Two planets are “stars” of the evening sky - for February       by Steve Spoden
Two giant bright planets are easy to spot early this month as darkness falls. Another two make their appearance later at night.
The largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter, can be spotted shining brightly low in the western sky as the sun dips below the horizon. By 6:30 p.m., the planet begins to disappear below the horizon but rising high in the eastern sky is the brilliant Red Planet, Mars. The fourth planet from the Sun is easy to spot. Its orange glow gives it away.
Later, bright Saturn, the second largest planet in our solar system, joins the nighttime sky as it rises above the horizon in the east-northeastern sky by about 9:30 p.m. Then, in the brightening sky of dawn, Mercury may be spotted with a sharp eye just above the eastern horizon.
Until next time, “clear skies!”