February 2027 sky guide: Jupiter and Mars at opposition, together
Twice a year, on average, a bright planet reaches opposition — rising at sunset, up all night. What almost never happens is two bright planets reaching opposition in the same constellation eight days apart. In February 2027, Jupiter (Feb 11) and Mars (Feb 19) both stand opposite the Sun in Leo, and for a few mid-month nights you can watch both at their biggest and best in a single evening. The month also serves the α-Centaurids under dark southern skies and closes with a penumbral eclipse of the full Moon.
Key takeaways
- Jupiter at opposition Feb 11 — mag −2.5 to −2.6, disc ~45″, in Leo.
- Mars at opposition Feb 19 — mag −1.2, 13.8″, also in Leo (perigee the same day; a distant "aphelic" opposition, so a small disc).
- α-Centaurids peak Feb 8 under near-perfect dark skies — a southern-hemisphere shower (ZHR usually ~6).
- Mercury's best evening show of the season: greatest eastern elongation Feb 3 (18.3°).
- New Moon Feb 6; full Moon Feb 20, 23:23 UT with a deep penumbral lunar eclipse.
Moon phases: February 2027
Principal phases, computed with our validated engine (USNO agreement within 2 minutes — methodology):
| Phase | Date | Time (UT) |
|---|---|---|
| New Moon | 2027-02-06 | 15:56 |
| First Quarter | 2027-02-14 | 07:59 |
| Full Moon | 2027-02-20 | 23:23 |
| Last Quarter | 2027-02-28 | 05:15 |
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 25% | 2 18% | 3 11% | 4 6% | 5 2% | 6 0% | 7 0% |
| 8 1% | 9 5% | 10 10% | 11 17% | 12 25% | 13 35% | 14 46% |
| 15 58% | 16 69% | 17 80% | 18 88% | 19 95% | 20 99% | 21 100% |
| 22 99% | 23 95% | 24 89% | 25 81% | 26 72% | 27 63% | 28 52% |
The dark window for galaxies and nebulae runs roughly Feb 3–11, with the new Moon on Feb 6. The Feb 20 full Moon rises amid the two oppositions — and slips through Earth's outer shadow: a penumbral eclipse (umbral magnitude 0; penumbral magnitude ~0.93) best seen from the Americas, Europe and Africa. The shading is subtle — a gradual dimming of the Moon's northern limb — but it is a real eclipse, visible to the naked eye if you know to look.
Meteor showers in February 2027
February is meteor-quiet for the north, but the southern hemisphere gets its summer treat. The α-Centaurids (102 ACE) are active Jan 31–Feb 20, peaking around Feb 8 (solar longitude 319.4°) with a usually modest ZHR of about 6 — occasionally bursting to 20–30 as in 1974 and 1980. The radiant (RA 211°, Dec −58°) is nearly circumpolar for much of the inhabited southern hemisphere and at useful elevation from late evening; meteors are fast at 58 km/s and often bright. With new Moon on Feb 6, the IMO rates 2027's conditions as good for visual observers. Verified: 2026-11-16 — IMO 2027 Meteor Shower Calendar.
Northern viewers aren't entirely forgotten: the antihelion source grinds along at ZHR ~2–3, and the sporadic rate holds steady. Our explainer on meteor mechanics covers why February's radiants favour the south.
Planets this month
| Planet | Where to look | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jupiter | Leo, all night | Opposition Feb 11: mag −2.5 to −2.6, disc around 45″, about 652 million km away — the month's showpiece for any telescope. |
| Mars | Leo, all night | Opposition Feb 19 at mag −1.2, 13.8″ across, perigee the same day; an aphelic opposition far from perihelion, so modest in size but brilliant to the eye. |
| Mercury | West after sunset | Greatest eastern elongation Feb 3 (18.3°) — its best evening appearance of this season, favouring northern latitudes. |
| Venus | Southeast before dawn | Still the morning star; highest dawn altitude came Jan 29, and it remains prominent all February. |
| Saturn | Very low southwest at dusk | A last look early in the month before it disappears toward its April 7 solar conjunction. |
Planet events (Jupiter opposition Feb 11; Mars opposition Feb 19, mag −1.2, 13.8″, perigee same day; Mercury elongations Feb 3 / inferior conjunction Feb 18; penumbral eclipse with the Feb 20 full Moon) — Verified: 2026-11-16 against In-The-Sky.org (Jupiter opposition), In-The-Sky.org (Mars opposition) and the AstroPixels 2027 almanac.
Planetary filter set for the opposition season
Colour filters boost contrast on Jupiter's belts and Mars' surface features — worth having when both worlds sit at their largest of the year.
Check price →The month in three appointments
- Feb 3–11 (new-Moon window + Jupiter opposition): dark skies while Jupiter peaks — the session of the season.
- Night of Feb 8/9 (α-Centaurids): southern hemisphere's meteor highlight under moonless skies.
- Feb 19–21 (Mars opposition + eclipsed full Moon): Mars at its best, then the penumbral-eclipse full Moon of Feb 20/21 — with the Moon near Mars in Leo.
Related reading
- March 2027 sky guide — Mercury swings into the dawn
- January 2027 sky guide — Mars retrograde and the Quadrantids
- Photographing the moon — capture the eclipsed full Moon properly