Something bright and shiny for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is coming, and if you are getting sweaty palms trying to figure out what get your sweetie, how about something that is "out of this world."

First off, how about something bright and shiny? For that you will need someplace that has a clear, unobstructed view of the southwestern horizon and have either a pair of binoculars or a small telescope.

Be out there at about an hour after local sunset -- for southwest Nebraska, local sunset is at about 1730 hours -- to take in the bright planet Venus (the goddess of love). Just how "mushy" you want to get about how much love for your sweetie the planet's influence has on you is up to you. You will need to be creative on your own.

If you want to impress her with your astronomical knowledge, point out the small dot of light just above Venus, that is the planet Mars and that next week they are going to be very, very close to each other and to the the moon.

Next, look almost due south for our old friend, the constellation Orion. The bright, reddish star on the upper left side is named "Betelgeuse," and is pronounced Beetle-juice. Explain to the love of your life that it is a giant red star and expands and contracts just like your love-struck beating heart (again, how mushy you want to get is up to you).

If you want to further impress her with how much you know about the night sky, shoot a line from the bottom star of Orion's belt, go up and right to find another bright star. It is orange-reddish Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus, the Bull.

Use binoculars to find the Hyades star cluster which forms the "V" shape of the face of the bull. Remind her that red is the color of love--again, the degree of mush is up to you. If you continue to follow that line you will end up in the middle of the Pleiades star cluster, the Seven Sisters.

Feel free to make up your own love story.

Now, look just above the eastern horizon for another very bright object, the planet Jupiter.

Jupiter was at opposition, or opposite the Sun in the sky, on Feb. 6, so it is visible all night from after sunset to just before sunrise. (Mushiness optional).

Lastly, shoot another line through Orion's belt, this time in the opposite direction down and left to find the brightest star in the night sky, Canis Major, or Sirius located just above the southeastern horizon.

By this time it should be sparkling like the light refracted through a giant diamond -- make your own connection between diamonds, love, and such like. I think by now you get the idea.

SKYWATCH: Tonight, Wednesday, Feb. 11, third quarter moon, that means the left half of the lunar face is lit and will be best viewed high in the south just before--and after--sunrise. In fact, the moon will be visible until just after 1000 hours hanging above the western horizon.

Keep up with your Venus/Mars watch each evening. The pair is growing closer and February 13 is the first day to see them in the same binocular field of view. On the evening of the 20th a slender, two-day old crescent moon will join them. A sight not to be missed.

NEXT WEEK: More astronomical blathering.