This month in the sky
The night sky in February 2027
In February 2027 the best-placed deep-sky targets around midnight are M67, M40, M104 Sombrero Galaxy. The darkest nights fall around the new moon on 6 February. Planets in the night sky: Mars (most of the night), Jupiter (most of the night), Saturn (evening).
Moon and darkness
| New moon | 6 February |
|---|---|
| Full moon | 20 February |
| Full darkness at 52° N | about 10.0 hours a night |
Plan faint galaxies in the week around new moon; bright nebulae and clusters also work near full moon.
Best placed around midnight
| Target | Type | Size | Sky needed | Highest at 52° N | Highest at 40° N | Frames it best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M67 | open cluster | 30′ | City-friendly | 50° | 62° | Origin Mark II |
| M40 | star group | 1′ | City-friendly | 84° | 72° | mosaic or too small |
| M104 Sombrero Galaxy | spiral galaxy | 9′ | City-friendly | 26° | 38° | Odyssey |
| M95 | spiral galaxy | 3′ | City-friendly | 50° | 62° | mosaic or too small |
| M81 Bode's Galaxy | spiral galaxy | 27′ | Suburban sky | 73° | 61° | Origin Mark II |
| M82 Cigar Galaxy | irregular galaxy | 11′ | Suburban sky | 72° | 60° | Odyssey |
| M49 | elliptical galaxy | 10′ | Suburban sky | 46° | 58° | Odyssey |
| M87 Virgo A | elliptical galaxy | 8′ | Suburban sky | 50° | 62° | Odyssey |
Already high in the evening
These targets culminate around 22:00 this month: ideal if you do not want to stay up late.
| Target | Type | Size | Sky needed | Highest at 52° N | Highest at 40° N | Frames it best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M44 Beehive Cluster | open cluster | 95′ | City-friendly | 58° | 70° | Seestar S30 Pro |
| M47 | open cluster | 30′ | City-friendly | 24° | 36° | Origin Mark II |
| M41 Little Beehive Cluster | open cluster | 38′ | City-friendly | 17° | 29° | DWARF mini |
| M48 | open cluster | 54′ | City-friendly | 32° | 44° | DWARF 3 |
| M50 | open cluster | 16′ | City-friendly | 30° | 42° | Odyssey |
| M46 | open cluster | 27′ | City-friendly | 23° | 35° | Origin Mark II |
| M93 | open cluster | 22′ | City-friendly | 14° | 26° | Seestar S50 |
Planets
Calculated for the 15th at 52° N: planets at least 10° high while it is dark.
- Mars: most of the night, up to 53° high
- Jupiter: most of the night, up to 53° high
- Saturn: evening, up to 22° high
Questions and answers
- What is the best smart telescope target in February?
- M67 is among the best-placed targets around midnight, and the Origin Mark II frames it best.
- When are the darkest nights in February?
- Around the new moon on 6 February, when moonlight does not brighten the sky.