Amazing Night Sky Photos by Stargazers: February 2014

Melotte 15 by Steve Coates

steve coates | www.coatesastrophotography.com

The Heart Nebula, also known as IC 1805 is located about 7,500 light-years away toward the constellation Cassiopeia. In this image, astrophotographer Steve Coates of Ocala, Fla. focuses of the nebula’s central region—young star cluster called Melotte 15. [Read the Full Story Behind This Photo Here]

Venus and Moon Over Phoenix

Robert Roy Britt

Venus and the moon are paired in the early-morning sky at dawn in Phoenix, Ariz. on Feb. 26, 2014. After the sun came up, both were still visible, and the moon provided a great guidepost to allow spotting Venus during the daytime. The other world did not show up on an iPhone camera shot during the day, however.

Vivid Auroras Shimmer Over Northern Sweden by Chad Blakley

Chad Blakley | ligthsoverlapland.com

Colorful auroras shimmer over northern Sweden on Feb. 21, 2014 in this image from the video “Lights Over Lapland” by Chad Blakley.

How to See Venus During Daylight Hours

Robert Roy Britt

This photo may be rather boring, but it illustrates how to find Venus during the daytime. Taken with an iPhone, the picture shows Venus just above our home’s roofline after dawn but before sunrise on Feb. 11, 2014. Having sighted the planet while it was still an obvious beacon, I was able to keep an eye on it as the sun came up and Venus was reduced to a barely visible dot of light. [Read the Full Story Here]

Intense Auroras Glow Over Hotel in Swedish Mountains by Chad Blakley

Chad Blakley | ligthsoverlapland.com

Intense northern lights glow over a small hotel high in the Swedish mountains on Feb. 21, 2014 in this image from the video “Lights Over Lapland” by Chad Blakley.

Auroras Dance Over Hotel in Swedish Mountains by Chad Blakley

Chad Blakley | ligthsoverlapland.com

Brilliant northern lights dance over a small hotel high in the Swedish mountains on Feb. 21, 2014 in this image from the video “Lights Over Lapland” by Chad Blakley.

Massive Sunspot AR 1967 in Hydrogen Alpha Light by John Chumack

John Chumack | www.galacticimages.com

John Chumack sent Space.com this image of the sun in hydrogen alpha light featuring gigantic sunspot group AR 1967 taken from his backyard in Dayton, Ohio on Feb. 3, 2014 (Lunt 60mm/50 F Ha Scope, DMK 31AF04 Camera 1/436 second exposure, 720 frames Stacked). “Sunspot AR 1967 is now wider than the planet Jupiter and is very active,” Chumack wrote Space.com in an email. [Read the Full Story Behind this Photo Here]

Young Moon Shines Over El Hierro Island

project nightflight

A young moon shines over El Hierro Island, Canary Islands in this image. Erwin Matys and Karoline Mrazek of project nightflight sent Space.com the photo on Feb. 5, 2014. [Read the Full Story Behind this Photo]

Close-Up of Sunspot AR 1967 in Hydrogen Alpha Light by John Chumack

John Chumack | www.galacticimages.com

John Chumack sent Space.com this close up image of the sun in hydrogen alpha light featuring gigantic sunspot group AR 1967 taken from his backyard in Dayton, Ohio on Feb. 3, 2014 (Lunt 60mm/50 F Ha Scope, DMK 21AF04 Camera, 2x barlow 1/60 second exposure, 720 frames Stacked). “Sunspot AR 1967 is now wider than the planet Jupiter and is very active,” Chumack wrote Space.com in an email. [Read the Full Story Behind this Photo Here]

Big Dipper Dazzles Over Roque de Los Muchachos by Miguel Claro

Miguel Claro | www.miguelclaro.com

Miguel Claro recently sent Space.com this cool image of the constellation Ursa Major, or the Big Dipper, shining over the road to Roque de Los Muchachos on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, Spain. He used a Canon 60Da camera (ISO2500; 24mm at f/2; Exp. 15 seconds) to capture the image.

Jupiter and Orion Over Canary Islands

Miguel Claro | www.miguelclaro.com

Jupiter glows the brightest in this photo, appearing above the horizon and clouds toward the left. The constellation Orion can be seen above right with its second brightest star, Betelgeuse shining in orange. Miguel Claro took this photo on Jan. 24, 2014 from Los Andenes, La Palma, Canary Islands. [Read the story behind the image here]

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