February will find Comet Hale-Bopp and the planet Mars competing for center stage. Both will be found in the eastern part of the sky although at different times. And, both are brightening rapidly. Mars is expected to reach -0.6 magnitude when it reaches opposition (directly opposite us from the sun) in March while it is hoped that Hale-Bopp reaches zero magnitude by that time. It is presently about third magnitude.

Mars is the first of the pair to rise in the east-southeast shortly after evening twilight ends, just about the time that Saturn is setting in the west-southwest. Currently the ruddy red planet resides in the constellation Virgo and can be easily discerned when compared to the nearby bright blue first magnitude star Spica. It will continue to get bigger and brighter as it approaches opposition next month.

Meanwhile, Saturn is setting in the west among the dim stars of Pisces. Look for the ringed gas giant about half an hour after sunset before it sets by the end of the month.

The rest of the astronomical action occurs in the early hours of the morning so if you’re an early riser you are in for a treat. Comet Hale-Bopp makes its appearance first, rising about 3:00 a.m. EST. It is now easily spotted with just your eyes as a fuzzy third magnitude star with a short tail flying above the constellation Aquila the eagle not far from the first magnitude star Altair. By the end of the first week of February it will be just below Sagitta the arrow. By mid-month it will make its way through Cygnus the swan and into Lacerta by month’s end on its way to a rendezvous with M31 the Great Spiral Galaxy in the constellation Andomeda in March.

If you’re up watching the comet you might want to stay up for the month-long series of conjunctions involving the planets Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, and the moon. Venus is on its way down and Jupiter is on its way up. The two come within 0.5 degree as they pass one another on the mornings of February 5th and 6th. Mercury is higher and to their right. A thin waxing crescent moon will be within 4 degrees of the planets. The next conjunction involves Jupiter, Mercury, and Uranus on the morning of the 12th when the trio are all within one degree of one another. Uranus passes within minutes of Jupiter on the morning of the 16th. Neptune may be visible through binoculars about 7.5 degrees from them.

The new moon occurs on February 7th. The waxing crescent moon is above Saturn on the 10th. It is at first quarter on the 13th, and it is full on the 21st. A waning gibbous moon is near Mars on the evenings of the 23rd and 24th.