Mars is orange beacon in February night

Even with February weather there will be a few good stargazing evenings so be certain to take advantage of them. Mars is perhaps the best naked-eye target, shining brightly high in the east as soon as the sun sets. Mars is a giveaway because it does not twinkle but shines with an orange hue.

If the western horizon is clear on the evenings of the 14th, 15th, and 16th, use binoculars to look for the conjunction of Jupiter and Venus right after the sun sets. Jupiter will be continuing to sink deeper into the twilight every evening while Venus will be moving further from the sun. On the 14th, Venus will be below Jupiter and the crescent moon will be just to their right. On the 15th they will draw closer together and the growing crescent moon will be a few degrees above. The evening of the 16th offers the best view as the planets will be less than half a degree apart, still with the moon nearby.

February is an excellent time to visit your local astronomy club so you can learn more and get prepped for the clearer, warmer months to come. Clubs are in Seattle, the Eastside, Everett, Tacoma, and Bainbridge Island; there's even a Boeing club. Each has its own Web site (Google to find them). It's also a great month to visit your local library or neighborhood bookstore to check out the astronomy sections.

Rodney Ash is a member of the Seattle Astronomical Society, www.seattleastro.org. Star Watch appears the first Thursday of each month in NWWeekend.