TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — If you’ve noticed a bright star in the eastern sky near dawn, you’re not alone! That bright star is actually Venus and it’s getting brighter each day. It rises each day just before dawn and it is visible for about 30 minutes after the sun actually rises because it is so bright.
The greatest brilliancy, or time when it is brightest, will happen on the morning of Feb. 9. It will still be visible in the sky after that it will just become a little dimmer each day.
Toward the middle of the month, Feb. 11 through Feb. 16, you’ll be able to see Mars and Mercury rising just below Venus in the morning sky about 40 minutes before sunrise. Mars and Mercury will not be as bright but you should be able to distinguish the three planets apart from other nearby stars.
You can also catch Jupiter in the evenings just after sunset. Jupiter won’t be visible for much longer as it dips below the horizon by the end of the month.
