See the Moon, Venus and Jupiter in tonight’s sky

The planets Venus and Jupiter make beautiful music together in the night sky this month. The pair head for a close conjunction on March 1, but their cosmic tango will keep the sky staring until late February.

NASA’s February skywatching guide and video offers tips for enjoying planetary encounters. NASA says to look west about one hour after sunset. It helps that they’re the brightest planets in the sky, so locating them should be fairly easy. you can always check out a stargazing app for help if needed.

If you check Venus and Jupiter every night, you will see them getting closer. They’ll even pose with the crescent moon on February 22, creating a picturesque trio of celestial sights. In case the weather thwarts your observing plans, the Virtual Telescope Project in Italy has you covered. VTP will livestream the Moon, Venus, and Jupiter as seen above the Rome skyline beginning at 11:00 a.m. PT Wednesday.

The planets are very bright for naked-eye observation, but get binoculars if you have them handy. With the right conditions and steady hands, you might be able to spot some of Jupiter’s largest moons with binoculars.

As Venus and Jupiter approach their close conjunction on March 1, it’s just a turn around the cosmos. The two planets are actually extremely far apart and are not likely to jostle each other. As a bonus, you won’t have to stay up late to enjoy the show each night.