky darkens, Venus will be below the crescent moon.

Since Saturn will be at opposition this month, it will rise in the east as the sun sets and be visible all night. Look for it to be at the upper right on the moon in the early evening Friday.

Jupiter rises in the east a few hours before sunrise. Look for it above the crescent moon, directly in the south-southeast, before sunrise Feb. 12. Jupiter will easily be the brightest star-like object in the morning sky.

Mars rises in the east an hour before dawn and is low to the horizon.

At the planetariums

Science Center of Pinellas County, 7701 22nd Ave. N, St. Petersburg: A NASA scientist will lecture on "Space: Future Exploration, Colonization and Beyond" at 1 p.m. Feb. 10; $6 nonmembers. The Science Center is offering planetarium shows at 3 p.m. Fridays through May.

Learn how to build a telescope at the ongoing classes from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays in the optical laboratory in the annex building (behind the main building). The St. Petersburg Astronomy Club meets at the Science Center at 8 p.m. the fourth Friday (Feb. 23) of every month. Visit www.tampabayastronomy.com.

For more information, call (727) 384-0027 or visit www.sciencecenterofpinellas.com.

St. Petersburg College, Fifth Avenue and 69th Street N, St. Petersburg: The college planetarium will offer free planetarium shows at 7 and 8:15 p.m. Fridays.

When the skies are clear the observatory will be open after the second show. Call (727) 341-4320 for more details.

South Florida Museum and Bishop Planetarium, 210 10th St. W, Bradenton: The planetarium continues "Passport to the Universe, Search For Life: Are We Alone, Miracle Planet" and "The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket." The facility is open seven days a week, through April.

For more details, call (941) 746-4131 or visit www.southfloridamuseum.org.

Museum of Science and Industry, 4801 E Fowler Ave., Tampa: The planetarium continues "More Than Meets the Eye" and MOSI's "Tonight Show," about the current night sky. The main exhibit is "Monsters of the Deep," which spans more than 360-million years of evolution. The IMAX Dome Theater presents Aliens of the Deep, Hurricane on the Bayou (starts Feb. 9) and Night at the Museum (starts Feb. 16).

The astronomy club (M.A.R.S.) offers free telescope viewing from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 24, weather permitting.

Call (813) 987-6100 or visit www.mosi.org for more events.

Sky calendar

Thursday: Look to the west-southwest at dusk to see Mercury, low in the sky and to the lower right of Venus.

Friday: Full moon. Saturn is at the upper right of the moon a couple of hours after dusk.

Feb. 4: Venus and Mercury are closest this month (6 degrees); look west-southwest when the sky darkens.

Feb. 7: Moon at its greatest distance (apogee) of 251,651 miles. Mercury at its greatest angular distance (elongation) from the sun in the west-southwest at dusk. The brilliant object to its upper left is Venus. Moon near Spica before sunrise in the southwest.

Feb. 10: Last-quarter moon. Saturn is in opposition - opposite the direction of the sun.

Feb. 11: Before dawn, look for the star Antares to the left of the moon, in the south-southeast.

Feb. 12: Before dawn, in the south-southeast, brilliant Jupiter is directly above the moon.

Feb. 14: Mars to the left of the moon before dawn.

Feb. 17: New moon.

Feb. 19: Moon closest (perigee) at 224,586 miles.

Feb. 22: Mercury in inferior conjunction - between Earth and the sun.

Feb. 24: First-quarter moon.

Daryl L. Schrader is an astronomy and mathematics professor at St. Petersburg College and teaches astronomy at the University of South Florida.

[Last modified January 29, 2007, 06:17:13]