📝 Steven Burr

The Moon

The Full Snow Moon arrives on the 1st of the month. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the name is attributed to the heavy snowfall that usually occurs in February. Other names include the Bald Eagle Moon (Cree), Bear Moon (Ojibwa), Raccoon Moon (Dakota), and Groundhog Moon (Algonquin). On the 9th, the last quarter moon arrives followed by the moon passing within .7° of Antares prior to sunrise on the 11th. The new moon arrives on the 17th followed by a close encounter with Mercury on the 18th, visible low on the western horizon just after sunset. On the24th, the first quarter moon passes close to the Pleiades.

Snow Moon (Photo: John F. Foster)

The Planets

Venus will become visible mid-month, low on the southwest horizon just after sunset. Mars remains hidden by the sun. Jupiter continues to be well situated for observing throughout the night and continues to be visible in Gemini all month long. Saturn is slowly descending into the Western sky after sunset and will become more difficult to observe. However, on the 28th just after sunset, six planets will be visible in the night sky: Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter and Uranus. You will need a telescope or good binoculars to spot Neptune and Uranus. Mercury will be faint and close to Venus (brightest) low on the western horizon, Neptune will be close to Saturn in Pisces, and Jupiter is in Gemini close to the waxing gibbous moon while Uranus is close to the Pleiades.

Jupiter (Photo: Steven Burr)

Zodiacal Light

Starting around the 3rd of the month, Zodiacal will be visible in the West for the next two weeks shortly after evening twilight. Look for a faint cone of light in the West just after sunset. Zodiacal light is the reflection of sunlight off of meteoric particles along the ecliptic.

Zodiacal Light (Photo: Randy Boddam)

Constellation Aries

Aries the ram is the first constellation of the Zodiac and is easily spotted just west of Taurus. According to Greek mythology, this is the ram that carried siblings Phrixos and Helle, children of King Athamas, away from their plotting step mother. Unfortunately, Helle fell from the ram in their escape across Hellespont, known as the Dardanelles (Strait of Gallipoli). After arriving safely in the land of Aietes, Phrixos sacrificed the ram to Zeus and hung its fleece, thought to be golden, in the temple. In the Babylonian tradition, this constellation was known as the Hired Man which represents a springtime agricultural worker engaged in the barley harvest signifying the importance of agriculture in their society.

Aries - Urania's Mirror 1825

Make sure to follow our events page for all upcoming Astro Talks here.

Learn more about Dark Sky Project here.

References (for Feb/March 2026 blogs):

Boeckmann, Catherine, Full Moon Names 2026 [online]. Almanac, updated 31 December 2025 [cited 3 January 2026]. Available from: https://www.almanac.com/full-moon-names

Edgar, James S. ed., RASC Observer’s Handbook 2026, ed. by James S. Edgar (Toronto: Marquis Book Printing, 2025)

Hard, Robin, Eratosthenes & Hyginus: Constellation Myths (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015)

March 3rd, Total Lunar Eclipse – Picton Ontario [online]. Timeanddate, [cited 3 January 2026]. Available from: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@6113354?iso=20260303

Mortillaro, Nicole, Night Sky Guide 2026 (Richmond Hill: Firefly Books, 2025)

White, Gavin, Babylonian Star-Lore: An Illustrated Guide to the Star-Lore & Constellations of Ancient Babylonia (London: Solaria Publications, 2014)