What’s Up in Denver? February 24th through March 2nd, 2025

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Here’s a brief look at what’s going on in the Mile High City this week.

February 24:

Photo by DAS Member Tommy Lease. ASI533MC-Pro, Orion 6" f4 newt, SW Quattro CC, HEQ5-Pro. RGB- 200x60s, gain 100, -10c, bin 1x1. Total Integration: 3.3 hrs. Acquired in NINA, Processed in Pixinsight.
Photo by DAS Member Tommy Lease. ASI533MC-Pro, Orion 6″ f4 newt, SW Quattro CC, HEQ5-Pro. RGB- 200x60s, gain 100, -10c, bin 1×1. Total Integration: 3.3 hrs. Acquired in NINA, Processed in Pixinsight.
  • If you’re planning to to take part in the NASA/AL Hubble Night Sky Challenge, for either the February (Silver) or the entire year (Gold), this is the last week to complete your observations!

February 25:

JWST: Revealing the Invisible Universe with Joseph DePasquale
JWST: Revealing the Invisible Universe with Joseph DePasquale
  • NSN Webinar Series: JWST: Revealing the Invisible Universe with Joseph DePasquale – 7:00PM webinar (more info)
  • Astrophotography Special Interest Group (ASIG) – General Meeting for DAS Members: 7:00 PM (more info).

February 26:

Dueling Winter Triangles
Dueling Winter Triangles – Created with Stellarium
  • Dueling Winter Triangles – the asterism commonly known as the Winter Triangle is comprised of Sirius (α Canis Majoris – the brightest star in the night sky), Procyon (the binary, α Canis Minoris), and Betelgeuse (the red supergiant, α Orionis). This winter season, with the red planet Mars high in Gemini, a new (albeit temporary) triangle has appeared in the night sky – formed by Mars, Castor (the sextuple star system, α Geminorum), and Pollux (the red giant, β Geminorum) . Look for both triangles high in the southern skies from February through mid-March.

February 27:

The Light of Distant Worlds with Dr. Zach Berta-Thompson
The Light of Distant Worlds with Dr. Zach Berta-Thompson
  • New Worm Moon: 5:44 PM MST
  • Standley Lake Virtual Astronomy Program: 6:00 PM webinar (more info).
  • The Light of Distant Worlds with Dr. Zach Berta-Thompson – Live Faculty Talk – 7:00PM at the Fiske Planetarium (more info and tickets)

February 28:

Waxing crescent Moon meets Mercury at sunset
Waxing crescent Moon meets Mercury after sunset – Created with Stellarium
  • Look for a thin crescent Worm Moon meeting Mercury in the western skies right after sunset MST.
  • The Light of Distant Worlds with Dr. Zach Berta-Thompson – Live Faculty Talk – 7:00PM at the Fiske Planetarium (more info and tickets)

Weekend Messier Marathon:

The Messier Marathon - Image generated by OpenAI Dall-E
The Messier Marathon – Image generated by OpenAI Dall-E

This Week’s Meteoric Activity:

You can keep track of the activity of meteor showers as well as those beyond the limits of visual observing by visiting the NASA Meteor Shower Portal.

  • Anthelion (ANT): 1:00 AM local time in central Cancer: 3 per hour
  • Alpha Centaurids (ACE):5:00 AM local time in southeastern Centaurus: less than 1 per hour

Clear skies and happy stargazing!