The naked-eye planets are putting on an extended show these nights with something to watch from sunset to sunrise, treats for casual observers.

Venus is hard to miss high in the western sky after sunset. Shining at magnitude minus 4.1, it can be seen in daylight if you know just where to look. It gets even brighter and hangs around longer as February progresses. Venus moves from Aquarius into Pisces early in the month.

Jupiter spends the month in Aries, east of Pisces. It’s bright (magnitude minus 2.2), though not as bright as Venus.

As Venus climbs in the western sky, it moves closer to Jupiter. The two will have a dramatic rendezvous in mid-March. Watch as the waxing crescent moon swings past the two planets Feb. 24-27.

Tiny Mercury reaches superior conjunction (behind the sun from our vantage point) on Feb. 7 but will emerge in the western sky, becoming visible late in the month. By the third week of February, it will set about an hour after the sun and a half hour later by month’s end. It shines at magnitude minus 1. Binoculars will help pick it out in twilight. Have a look around 6:30 p.m. on the 25th, if you have a clear view of the western horizon. Mercury will be near the horizon, Venus and the moon will be about 30 degrees higher, and Jupiter another 15 degrees up.

Mars is starting to put on a pretty good show too as it moves toward opposition in March. The Red Planet moves from Virgo into Leo early in February and rises a little before 9 p.m. By the end of February it will rise about 6:15 and will have brightened from magnitude minus 0.5 to minus 1.2, a significant increase. Mars will be well positioned for viewing before midnight. Under ideal conditions, a modest scope should reveal some fuzzy, dark surface features.

The waxing, gibbous moon will be about 9 degrees south of Mars on Feb. 9.

Saturn and its amazing ring system trails Mars in the east. Look for it in Virgo, rising a little before midnight early in the month and two hours earlier by month’s end. At magnitude 0.5, it’s a bit fainter than Mars but always worth a look, especially with the aid of a telescope.

Old timers, can you believe that Feb. 20 marks the 50th anniversary of the Project Mercury Friendship 7 mission that made John Glenn the first American to orbit Earth?

Speaking of anniversaries, this column marks the 10th anniversary of my first “What’s Up” column in the Durango Herald. The column was later picked up by the Cortez Journal. Researching and writing the column has been educational and fun. Now, though, I’m taking a break.

I owe a tremendous thanks to my editor, John Peel, who kept me motivated and saved me from a slew of embarrassing errors. John and I share an interest in astronomy. We’ll keep an eye on the sky and hope you will too.

MOON PHASES

First Quarter: Jan. 30, 9:10 p.m.

Full: Feb. 7, 2:54 p.m. (Snow Moon)

Last Quarter: Feb. 14, 10:04 a.m.

New: Feb. 21, 3:35 p.m.

First Quarter: Feb. 29, 6:21 p.m.

Copyright © 2012 Lewis McCool. McCool is a former Journal managing editor.