Tour February's Sky — By Ear and Eye!

By: J. Kelly Beatty February 1, 2007 0

Saturn's beautiful rings are edged at top by the shadow they cast on the planet's disk. The dark lane, called the Cassini Division, separates the broad, bright B Ring from the thinner A ring farther out.

Christopher Go.

Sure it's cold outside, but if you bundle up snugly there's plenty to see on February evenings. In fact, a "planet trifecta" awaits you just as it gets dark. The ringed planet Saturn is rising in the east as the Sun is setting. You can see its beautiful rings in virtually any telescope. Meanwhile, Venus and Mercury are putting on quite a show low in the west.

To get a personally guided tour of these sights and others, hosted by Kelly Beatty, editor of Night Sky magazine, download this month's audio sky tour to your iPod or other handheld device — or just use your computer to play it.