Prepare for a month packed stuffed with thrilling Moon-related occasions! From occultations of stars and planets, and even an eclipse, the Moon has some treats in retailer for astronomers around the globe.
Record organised by date:
2 February, North America: Regulus engulfed
The early night of two February sees magnitude +1.36 Regulus, Leo’s alpha star, transfer behind the brilliant limb of dazzling waning gibbous Moon only a day faraway from full section. This occasion is seen throughout many of the USA and Canada. In New York, Regulus is swallowed up on 2 February at 20:53 EST, solely to reappear at 21:49 on the slither of darkness of the Moon’s darkish limb.
14 February, New Zealand: Moon within the Teapot
Within the morning of 14 February a waning crescent Moon (section 15 per cent) occults magnitude +3.1 phi Sagittarii, one of many stars in the well-known ‘Teapot’ asterism of vibrant stars in Sagittarius.
In Wellington, North Island, the Moon is rising because the star disappears on the Moon’s vibrant limb on 14 February at 03:41 NZDT, however by the point it pops again into view on the darkish limb, at 04:37, phi Sgr is almost 20 levels excessive. Timings are a couple of minutes later for Dunedin, South Island.
17 February, Southern/Indian Ocean: Annular/partial eclipse of the Solar
An annular ‘ring of fireside’ eclipse of the Solar happens on 17 February, with a slim path of annularity from the Southern Ocean south of Australia to Antarctica. Not like at a complete eclipse of the Solar the Moon’s shadow stops simply wanting Earth’s floor, leaving a skinny band of the Solar’s blinding photosphere encircling the Moon’s silhouette.
Concordia Station in Antarctica experiences an annular eclipse lasting 2 minutes and 5 seconds, with most eclipse occurring at 19:47:43 native time (UT +8 hours), although the Solar is simply 5 levels excessive. The partial phases of the eclipse happen between 09:57 to 14:27 UT, masking a lot of Antarctica and lengthening simply far sufficient north to incorporate the acute southern tip of South America, south-eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar, Mauritius and The Seychelles.
Should you’re in Mauritius there’s an opportunity to see a big partial eclipse between 16:39 to 18:25 native time (UT +4 hours), with 43.5 per cent of the Solar’s diameter hidden by the Moon (eclipse magnitude) at 17:34. Main cities in South Africa expertise a smaller partial eclipse; Cape City 0.126 magnitude at most at 14:43 native time (UT +2 hours), Johannesburg (0.167 at 15:11) and Durban (0.271 at 15:05).
19 February, New Zealand to Mexico: Mercury occulted in daytime
The Moon occults Mercury on 19 February in a day-time occasion seen throughout New Zealand. From Wellington, Mercury (RA 23h 15.3m, Dec +17° 06.3’) is hidden behind a slimline Moon (section 2.2 per cent) from 09:59 till 11:02 NZDT (UT +13 hours), with Mercury’s disappearance on the Moon’s darkish limb occurring when the pair are rising and simply 17 levels up within the east.
In Australia, simply Mercury’s reappearance is seen, at 08:52 native daylight financial savings time (UT +11 hours), however it’s solely 10 and 5 levels up in Sydney and Melbourne, respectively.
The occultation zone additionally consists of Mexico and clips Texas, USA. In Houston, Mercury is occulted in sturdy twilight at 18:36 CST (UT –6 hours), with the setting Moon simply 12 levels excessive within the west.
24, 27, 28 Feb, UK: Moon brushes Pleiades and Beehive
On 24 February at midnight a close to first quarter Moon lies low in west-northwest, simply 2 levels west of Electra, the westernmost Pleiad of the Pleiades. The Moon later occult Electra, however, sadly, has set in UK skies by this time. On 28 February, at dusk a waxing gibbous Moon lies slightly below a level north of the Beehive Cluster.
On the late night of 27 February, a pair of binoculars or a small telescope exhibits magnitude +3.6 kappa (ok) Geminorum disappearing on the darkish limb of an 85 per cent illuminated gibbous Moon. The star winks out at 21:34 and 21:46 GMT from Edinburgh and London, respectively, reappearing on the Moon’s vibrant limb at 22:36 and 22:41.
Should you seize any of those occasions on digicam, do share your pictures through gallery2026@astronomynow.com – we could function your pictures in future net or print articles, or on our social media channels.
Primarily based on the article “The Moon in motion worldwide” by Mark Armstrong, revealed within the February 2026 situation of Astronomy Now.
