Visible Planets And Night Sky September And October 2022 - EarthSky

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February 13 morning: Moon and the Teapot

2 positions of the crescent moon near a teapot-shaped pattern of stars close to the horizon.
Tomorrow morning, the thin waning crescent moon will gleam within an asterism in Sagittarius called the Teapot. Look for them close to the horizon about 90 minutes before sunrise. Chart via EarthSky.

EarthSky’s 2026 lunar calendar shows the moon phase for every day of the year. Get yours today!

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

February 14 morning: Moon and the Teapot

The crescent shape of the moon has passed eight dots representing the Teapot. It lies near the horizon shortly before sunrise.
On the morning of February 14, the wafer-thin waning crescent moon will follow the Teapot asterism up from the eastern horizon shortly before sunrise. Chart via EarthSky.

Read more: Teapot of Sagittarius points to Milky Way center

February 17: Annular solar eclipse (and 6 planets?)

On February 17, 2026, Earth gets its first solar eclipse of the year: an annular “ring of fire” eclipse. It’ll be visible mainly from Antarctica. At the same time, images are circulating about a dramatic 6-planet lineup. In this video from our February 11 livestream, EarthSky’s Deborah Byrd explains what an annular eclipse really is, where it’s visible and what observers will see. Plus Marcy Curran joins in to help us take a clear-eyed look at the 6-planet claims for February 2026. We help you separate sky facts from social media hype. Click in for real astronomy, gentle myth-busting and a closer look at what’s truly happening in our February sky. Watch in the player above or on YouTube.

Read more: Annular solar eclipse on February 17, 2026

Want more? Here are 4 keys to understanding the moon’s phases.

It’s fireball season!

View of horizon with a quick streak flashing across.
EarthSky’s Marcy Curran and her husband Marty of WyoAstro Observatory near Cheyenne, Wyoming, were watching for auroras with their all-sky camera on the night of February 5 (hence the numbers for “solar weather” on the lower right). And suddenly … whoosh! This bright fireball streaked by! And lots of other people saw it, too, as evidenced by the fireball logs of the American Meteor Society. We’re in a special time of year for seeing fireballs (especially bright meteors). Read about the spring fireball season.

It’s time for the zodiacal light!

Cone of light extending at a steep angle from horizon to cluster of stars in starry night sky.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Christoph Stopka in Westcliffe, Colorado, took this gorgeous image of the zodiacal light on March 1, 2022, over the high peaks of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range, part of the Colorado Rockies. The zodiacal light looks like a faintly glowing pyramid on the horizon, and it appears when all traces of twilight have left the evening sky. Thank you, Cristoph! The zodiacal light is visible in dark skies during the months around the equinoxes. Look for it when the moon isn’t out or is only a slender crescent. In February, Northern Hemisphere observers should look after dusk. Southern Hemisphere? Look before dawn.

Read more: See the zodiacal light in dark skies around the March equinox

February 18 and 19 after sunset: The young moon, Saturn and Mercury

A very thin crescent shape, the moon, is above a wavy line, the horizon, and a small dot, Mercury, sits immediately above it. Another dot, Saturn, lies higher. On the next evening, the crescent shape lies next to the other dot, Saturn.
On the evenings of February 18 and 19, check out the pretty waxing crescent moon. It’ll hang low in the western sky after sunset with Mercury and Saturn nearby. You can start looking for it as soon as the sky begins to darken. On February 18, it’ll make a close pass by Mercury. Some places will even see Mercury hidden, or occulted, by the moon. The next evening, February 19, will find the moon near Saturn. And Mercury reaches it’s great distance from the sun that evening as well. Chart via EarthSky.

Read more: Do you love twilight? The 3 stages explained

Mercury greatest distance from the sun

Chart with ellipses and arrows showing Earth's and Mercury's orbits around the sun and a dot where Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation to the left of a large starred dot, the sun.
Mercury will make its widest angle from the sun in the western sky on the evening of February 19. This point in its orbit is called “greatest eastern elongation.” Chart via EarthSky.

