February 14, 2026, is the 36th anniversary of the Voyager 1 image of Earth. Voyager was near Saturn when it took this image, now known as the Pale Blue Dot.
On February mornings, look for the celestial ducks returning to open water on the river of the Milky Way as the stars Shaula and Lesath make their appearance.
Sirius is the brightest star as seen from Earth and is visible from both hemispheres. It lies just 8.6 light-years away, in the constellation Canis Major.
Spring fireball season is now! The rate of fireballs (bright meteors) often goes up in the Northern Hemisphere by as much as 30% from February through April.
Orion the Hunter is one of the easiest constellations to identify thanks to Orion's Belt, the 3 medium-bright stars in a short, straight row at his waist.
Giant Jupiter is closest to Earth for 2026 on January 9. Then Earth will fly between the sun and Jupiter - bringing Jupiter to opposition - on January 10.
Our Editor-in-Chief Deborah Byrd works to keep all the astronomy balls in the air between EarthSky's website, YouTube page and social media platforms. She's the primary editor of our popular daily newsletter and a frequent host of EarthSky livestreams. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.
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