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From the February 2008 issue

Shadow play on the Moon

Feburary 2008: This month's night sky presents a beautiful sampling of objects for both casual and keen observers.
By Martin Ratcliffe and Alister Ling | Published: February 1, 2008 | Last updated on May 18, 2023

Up Next

  • A golden Full Moon in a dark blue sky seen through the branches of a foreground tree.
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    2026 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases

  • A simulated dawn sky looking east on June 5, 2026, 30 minutes before sunrise. Mars is visible as a small dot in the lower center against the orange-glowing predawn horizon, while Saturn appears higher and to the upper right, labeled clearly against the darker upper sky.
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    The Sky Today on Friday, June 5: Check in on Mars

  • A twilight photograph taken over a calm body of water, with a vivid orange and red sunset glow along the horizon. The silhouettes of hills and a prominent volcanic peak stretch across the skyline. Jupiter and Venus appear as two bright points of light close together in the deep blue upper sky above the scene.
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  • A simulated night sky looking west on June 4, 2026, one hour after sunset. Jupiter and Venus are prominent in the upper center, with Venus appearing brighter. The twin stars Castor and Pollux are visible in the upper portion. Mercury appears near the horizon to the lower right, and Procyon is visible to the lower left. The horizon shows a dark silhouette of trees against a warm twilight glow.
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    The Sky Today on Thursday, June 4: Jupiter passes south of Pollux

  • A simulated night sky looking southeast on June 3, 2026, at 3 A.M. The bright Moon glows prominently at center right. To the upper left, the star Altair is labeled, and a red asterisk-like symbol marks the position of the asteroid Juno. The Milky Way is faintly visible as a dark cloud-like region in the upper portion.
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    The Sky Today on Wednesday, June 3: Juno stands still

  • A telescopic simulation of Saturn as seen on June 2, 2026, at 4 A.M. CDT. Saturn is centered with its rings clearly visible, tilted slightly. Four moons are labeled around it: Titan to the upper left, Rhea and Dione to the left, and Enceladus to the right. A scale bar indicates 36 arcseconds. North and East compass directions are marked in the upper left corner.
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  • No matter how many Full Moons appear in any given timespan, its color will not actually change to blue. Credit: John Chumack.
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  • A simulated twilight sky looking west on June 1, 2026, 30 minutes after sunset. Venus shines brilliantly near center, with Jupiter visible to its upper left. Mercury is faintly visible low on the right against the warm orange twilight. The twin stars Castor and Pollux are labeled faintly near the top.
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  • Two bright planets — Venus and Jupiter — shine as close points of light in a deep blue twilight sky above an illuminated city skyline at dusk. The city's skyscrapers, tower, and sprawling lights glow against a gradient sky that fades from deep blue above to lighter blue near the horizon, with low clouds hugging the rooftops.
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    June 2026: What’s in the sky this month? Venus and Jupiter have a spectacular conjunction, and the Moon occults Venus

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