Jupiter teams up with the Moon and the twins of Gemini tonight. The giant planet looks like a brilliant star below the Moon at nightfall. It's far brighter than any of the true stars. Gemini's twin stars, Castor and Pollux, line up to the lower left of the Moon.
Weekly Stargazing Tips
Provided by StarDate.org. Unless otherwise specified, viewing times are local time regardless of time zone, and are good for the entire Lower 48 states (and, generally, for Alaska and Hawaii).
February 26: Moon and Jupiter
February 27: Moon and Gemini
Pollux and Castor line up to the upper left of the Moon at nightfall. Pollux, the brighter of Gemini's twin stars, is closer to the Moon. The planet Jupiter is farther to the upper right of the Moon. Jupiter outshines all the true stars in the night sky.
February 28: Dubhe
Dubhe, the star at the outer corner of the bowl of the Big Dipper, looks like a single point of light, but it actually consists of at least four stars, which are divided into two pairs.
March 1: Moon and Regulus
The Moon tonight stalks Regulus, the heart of Leo. And seen from Hawaii, it will catch the star, passing in front of it and blocking it from view. As seen from the rest of the U.S., Regulus and the Moon will be separated by just a whisker as they set, around dawn.
March 2: Lunar Eclipse
The Moon and Sun will stage a total lunar eclipse in the wee hours of tomorrow morning, as the Moon passes through Earth's long shadow. All or most of the eclipse will be visible across most of the United States.
March 3: Venus and Saturn
Two planets are crossing paths quite low in the west as twilight fades. The brighter one is Venus, which is beginning its reign as the Evening Star. Saturn is close to the upper left of Venus tonight, but just one percent as bright. They will stand closest on Saturday.
March 4: Little Dipper
To find the Little Dipper, first find the Big Dipper, which is in the northeast around 9 p.m. The stars at the outer edge of its bowl point toward Polaris, at the tip of the Little Dipper's handle. The dipper stretches to the lower right of Polaris.