Guide to February's Best Constellations in the Night Sky
Learn about the brightest constellations of February and their stars! 8 beautiful star patterns are waiting for you to find them. Easily locate the constellations with the free astronomy app Sky Tonight and never feel lost in the night sky again!
Contents
- List of constellations visible in February
- February night sky map for the Northern Hemisphere
- February night sky map for the Southern Hemisphere
- Look to the other side: Circumpolar constellations
- Constellations visible in February: bottom line
List of constellations visible in February
Below are the constellations best observed during February evenings (around 9 p.m. local time) from both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Many of these overlap with the constellations visible in January, but you’ll also notice a few newcomers in the night sky.
- Orion
- Canis Major
- Canis Minor
- Lepus
- Monoceros
- Taurus
- Gemini
- Auriga
Having trouble locating constellations in the sky? Don’t worry! Download the free Sky Tonight app for an interactive sky map tailored to your location. It will show you exactly where to look for each constellation.
What constellations are out tonight?
Orion
When you look above the southern horizon in the Northern Hemisphere (or northern direction in the Southern Hemisphere) on a February evening, you will notice Orion, the Hunter. It is one of the most famous winter constellations, known for its three bright stars that line up to form Orion’s Belt. This makes Orion easy to spot in the night sky.
For stargazers with binoculars, late February is a great time to focus on Orion. On February 27, the New Moon will mean minimal light pollution, creating an ideal backdrop for stargazing. Look overhead for the Broken Heart Cluster (NGC 2281), best seen with binoculars. Below Orion's Belt lies Orion’s Sword, where are located amazing deep-sky objects such as the Orion Nebula — visible without binoculars under dark skies — and the Lost Jewel of Orion (NGC 1980).
Want to learn more about the star clusters and galaxies you can see this month? Check out our guide to deep-sky objects in February.
Canis Major and Canis Minor
Every hunter needs companions, so Orion is followed by two celestial dogs: Canis Major and Canis Minor (Latin for Greater Dog and Lesser Dog).
Canis Major is easy to identify because of Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. In the Northern Hemisphere, Sirius appears low on the horizon, causing it to twinkle in many colors (green, orange, white, and others). This striking twinkling has even led some people to mistake it for a UFO. On a clear, cold winter night in the northern latitudes, Sirius puts on a beautiful show.
Canis Minor is less noticeable and much smaller. Its brightest star is Procyon, which shines at magnitude 0.3. That makes Procyon the eighth-brightest star in the night sky. It is also one of the closest stars to Earth. Another noteworthy star in Canis Minor is Gomeisa, which has a scorching temperature of about 11,500°K. Because of this extreme heat, some people call Canis Minor the “Hot Dog”.
Lepus
Of course, a hunter and his dogs are chasing a prey. On the celestial dome, their prey is Lepus, the Hare, another constellation best seen in February. It is small and dim — its brightest star, Arneb, has an apparent magnitude of 2.6.
Monoceros
Finally, Monoceros, the Unicorn, completes the picture. It lies between two large constellations, Orion and Hydra. Monoceros is quite faint, with only a few fourth-magnitude stars, making it hard to see with the naked eye. It is also a relatively modern constellation created by a Dutch cartographer in the 17th century to fill an empty space.
Don’t worry, Monoceros — we’ve all had to fill an awkward gap at some point!
Taurus
Apart from Orion, another prominent constellation you can see in February is Taurus, the Bull, which belongs to the zodiac family. Taurus resembles a two-pronged fork, with a bright V-shaped pattern at its center. This “V” is formed by the Hyades star cluster, marking the Bull’s face. Within it shines fiery red Aldebaran, the Bull’s eye, often mistaken for Mars due to its vivid color.
Taurus also contains the famous Pleiades star cluster, which looks like a tiny dipper. On February 6, 2025, observers between 100° and 150° longitude can watch the Moon pass in front of the Pleiades, partially obscuring them from view. Be sure to have your binoculars ready for this event!
In February 2025, the second-brightest planet — Jupiter — will appear near the Bull’s “V.” It’s like Taurus is hosting a “celestial party” this month! To learn more about the visible planets, check out our article on the night sky in February.
Gemini
Next to Taurus lies Gemini, another zodiac constellation. In Latin, “Gemini” means “twins,” referring to the Greek mythological brothers Castor and Pollux, whose names were given to the constellation’s two brightest stars. Although these stars are called “twins,” they look differently: Pollux is brighter and has a golden hue, while Castor appears slightly dimmer and white. Still, they lie close together in the sky, which has led observers throughout history to view them as brother stars.
During February 2025, look for bright Mars in Gemini. It just reached its peak brightness and remains a prominent red point visible all night long.
Auriga
Finally, Auriga, the Charioteer, is a popular constellation among stargazers. It hosts the bright star Capella, the sixth-brightest star in the sky. In reality, Capella is a system of four stars located about 40 light-years away. Two of these stars — each roughly 10 times bigger than our Sun — orbit one another at about the same distance Venus orbits our Sun.
Near Capella, you’ll see a pair of stars known as the Kids, often imagined as the baby goats carried by the Charioteer. Auriga has an irregular shape, and the Milky Way passes through it, offering a fantastic view through binoculars.
February night sky map for the Northern Hemisphere
Here is the sky view for February 2025. It shows what is above the southern horizon at mid-evening for mid-northern latitudes.
February night sky map for the Southern Hemisphere
Here is the sky view for February 2025. It shows what is above the northern horizon at mid-evening for mid-southern latitudes.
Look to the other side: Circumpolar constellations
Why do we only look at the southern sky for the Northern Hemisphere and the northern sky for the Southern Hemisphere? The thing is, the opposite side of the sky is dominated by constellations that are visible all year round. Their positions shift with the seasons, but they never dip below the horizon. These are known as the circumpolar constellations.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the circumpolar constellations are Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, and Draco.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the circumpolar constellations are Carina, Crux, Centaurus, and Triangulum Australe.
Constellations visible in February: bottom line
The February night sky offers eight fantastic constellations for you to explore. You can look for Orion and its two loyal dogs chasing a celestial hare or spot the bright star cluster in Taurus. Not sure where to start? Download the free Sky Tonight app and let it be your night sky guide.
February is also a perfect month to view a number of galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. These include the Large Magellanic Cloud, the Hand Cluster, and the Cigar Galaxy. Read our guide to learn more!
