The Night Sky: February 2025 Skywatching Tips

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Planet Venus in February

What's happening in the night sky in February?

Bob Berman and Catherine Boeckmann
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What’s happening in the night sky this February 2025? The Old Farmer’s Almanac—your calendar of the heavens since 1792—has your skywatching tips. Astronomer Bob Berman highlights only the best sights that you can easily see without special equipment. 

February Planet Party

Venus, our neighboring planet, dazzles at an incredible magnitude of -4.8, enough to cast shadows on Earth! It shines alone as a solitary beacon in the western sky with a bright white light. 

On the opposite side of the sky, Mars blazes at -1, while Sirius and Jupiter dazzle at -2. This celestial eye candy continues all month, with Mars slightly fading to magnitude 0 as it stands stationary in Gemini.

February 1: Venus and the Moon

On the 1st, Venus will be very near the 13%-lit waxing crescent Moon. The planet is just 2.3 degrees to the Moon’s right. Start looking at sunset.

February 5 to 6: The Moon Occults the Pleiades

The Quarter Moon will blot out the stars of Pleiades, also called the Seven Sisters. This will occur around 11:15 PM Pacific Time, and 12:15 AM Mountain Time. It will likely be too low or below the horizon for those in Central or Eastern Time. 

Pleides also called the Seven Sisters
Pleides also called the Seven Sisters. Credit: NASA

February 12: The Full Snow Moon

Known as the Snow Moon, the full Moon will reach peak illumination at 8:53 A.M. EST on Wednesday, February 12. It will be below the horizon at this time, so for the best view, look for it starting the night before or later on Wednesday. The Moon will drift above the horizon in the east around sunset and reach its highest point in the sky around midnight. 

February 16: Venus at its brightest for 2025!

This month, Venus shines at her brightest for the year near Valentine’s Day. How fitting for the goddess of love!

Venus will reach its greatest brilliancy for the year—at magnitude -4.6—on February 16. At night, only the Moon outshines her. Look west during the twilight hours. Nothing else compares. 

Take the time to truly admire Venus, as she won’t appear this bright again until April 2025 (and that’s before sunrise).

Venus shining at twilight.
Stunning Venus shining at twilight, a solitary beacon of bright light. Credit Kate Hutchinson

February 24: Mercury and Saturn

In the bright evening twilight, Mercury and Saturn meet very low in the west—a treat for those with an unobstructed view of the horizon. First, look for super-bright Venus (you can’t miss her). Then, look directly below and much closer to the western horizon. If you see a very faint object, this is Mercury. Look to Mercury’s upper left, and you’ll find Saturn. On the following evening (the 25th), Saturn will appear to Mercury’s lower left. After that, Saturn will disappear in the sunset glare

February 28: New Moon

When the dark skies lack moonlight, it’s the perfect time to observe the stars and constellations in the sky. Learn more about the magic of the New Moon.

February Stargazing Highlights 

Opposite the sky from Venus, extraordinary celestial brightness fills the east at nightfall. 

  • Betelgeuse, Castor, Pollux, and Aldebaran shine at magnitude 1. 
  • Meanwhile, the stars Procyon, Rigel, and Capella—surrounding Orion—boast a magnitude 0.

Orion the Hunter

The brighter constellation in the night sky is Orion the Hunter who reigns over the winter sky. Look first for that bright belt of three stars. The hunter’s shoulder is marked by its bright red star Betelgeuse, and its knee is marked by a blue-white star Rigel. 

See our February Sky Map to navigate to the constellation Orion.

orion_constellation.jpg

Follow the belt of Orion down and left to find blue-white Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. Sirius lies in the constellation Canis Major, the Great Dog and companion to Orion. See tips on finding Sirius, the brightest star in the February sky.

Use Orion’s three Belt stars to point northwest to the red star Aldebaran and the Hyades star cluster, then to the Pleiades star cluster.

Then, travel southeast from the Belt stars to the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius. Above and left of Sirius is another bright star, a yellowish giant named Procyon. Procyon is part of the constellation Canis Minor, the smaller dog and Orion’s second companion. Procyon, Sirius, and Betelgeuse form a geometrical pattern called the Winter Triangle.

The Big Dipper

This is also a good time to view the Big Dipper far above the northeast horizon. It will climb upward during the evening hours to reach its high point for the night around midnight. Draw a line from its two end bowl stars upwards to the Polaris, the North Star. See tips on finding the Big Dipper and the North Star.

About The Author

Bob Berman

Bob Berman, astronomer editor for The Old Farmer’s Almanac, covers everything under the Sun (and Moon)! Bob is the world’s most widely read astronomer and has written ten popular books. Read More from Bob Berman