February Stargazing Near Pune & Mumbai

February is the last of the great winter stargazing months before temperatures begin rising and haze gradually builds. Skies remain excellent — cloud cover averages around 10% — and February 2026 has a headline event: a six-planet parade on the 28th that you won't want to miss.

Sky Conditions in February

Cloud cover: ~10% — Excellent
Humidity: Low (45–60%)
Seeing: Very good — dry, cold air
Milky Way: Not visible (galactic centre below horizon)
Best for: Planetary events, winter constellations, zodiacal light

February 2026 Celestial Events

February 17: Annular Solar Eclipse

This eclipse is visible in Antarctica and parts of the southern hemisphere only. Not visible from India. However, worth knowing about — partial phases may be visible from extreme southern latitudes.

February 28: Planetary Parade — Six Planets 🌟

The standout event of February. Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter will all appear in the evening sky shortly after sunset. Four are visible to the naked eye; Uranus and Neptune require binoculars.

How to view from Pune/Mumbai:

• Head to a location with a clear western horizon (no hills, no buildings)
• Start watching from 30 minutes after local sunset (around 7:15 PM IST)
• The planets will arc along the ecliptic — the path the Sun travels — from west-southwest to east
• Venus and Jupiter will be brightest and easiest to find
• Saturn will be lower in the west, close to the horizon — you need a flat western horizon to catch it
• Mercury is elusive — look near the horizon just after sunset with binoculars

Best viewing spot: Pawna Lake or Kamshet, where you have open western horizon over flat terrain. Avoid hilly locations like Velhe for this event — the hills block the low western sky.

Photography tip: Set up on the lake's western shore. You'll get the planet arc reflected in the water. Use a wide-angle lens (14–24mm) and bracket exposures from 5 seconds to 30 seconds.

Zodiacal Light in February

February–March is the best time to see zodiacal light from Maharashtra — a cone of faint light rising from the western horizon after sunset along the ecliptic. It's sunlight scattered by interplanetary dust.

To see it, you need:

• A site with Bortle Class 3 or better (Pawna, Velhe, Mulshi)
• No moon in the sky
• About 45–60 minutes after sunset
• Eyes fully dark-adapted

The zodiacal light looks like a faint, soft pyramid of light rising from where the Sun set. From a dark site, it can be brighter than the Milky Way core. Many people initially mistake it for a distant city glow.

What's in the February Sky

Orion at Peak

Orion transits (crosses the meridian — due south, highest point) around 9 PM in February. This is the best time to view the Orion Nebula — it's highest and therefore you're looking through the least atmosphere.

Sirius — Brightest Star

Sirius reaches its highest point in February. At magnitude -1.46, it's the brightest star in the night sky. On cold, clear nights it scintillates wildly — red, blue, green — due to atmospheric refraction. This is normal; it's not a UFO.

Pleiades Setting

The Pleiades (Seven Sisters) are heading toward the western horizon by mid-February, setting by 11 PM. Last chance to see them until autumn.

Canopus — Maharashtra's Southern Star

Canopus, the second brightest star in the sky, is visible low in the south from Maharashtra in February. You need a clear southern horizon and Bortle 3 or better. Mulshi Dam's south-facing ridge is ideal.

Photography in February

Planetary parade (Feb 28): Use a 24–70mm lens. Multiple exposures — one exposed for the planets, one for the landscape, blend in post.

Zodiacal light: Needs a moonless night, dark site, 16–24mm lens, f/2.8 or wider, ISO 3200, 20–25 second exposure.

Orion Nebula: Even a crop-sensor camera with a 200mm lens will show the nebula's colour (magenta-pink hydrogen-alpha). Take 30+ exposures of 30 seconds each and stack them.

All event times in IST (UTC+5:30). Check current moon phase before heading out — the February 28 planetary parade will be best on a night within 5 days of new moon.