Read more: Mercury is farthest from the sunset February 19

February 22 and 23 evenings: Moon, Pleiades and Aldebaran

Star chart showing a near half disk, the crescent moon, on February 22. On the next evening the near half disk is just below five small dots, the Pleiades star cluster.
On the evenings of February 22 and 23, the waxing crescent moon will lie near the famous Pleiades star cluster, also known as the 7 Sisters. The Pleiades star cluster is in the constellation Taurus the Bull, and its brightest star – Aldebaran – will also be nearby. They’ll set around midnight. And on the evening of February 23, the moon passes close to the Pleiades. Chart via EarthSky.

Read more: The Pleiades – or 7 Sisters – known around the world

February 23 evening: Binocular view of the moon and Pleiades

A hemisphere, the first quarter moon, lies immediately above six small dots, the Pleiades star cluster. An arrow points to the upper left of the hemisphere showing its direction of travel.
The waxing crescent moon slowly passes by the Pleiades star cluster on the evening of February 23. Binoculars might help view the delicate cluster near the moon. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

February 28 evening: Moon, Jupiter and twin stars

Chart showing a fat hemisphere, the gibbous moon, below a large dot, Jupiter, and two smaller dots, the stars Castor and Pollux.
On the final night of February, the waxing gibbous moon will lie below Jupiter and the twin stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux. They’ll set before dawn the next morning. Chart via EarthSky.

Read more: Meet Pollux: The brighter twin star of Gemini

February stars and constellations

If you’re out stargazing on any February evening, look for these stars and constellations high overhead in the evening sky. Give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness. And consider heading to a dark-sky site for the best views of the stars.

Star chart showing the constellation Auriga with Capella, 2 other stars, and 3 Messier objects labeled.
Auriga the Charioteer is a popular constellation for Northern Hemisphere observers in autumn and winter, because its flashing star advertises its presence. Capella, the brightest star in Auriga, flashes red, blue and green when it’s close to the horizon, and we see it through a thick layer of Earth’s atmosphere. Close to Capella are a pair of stars known as The Kids, baby goats that the Charioteer carries. And Auriga houses 3 star clusters, easy targets to hunt down with binoculars. Chart via EarthSky.
Taurus the Bull: Fork-shaped constellation with lines with Aldebaran labeled, and small cluster labeled Pleiades at the top.
Taurus the Bull takes the shape of a 2-pronged fork, with the center V-shape consisting of an actual star cluster – a family of stars in space – that we call the Hyades. The Hyades marks the face of the Bull. The bright red star Aldebaran shines in the V and represents the Bull’s fiery eye. In addition, Taurus holds another famous star cluster, which we call the Pleiades or 7 Sisters. You’ll notice it has the shape of a tiny dipper. Chart via EarthSky.
Five labeled stars linked with lines to make the letter W and two tiny, labeled clusters above, on blue background.
You can find Cassiopeia the Queen in the northwest in the evening during the month of February. It’s one of the easiest constellations to spot! It has the shape of an M or W. If you have a dark sky, you can also look above Cassiopeia for a famous binocular object, the Double Cluster in Perseus. Chart via EarthSky.

Sky dome map for visible planets and night sky

Circle constellations, planets, the moon, the Milky Way and celestial lines.
Here is the sky dome view for February 2026. It shows what is above the horizon at mid-evening for mid-northern latitudes. The view may vary depending on your location. Image via Guy Ottewell’s 2026 Astronomical Calendar.

Read more: Guy Ottewell explains sky dome maps.

Heliocentric solar system visible planets and more

Circle with sun at center, planets around, and zodiac names on outer edge.
Heliocentric view of solar system, February 2026. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2026 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission. Plus Guy Ottewell explains heliocentric charts here.

Read more: Guy Ottewell explains heliocentric charts.

Some resources to enjoy

For more videos of great night sky events, visit EarthSky’s YouTube page.

Don’t miss anything. Subscribe to daily emails from EarthSky. It’s free!

Visit EarthSky’s Best Places to Stargaze to find a dark-sky location near you.

Post your own night sky photos at EarthSky Community Photos.

See the indispensable Observer’s Handbook, from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Visit Stellarium-Web.org for precise views from your location.

Almanac: Bright visible planets (rise and set times for your location).

Visit TheSkyLive for precise views from your location.

Bottom line: Visible planets and night sky guide. Tomorrow morning, the crescent moon visits the Teapot in Sagittarius. Also, watch a video about the upcoming annular eclipse, and learn the truth about February’s planetary lineup.

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