Cosmic trio to take center stage in weekend sky
The moon will have some company in the sky this weekend as it glows next to a famous constellation and an easy-to-see planet.
The weekend night sky on Feb. 17 will feature a celestial trio of the moon, Jupiter and the constellation of Orion the Hunter meeting for a celestial gathering.
Weekend stargazers will be treated to a trio of celestial sights bunched together during one of February's top astronomy events.
The moon will hang above the famous constellation Orion in the southern sky after sunset on Saturday, with Jupiter shining to the right of the pairing. No telescope is needed to see the three objects, which will remain in the sky until they begin to set around 1 a.m. local time.
The moon, Jupiter and Orion will glow together in the southern sky after sunset on Feb. 17, 2024. Image not to scale. (AccuWeather)
An encore of the event on Sunday evening will provide another opportunity for folks to soak in views of the grouping, although the moon will appear a bit farther away from Jupiter when compared to the previous night.
The moon will be the foundation of an even bigger astronomy event in April when millions across the United States, Canada and Mexico witness a total solar eclipse.
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