Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for President’s Day, Monday, February 20th.  The sun will rise at 7:35.  It’ll be up for 10 hours and 41 minutes, setting at 6:17.   The moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 7:01 tomorrow morning.  |  The winter skies are blessed with more first magnitude stars than any other season.  Six of these stars lie in a large circle centered on the seventh.  This circle is up at 9 p.m.  Starting high overhead is Capella in Auriga the charioteer.  Moving down clockwise is Aldebaran in the face of Taurus the Bull.  Then down to Orion’s knee we find Rigel.  Down and left is the brightest star of all Sirius the Dog Star in Canis Major, lowest of these stars in the south southeast.  Moving up and left is Procyon in Canis Minor, Above Procyon is Pollux in Gemini the twins.  All these are centered on Betelgeuse the bright red star in Orion’s shoulder.

* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan.  They may be different for your location.

Addendum

The Winter Circle of 1st magnitude stars