Connecticut Sky Watch: February 2026

February rewards patient observers with long, dark nights and some of the year's finest celestial events. From a rare lunar occultation to a spectacular six-planet parade, this month delivers experiences worth bundling up for.

The Highlights

Lunar Occultation of Regulus (February 2) Tonight's headline event: the waning gibbous Moon will pass directly in front of Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. For Connecticut observers, Regulus disappears behind the Moon's bright limb around 8:51 PM EST and reappears from the dark limb approximately an hour later, around 9:54 PM EST. This is a rare treat—the last favorable Regulus occultation for North America was in 2017, and the next won't come until the 2030s. Binoculars or a small telescope will give you the best view of the star winking out and reappearing, though the event is visible to the naked eye. Look east after sunset; Leo will be rising with the brilliant Moon.

Six-Planet Parade (Late February) Around February 28, six planets will arc across the evening sky in a spectacular alignment. About an hour after sunset, look west to find Venus and Mercury low on the horizon, with Saturn nearby (Neptune requires binoculars, sitting less than a degree from Saturn on the 22nd). Sweep your gaze higher and eastward to find Jupiter dominating the sky in Gemini, with Uranus (binoculars needed) high in the south near the Pleiades. Four planets visible to the naked eye, two more with optical aid—all in one sweeping view from horizon to horizon. The alignment is visible throughout late February, but the 28th offers the tightest grouping.

Full Snow Moon (February 1) February's Full Moon peaks at 5:09 PM EST, rising in the east as the Sun sets. The Moon sits in Cancer near the Beehive Cluster (M44)—though the cluster will be washed out by moonlight. This lunation sets the stage for the Regulus occultation the following night.

The Evening Sky

Orion commands the southern sky, standing tall and proud as darkness falls. There is no brighter constellation in the night sky, and February offers the best views of the year. The Hunter's distinctive belt of three stars points downward toward Sirius—the brightest star in the night sky—blazing blue-white above the southeastern treeline. Follow the belt upward and you'll find Aldebaran, the red eye of Taurus the Bull, and beyond it the delicate Pleiades star cluster.

The Winter Circle (or Winter Hexagon) frames nearly half the sky with its brilliant stellar landmarks: Sirius, Procyon, Pollux and Castor in Gemini, Capella in Auriga, Aldebaran in Taurus, and Rigel in Orion. In 2026, Jupiter joins this stellar company, outshining them all from its position in Gemini.

Betelgeuse marks Orion's right shoulder with its distinctive orange-red hue—a supergiant star some 700 light-years distant and nearly 1,000 times the diameter of our Sun. Compare its warmth to the blue-white brilliance of Rigel at the Hunter's left knee. These color differences reveal the stars' surface temperatures: Betelgeuse burns cooler at about 3,500 K while Rigel blazes at over 12,000 K.

Below Orion's belt, the three stars of his sword contain the Orion Nebula (M42), visible to the naked eye as a fuzzy patch and spectacular through binoculars or a telescope. This stellar nursery lies about 1,344 light-years away, where new stars are being born at this very moment.

Planetary Highlights

Jupiter dominates the evening sky at magnitude –2.4, brighter than any star. The giant planet rides high in Gemini, visible from sunset until well past midnight. Through a telescope, watch the dance of the four Galilean moons night after night. On February 27, the 78%-lit waxing gibbous Moon passes within 4° of Jupiter—a beautiful pairing for photographs.

Saturn (magnitude +1.1) lingers in the western twilight in Aquarius, setting about two hours after the Sun at month's start but only an hour after by month's end. Catch it while you can before it disappears into the solar glare. On February 22, Saturn and Neptune pass within less than one degree of each other—use Saturn as your guide to find the ice giant (magnitude +7.9) with binoculars.

Venus emerges into the evening sky this month after superior conjunction on February 6. By late February, look for it very low in the west-southwest after sunset, magnitude –3.9 and climbing. The evening star returns!

Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation on February 19, its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky for this apparition. Look for it low in the west about 40 minutes after sunset. On February 18, a razor-thin 1% crescent Moon poses near Mercury and Venus—a beautiful twilight alignment.

Mars and Uranus are not well placed for observation this month. Mars passed conjunction in February and is lost in the Sun's glare. Uranus (magnitude +5.8) rides high in Taurus near the Pleiades, technically visible to sharp eyes under perfect conditions but far easier with binoculars.

Deep-Sky Targets

The Pleiades (M45) ride high overhead in the early evening, perfectly positioned for binocular viewing. From a dark Connecticut site, you might count seven or eight stars with the naked eye; binoculars reveal dozens of blue-white suns wrapped in faint nebulosity.

The Hyades form the V-shaped face of Taurus, with orange Aldebaran marking the bull's eye (though Aldebaran is actually a foreground star, not a true cluster member).

The Beehive Cluster (M44) in Cancer sits high in the east after the Moon has waned. This open cluster spans three times the apparent diameter of the Full Moon and contains about 1,000 stars—a beautiful sight in binoculars.

The Orion Nebula (M42) rewards any optical aid. Even city observers can see structure in this glowing cloud; from dark skies, the nebula reveals layers of detail through a telescope.

Special Observing Opportunities

Zodiacal Light (Early-Mid February) From a truly dark site during the two weeks following New Moon, scan the western horizon about 90 minutes after sunset. Look for a faint, pyramid-shaped glow extending upward along the ecliptic—sunlight scattered by ancient dust in the plane of our solar system. The Litchfield Hills in northwestern Connecticut offer some of the state's darkest skies for this delicate phenomenon.

Lunar Occultation of Tau Scorpii (February 11) Early risers can watch the waning crescent Moon occult the magnitude +2.8 star Tau Scorpii. Moonrise occurs around 4:00 AM, with the occultation taking place just after 6:05 AM EST. The 33%-lit crescent Moon will hide the star behind its bright limb. Timing varies slightly by location.

Moon Near the Pleiades (February 24) The 44% waxing crescent Moon approaches the Pleiades star cluster. From parts of North America (particularly Canada), the Moon will actually occult several of the cluster's stars between approximately 10:00 PM and 12:15 AM EST. From Connecticut, expect a very close approach rather than a true occultation—still a lovely sight through binoculars with the illuminated crescent next to the Seven Sisters.

Space News

Artemis II — NASA's first crewed mission around the Moon since Apollo 17 has launch opportunities beginning in early February. If all goes well, four astronauts will loop around the Moon and return to Earth, paving the way for Artemis III's lunar landing. Look up at the Moon this month knowing that humans may soon be looking back.

Annular Solar Eclipse (February 17) — An annular "ring of fire" eclipse occurs on this date, but the path of annularity crosses only Antarctica and the southern Indian Ocean. Penguins get the best seats; we'll have to wait for future eclipses closer to home.

Observing Tips for Connecticut

Best dark-sky sites: Head away from Hartford, New Haven, and coastal light pollution. The Litchfield Hills, Peoples State Forest, and the quiet corners of northeastern Connecticut offer the darkest skies in the state.

Dress for success: February nights regularly drop into the teens or single digits. Layered clothing, insulated boots, hand warmers, and a hat are essential for extended observing sessions.

Let your eyes adapt: Allow 20–30 minutes for your night vision to fully develop. Avoid looking at your phone or bright lights; use a red flashlight to preserve your dark adaptation.

Timing your session: The best deep-sky viewing occurs during the week centered on New Moon (February 17). For planets and bright objects, any clear night will do.

Clear skies!

Glastonbury Planetarium