FEBRUARY  Program #1: “JUPITER”

The solar system’s largest planet (by far) is high in Lincoln’s evening sky this month, and a prime target for the Hyde telescopes.  This program shows closeups of the giant planet and its moons as seen by satellite probes and describes their scientific findings about this extraordinary region of our solar system.

================
FEBRUARY  Program #2:  “The Winter Constellations”

A tour of the evening sky above Lincoln, Nebraska during the frigid winter months:  Perfect viewing weather when it’s not snowing.   Running time:  20 minutes.

VIEWING THESE OBJECTS IN THE HYDE TELESCOPES THIS MONTH:

Venus.  Low in the WSW in February after sunset.

Mars.  Much dimmer than Venus, it is above and slightly to the left of Venus.   The two planets are moving towards each other in the sky, and on the 21st, Mars and Venus are 1/2 degree apart.

Jupiter.  Rises about sunset  at the start of the month, and stays in the sky all night in February.

The Moon.  Full on February 3 (not a particularly good time to look at it through telescopes because its surface features cast no shadows.)  A better time is after the 18th (new moon) as the waxing crescent grows larger.

Deep sky objects (nebulae and galaxies).  Available for viewing on most nights except around full moon.