By Heather Durham | January 31, 2023
Hi everyone! How are you doing these odd Wintry days. Here I am, writing for February when there’s been no chance for me to snowshoe! … not yet anyway. I’ve been studying phone photography. In the process, I found this amateur photography guide I thought I would share with you along with the date of each New or Black Moon. This means that the skies would be really dark, and dark it needs to be for Astrophotography.
I hope you enjoy the new moon and photography additions. Happy reading and sky watching. Until we meet again next month. …
February 5. Today will have the full Snow Moon.
February 13. The Moon will be at final quarter today.
February 22. Tonight’s sky should be delightful for the Moon along with Venus and Jupiter will all ascend close together towards the right.
February 27. The Moon and Mars will travel together and ascend towards the right.
“At the end of February the zodiacal light (reflection produced by the scattering of sunlight due to particles moving along the entire solar system) also begins to be visible. In the Northern Hemisphere at this time of year, it’s visible to the west, at the end of the astronomical twilight, after Sunset, in the direction of the Sunset. On the contrary, in the Southern Hemisphere it’s visible to the east, before the astronomical twilight begins, before dawn, in the direction of the Sunrise.” PhotoPills.com
(https://www.photopills.com/articles/astronomical-events-photography-guide#step3)
“February 20: New Moon.
The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the bright side of the Moon is facing away from the Earth. The Moon phase is 0% at 07:07 UTC.
The days around the New Moon are great for photographing the night sky.
If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, you can start hunting the Galactic Center of the Milky Way with your camera! And don’t forget the Magellanic Clouds heading south.
Depending on your latitude, you can see the Galactic Center closest to the horizon (perfect for panoramas). And as you go to latitudes further south, you can photograph it more and more vertical. For example, in New Zealand you can almost capture it completely vertical.
In February, you can also capture the Galactic Center in the Northern Hemisphere: you see it low, near the horizon… although the conditions are not as good as in the Southern Hemisphere. And if you don’t get it, you can always wait until March to start enjoying it.
In the Northern Hemisphere you can also photograph the Orion constellation and the Winter Triangle.
And also during the New Moon, you can capture Star Trails, whose pattern depends on your latitude and the direction to which you point your camera at.” PhotoPills.com
(https://www.photopills.com/articles/astronomical-events-photography-guide#step3).
References:
Unknown (n.d.) Astronomical Events 2023: The Definitive Photography Guide. Retrieved from https://www.photopills.com/articles/astronomical-events-photography-guide
Ford, D.F. (n.d.). December 2022. Retrieved from in-the-sky.org
Milton Observer 