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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, February 25, 2015. Here is what’s happening in the skies of southern California:
Look to the west-southwest 30 minutes after sunset each evening this week to see the brightest planet, Venus, and orange planet, Mars, as they slowly pass each other. On Wednesday, February 18, Mars will be located 1½ degrees above Venus. On Friday, Venus and Mars will be less than a degree apart and are accompanied by the slender crescent moon. This should be a beautiful and photogenic grouping! On Saturday, the planets appear closest together, separated by less than half a degree. The moon will then still be attractively positioned 14 degrees to the upper left of the planetary pair. By Tuesday the 23rd, Mars will be found 1⅓ degree to the lower right of Venus.
The waxing crescent moon appears higher after sunset each evening this week. By the night of the 24th/25th the moon is visible until it sets at 12:22 a.m., nine hours before reaching first quarter phase.
Brilliant planet Jupiter is above the eastern horizon during evening twilight, and is highest, toward the south, at about 11:00 p.m., and sets in the west-northwest before sunrise. On Sunday evening, February 21, observers equipped with telescopes will be able to watch an interesting pair of interactions between two of Jupiter’s Galilean satellites. Between 6:04 and 6:11 p.m., Europa will pass in front of, or occult, Io. From 6:41 until almost 6:49 p.m., observers will be able to see the brightness of Io drop as it is eclipsed by the shadow of Europa. A list of the best of eclipses and occultations (also known as mutual satellite events), visible from Los Angeles, can be found on our special Griffith Observatory webpage.
The ringed planet Saturn and the innermost planet, Mercury, are highest at dawn. Saturn, in Scorpius the Scorpion, is then in the southern sky and is 8 degrees to the upper right of Antares, the bright orange star of Scorpius. Mercury becomes visible about 5 degrees above the east-southeast horizon at 5:40 a.m.
The International Space Station should outshine Jupiter as it crosses the sky above Los Angeles on Sunday the 22nd. The orbiting laboratory should appear above the northwest horizon at 6:52 p.m. and is highest, 64 degrees high in the northeast, at 6:55 p.m. A minute later, the ISS slips into Earth’s shadow while still 39 degrees above the east-southeast horizon.
Free views of the sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes from Tuesday through Sunday before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for our schedule. The next public star party on the grounds of Griffith Observatory, hosted by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place on Saturday, February 28.
Follow the Sky Report on Twitter for updates of astronomy and space-related events.
From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.