Sun, Moon, and Stars: February 2002

Movement of the heavenly bodies: February 2002

Moon Phase	Day	Phenomenon	Hour (UT)	Hour (EST)
	4	LAST QUARTER	1400	9 am
	8	Mercury appears to be motionless in the sky as its apparent backward, or retrograde, motion changes back to direct motion.	1000	5 am
	8	Saturn appears to be motionless in the sky as its apparent backward, or retrograde, motion changes back to direct motion.	1000	5 am
	10	Mercury is 5 degrees north of the Moon.	0500	12 am (midnight)
	11	The asteroid Juno is at opposition, that is, Juno and the Sun are aligned on opposite sides of Earth.	0100	8 pm (Feb. 10)
	12	NEW MOON	0800	3 am
	13	Uranus is in conjunction with the Sun, that is, Uranus and Earth are aligned on opposite sides of the Sun.	1700	12 pm (noon)
	14	The Moon is at its apogee, or farthest point from Earth in its monthly orbit.	2200	5 pm
	16	Ceres, the largest asteroid, is in conjunction with the Sun, that is, Ceres and Earth are aligned on opposite sides of the Sun.	1300	8 am
	17	Mars is 5 degrees north of the Moon.	0000	7 pm (Feb. 16)
	20	FIRST QUARTER	1200	7 am
	20	Vesta, the third-largest asteroid, is 0 degrees 6 minutes south of the Moon. The asteroid is occulted, or hidden from view, by the Moon.	1300	8 am
	21	Saturn is 0 degrees 2 minutes south of the Moon. Saturn is occulted, or hidden from view, by the Moon.	0000	7 pm (Feb. 20)
	21	Mercury is at its greatest elongation, or angular distance from the Sun, at 27 degrees west of the Sun.	1600	11 am
	23	Jupiter is 0 degrees 9 minutes south of the Moon. Jupiter is occulted, or hidden from view, by the Moon.	0200	9 pm (Feb. 22)
	24	Mercury is 0 degrees 5 minutes south of Neptune.	1300	8 am
	27	FULL MOON	0900	4 am
	27	The Moon is at its perigee, or closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit.	2000	3 pm

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