Sun, Moon, and Stars: February 2002
Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff 
Sun, Moon & Stars
Movement of the heavenly bodies: February 2002
Movement of the heavenly bodies: February 2002
| Celestial links · Visibility of the Planets · Sunrise/Sunset, Moonrise/Moonset · Equinoxes and Solstices · Eclipses in 2002 · Astronomical terms · Calendar 2002 | Visit the Astronomy Center for more on the universe, the solar system, and related astronomical phenomena |
February Calendar
| 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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