Peak of the Alpha Centauri meteor shower — February 8th

Meteor activity is relatively quiet at the beginning of the year, but February sees modest observations of the Alpha Centauri meteor shower, peaking on February 8th. This meteor event runs from January 31st to February 20th, and at its peak, up to six meteors per hour can be seen under dark, clear skies.

Although they are best visible in the Southern Hemisphere, you may also be able to catch a glimpse of the streaked meteors in the southern reaches of the Northern Hemisphere, such as Mexico and Southern California. The show is best enjoyed after midnight local time. Look near the constellation Centauri.

Annular solar eclipse—February 17th

On February 17th, an annular solar eclipse will grace some of Earth’s most distant skies. During this type of solar eclipse, the moon is too far from Earth to cover the entire face of the sun. Instead, it blocks the center with fiery streaks of sun shining along its edges.

Although the full annular phase will be limited to Antarctica and the southern Indian Ocean, observers in far southern regions of the Southern Hemisphere, including Argentina, Chile, Botswana, and much of southern Africa, will likely see a partial solar eclipse. (Mark your calendars for next February’s annular solar eclipse, which will be even better visible across much of South America and Africa.)

Moon and Mercury conjunction—February 18th

Just one day after the new moon, a narrow crescent moon will appear binocularly close to Mercury after sunset on February 18th. To see them, find an unobstructed view to the west, as both appear near the horizon. It can be seen for about 1 to 2 hours after sunset. Be aware of nearby Saturn and Venus when you are out and about. (Make sure the Sun has completely set before using binoculars or a telescope to observe Mercury.)