Starwatch: moon closes in on Virgo’s bright blue giant

Locate Spica as starting point to trace out constellation of the virgin

We start the month with a conjunction between the moon and Spica, which will allow us to pinpoint the constellation of Virgo, the virgin, in the sky.

The chart shows the view looking due south from London at 4am GMT on 11 February. The conjunction will have been visible during the previous evening as well, rising up into the night sky from the east. The moon will be in its waning gibbous phase with almost 75% of its visible surface illuminated.