Above and Beyond the Trail

You don’t have to be an expert in astronomy or have a fancy telescope to expand your horizons beyond the usual sights of the trail. There is plenty to see in the sky with the naked eye this month. Jupiter has been very apparent in the night sky, at least when the clouds break. It is brilliant and can be seen high in the southern sky. If you are familiar with the popular constellation Orion, his belt is to the lower left of Jupiter.

The Moon is another great object to observe. Because it circles around the Earth, our view of it constantly changes. Right now it is in its waxing phase, which means it appears to be getting larger each day. Look for the Full Moon on February 25^th. After this it will start to wane, or appear smaller, until it is out of sight. This is referred to as the New Moon. Try charting where you see the moon each day, and you will notice a pattern. It can sometimes be seen during daylight hours, so keep a look out!

February 15^th is a noteworthy date this year, as an asteroid will be passing very close, about 17,200 miles, to the Earth! Don’t be alarmed, as it will not be striking us. This asteroid, known as 2012 DA14, about 150 feet in width, will not be visible to the eye. But, since this is a big event in the astronomy world, many pictures and videos captured with large telescopes will no doubt be available. If you happen to be looking up at the sky around 1:25 pm on February 15, pause and try to imagine an asteroid half the size of a football field speeding by overhead!

Winter is one of the best times of the year to view the stars. Remember to dress for the weather when stargazing, and wait about 10-15 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark. Have fun searching the sky!