What’s Up in the Sky in February
February 2026 is all about the Moon, from the bright Snow Moon at the start of the month to a busy stretch on February 17–19, featuring the year’s first solar eclipse and a string of close Moon-planet meetups.
The solar eclipse this month is an annular one, but it’s only visible from a limited area—mainly Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. Luckily, there are more eclipses to look forward to later this year.
Keep reading to find out more.
| Date | Event* | What to See |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 1 | Snow Moon | The Full Moon in February, also known as the Snow Moon, is at its most illuminated on February 1, at 22:09 UTC. |
| Feb 17 | Annular Solar Eclipse | February brings us the first solar eclipse of this year. It’s an annular solar eclipse, occurring when the Moon blocks the inner part of the Sun’s disk, leaving a bright “ring of fire” (annulus) around it. |
| Feb 18 | Moon-Venus Close Approach | You can barely see Venus, but, as it sets, the Moon, Mercury, and Saturn lie close above it in the early evening sky. |
| Feb 18 | Moon-Mercury Close Approach | On the same evening, soon after Venus sets, the Moon and Mercury drop down together toward the horizon. All of this happens a day or so after New Moon. |
| Feb 19 | Mercury at greatest elongation east | Mercury appears at its furthest point from the Sun in our sky, greatest elongation east, making it easier to spot. |
| Mid- to late February | Planet parade | From mid- to late February 2026, six planets will line up along the Sun’s path in a “planet parade.” |
*Naked-eye events. Night Sky Map links are from New York City, USA.
February’s Snow Moon
This year, February’s Full Moon is at its most illuminated at 22:09 UTC on February 1, 2026. It follows last month’s Wolf Moon.
The Full Moon in February is called the Snow Moon, named after abundant snowfall in the Northern Hemisphere. Some North American tribes called February’s Full Moon the Hungry Moon due to hard hunting conditions midwinter, while others named it the Bear Moon because they are born around this time of year. In Celtic and Old English traditions, it’s known as the Storm Moon or Ice Moon.
Don’t forget to look up on February 1 to catch the Snow Moon in the sky.
Your Moon Guide for February 2026
Annular Solar Eclipse Visible to Very Few
February brings us the first solar eclipse of this year, on February 17. It’s an annular solar eclipse, occurring when the Moon blocks the inner part of the Sun’s disk, leaving a bright “ring of fire” (annulus) around it.
Annularity is only visible from parts of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. Some areas of southern Africa and the southern tip of South America will have a small partial eclipse. Cape Town, South Africa, will have a 5% partial eclipse during the afternoon of February 17, as shown in our eclipse animation.
IMPORTANT: Never look directly at the Sunmungfali.galihkartiwa07.workers.dev will not be streaming this event. But the good news is: An eclipse never comes alone. So buckle up for the rest of the eclipses in 2026. We will be streaming both a total lunar eclipse in March and a total solar eclipse and a partial lunar eclipse in August.
To think that we are able to understand the world well enough to predict and prepare for these events—it’s simply amazing.
Dr. Renate Mauland-Hus, Astrophysicist
mungfali.galihkartiwa07.workers.dev
Mercury Meets the Moon and Reaches Greatest Elongation East
On February 18, the Moon and Mercury find each other in the sky. This happens the day after New Moon, so only a sliver of the Moon will be visible, with Mercury shining, seemingly, on top of it. This close approach is favoring skywatchers in the Northern Hempisphere.
One day later, on February 19, Mercury is at its greatest elongation east. What does this mean?
Venus and Mercury orbit closer to the Sun than Earth, so they’re only visible during brief windows near sunrise or sunset. Venus is usually easy to spot, while Mercury is trickier since it‘s smaller, dimmer, and often lost in the Sun’s glare. Both are easiest to see at greatest elongation, when they appear farthest from the Sun in our sky.
At greatest elongation east, there is a chance to see Mercury with the naked eye soon after sunset. This greatest elongation is best seen from the Northern Hemisphere.
WARNING: Never point binoculars or a telescope in the direction of the Sun—it can cause permanent eye damage. DO NOT try to observe objects close to the Sun while any part of the Sun is above the horizon.
With an elliptical orbit lasting only 88 Earth days, Mercury arrives at greatest elongation around six or seven times per year. This is far more frequently than Venus, which reaches greatest elongation once or twice a year—and sometimes not at all.
The 2026 February Planet Parade: Can We See All?
From mid- to late February 2026, six planets will line up along the Sun’s path in a “planet parade.” Four—Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, and Mercury—will be visible to the naked eye from many locations, while Uranus and Neptune require binoculars or a small telescope. But—and there is a but—it will not be easy to see all the planets in the sky at the same time.
Saturn, Mercury, Venus, and Neptune are tightly grouped together. The first three can only be spotted shortly after sunset. Neptune needs a telescope—and we’ll need to wait a while until the sky has darkened. Uranus sits higher in the sky and also requires binoculars or a telescope, plus a dark sky. Meanwhile, Jupiter is the easiest to see, shining brightly for most of the night.
During the parade, Saturn and Neptune get especially close: on February 20, they have their closest approach this decade, with an angular separation of roughly 0.83 degrees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Snow Moon?
It‘s the February Full Moon, named after abundant snowfall in the Northern Hemisphere winter.
Can we see all the planets in the February planet parade?
From mid- to late February, six planets in our solar system will line up along the Sun’s path. Four—Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, and Mercury—will be visible to the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune require binoculars or a small telescope.
But—and there is a but—it will not be easy to see all the planets in the sky at the same time.
What is greatest elongation?
When Venus and Mercury appear at their furthest points from the Sun in our sky, they are at greatest elongation.