![]() ![]() On May 8, it stands within 0.5° of 4th-magnitude Phi (ϕ) Aquarii. It brightens from magnitude 0.9 to 0.7 during the month as it treks from eastern Aquarius into Pisces. ![]() local time on May 1, and nearly hour earlier in late May. Vesta treks eastward and remains within about 1° of Saturn for three days either side of the 6th. The 7th-magnitude asteroid is within easy reach of binoculars, only 0.7° south of Saturn. On May 6, the main-belt asteroid 4 Vesta stands between Saturn and Deneb Algedi. This is the minimum angle for 2022 - the tilt increases to 15° through opposition later in the year. The rings’ tilt is noticeably different than last year, and in May and June they’re at 12° to our line of sight. Through a telescope, Saturn displays a 17"-wide disk and its fine rings span more than twice that distance. The planet is best viewed in the hour before dawn, when it stands more than 20° high in the southeast. It starts the month at magnitude 0.6 and stands 1.7° north of Deneb Algedi, which shines two magnitudes fainter. local time on May 1, located in eastern Capricornus the Sea Goat. The ringed planet Saturn rises around 3 A.M. and the final penumbral trace leaves the disk imperceptibly by 2:50 A.M. The partial phases progress until 1:55 A.M. Enhanced views from the country will reveal the summer Milky Way rising in the southeastern sky, normally blocked out by the light of the uneclipsed Full Moon. Enjoy the spectacular view of the deep orange Full Moon floating in a star-studded dome. Our satellite appears at progressively lower altitudes for observers farther west. For observers along the eastern coast of the U.S., the Moon then stands at least 25° high in the southern sky. to 12:53 A.M., spanning 85 minutes (all times are EDT unless otherwise noted). Dusky gray first creeps across the lunar surface and, as more of the Moon sinks into the shadow, an orange coloring will become noticeable, particularly through a telescope. The Moon reaches the dark edge of the deep umbral shadow at 10:27 P.M. The lunar eclipse begins with the penumbral shadow - a subtle shading barely visible on the Moon’s lower limb - at 9:32 P.M. From the West Coast, the onset of totality occurs in twilight and the later stages of the eclipse are visible in a dark sky. Observers in the Mountain time zone see the partial eclipse already underway in twilight. In the Midwest, the Full Moon rises in the eastern sky with the penumbral stages underway, enhancing the effect of the subtly progressing shadow. East Coast observers will see the whole eclipse in a dark sky. The visibility of the eclipse is time zone dependent. The eclipse occurs with the Moon located in Libra the Balance the later evening hours reveal the orange glow of Antares in neighboring Scorpius, providing a lovely complement to the orange-hued eclipsed Moon. The Full Moon is two days from perigee, spanning nearly 33' as it crosses the central part of Earth’s shadow, resulting in a longer-than-average 85-minute period of totality. will be greeted with a total eclipse of the Moon, the first of two this year (the second one occurs early on the morning of Nov. Late on May 15, observers across the U.S. ![]() ![]() It reaches inferior conjunction with the Sun on May 21, and will reappear by next month in the morning sky. The small planet drops to magnitude 1.4 by May 7, becoming harder to spot. Watch Mercury each evening for as long as you can. It’s a beautiful sight with the Hyades and 1st-magnitude star Aldebaran, the Moon, Mercury, and M45 spanning the western horizon - one not to be missed. The crescent Moon slides farther along the ecliptic by May 2, now higher than Mercury (4.5° away). The comet’s path will take it due north into Perseus, and it should be visible over a few nights - but its brightness will certainly surprise observers, either because it is fainter or brighter than predicted, so keep an eye on it. Once the sky is dark enough, look also for the binocular Comet C/2021 O3 (PANSTARRS) 3.5° to the right (northwest) of the Pleiades. A 1.2-day-old crescent Moon sits 7° below Mercury and M45 - look for its very slender crescent just above the horizon. The Pleiades (M45) linger nearby and become visible as twilight fades. Mercury shines at magnitude 0.5 on May 1, hanging 11° high in the western sky 45 minutes after sunset. This leaves planetary observers to enjoy the pre-dawn treat of four visible planets, starting out with Venus and Jupiter spectacularly close, while Saturn and Mars continue to climb higher in the morning sky. Meanwhile, catch Mercury early in May, ending its period of best evening viewing this year for Northern Hemisphere skygazers. and the early morning hours of May 16 in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. It’s perfectly timed for the evening of May 15 across the U.S. A total eclipse of the Moon greets observers of the sky this month. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |