NASA has released its monthly skywatching update on what to look out for in the coming weeks, and you can probably guess which event is at the top of the list.
Exactly: the Artemis II mission. NASA is about to send a crew on a trip around the moon. This will be the first manned lunar mission in more than 50 years.
The space agency is currently targeting February 8 to launch the 10-day mission, which will see three Americans and one Canadian fly past our nearest neighbor.
“This mission will pave the way for Artemis III, the first time we have sent humans to the lunar surface since the last Apollo mission, Apollo 17, in 1972,” NASA says in the video (above). “So this month, look at the moon shining brightly in the night sky and someone might be looking down on you.”
Of course, there is a chance that technical problems or bad weather conditions could disrupt the schedule, potentially pushing the launch back to next month. So be sure to check Daily Sparkz for the latest updates.
This month also offers a great opportunity to see the Orion constellation, named after the hunter in Greek mythology.
At night, look into the southern sky and try to spot the hunter yourself. And here’s another tip: The Hunter’s right shoulder is Betelgeuse (or Alpha Orionis), one of the brightest stars in the night sky.
If you’re having trouble finding Betelgeuse or Orion, check out one of the many astronomy apps available for both iOS and Android. The best of these allow you to point your camera at the sky to identify the different stars and planets.
Finally, there is also a planetary parade in February. Saturn sinks toward the horizon while Venus and Mercury rise in the sky, with all three appearing to meet in the west to southwest sky.
“Even Uranus, found in the southern sky, and Neptune, found near Saturn, will join in the parade, although you’ll need binoculars or a telescope to spot these two distant planets,” NASA says.
If the sky is clear, you can see the planets after sunset all month long, and towards the end of the month they appear in a line.
