Stars over Wollumbin, February 11 and 12, 2011

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On the evenings of February 11 and 12, weather permitting, we may be able to observe the Crescent Waxing Moon getting close to the Stars’ Cluster known as the Pleiades, in the constellation of Taurus, the Bull. They were once the Nymphs who formed the retinue of Artemis, the Moon Goddess.  In one of the many variants of their story they are for ever running away from a lustful suitor, the hunter Orion with his mighty club!

The 12th will be the best night to view the Moon and the Pleaides together, because by then the 50% illumined Moon will not be so close to their cluster and they will be more visible.

The snapshots below were taken on the 11th (top one) and 12th of February (bottom one), around 9.30 pm (Eastern Australia Summer Time), looking toward the North-West.

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

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For more information about the visible planets this month

Click here to visit the Stars over Wollumbin Page

Or here for earlier snapshots of the night sky, since August 2010