The Moon pairs up with four planets this week, starting with Mercury early in the week, then moving to Uranus, Venus and finally Jupiter by the 26th. See the video from Feb 6-12 for info on finding Uranus, here. These lunar / planetary conjunctions provide wonderful photographic opportunities in the sky, and you can spot most of them in a set of binoculars. Gemini is also highlighted this week, focusing on it's two bright, main stars, Castor and Pollux, and finishing with where to find the lovely open cluster M35 by Gemini's feet.
Eyes on the Sky makes it easier for anyone to find objects in the night sky and/or learn how to use astronomy equipment, and educates about smarter lighting practices. Take a look at the weekly videos to learn what YOU can find in the night sky, this week - naked eye, binocular and telescopic objects are always discussed, so anyone can look up and see planets, stars and other deep sky objects.
Binocular astronomy is a key component of what gets highlighted, and simple 7x35, 8x42 and 7x50 binoculars are an asset to any amateur astronomer, beginner or expert alike. Those with telescopes can learn how to use their equipment more effectively, and because unexpected events occur (like supernova, comets and other phenomena), videos are offered which help anyone find and see the more prominent celestial occurrences.
So take a few minutes, look around, spend about 5 minutes to see 'what's up' in this week's sky by watching this week's video above. And be sure to do your part to reduce light pollution and light trespass by take a few minutes to aim lights down, shield them, or when replacing outdoor lighting, purchasing dark sky friendly light fixtures that keep light from spilling sideways or up into the night sky. Light going "up" doesn't do anything except block the stars from being seen, and won't increase security for anyone. Lights down, stars up - save money, stay safe.
Videos for the past several weeks may be found in the "Videos" section.
Videos with information about how to align an equatorial mounted telescope or using a planisphere can be found at the Informational Videos page.
Videos about the supernova in M101 or the peak brighness of Mira, are available in the Special Events page.
Videos from 2011 may be found in the 2011 Videos area.
Free stuff is good, right? How about free star charts so you can find things in the free videos discussed in "Eyes on the Sky" videos? Click on the Star Charts linkfor PDF star charts you can download and use to see 'what's up!'