May 2018 Sky

May 2018 Sky

May 2018 Sky

  • Posted by OCastronomy
  • On April 30, 2018
  • 0 Comments
  • Aldebaran, Antares, Beehive cluster M44, Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks, Jupiter, M35 cluster, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Spica, Venus

May 2018 Sky

2 Moon near Antares (morning sky) at 11h UT.
2 Venus 6.4° N of Aldebaran (28° from Sun, evening sky) at 18h UT. Mags. −3.9 and 0.9.
4 Moon near Saturn (morning sky) at 20h UT. Mag. 0.3.
6 Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks. Most active for 7 days around this date. Associated with Comet Halley. Very fast, bright meteors, up to 30 per hour. Favors skywatchers in the tropics observing a few hours before dawn. Unfavorable viewing conditions this year due to bright moonlight.
• The Eta Aquarids (Gary Kronk)
• Meteor Shower Calendar (American Meteor Society)
6 Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 1h UT (distance 404,457 km; angular size 29.5′).
6 Moon near Mars (morning sky) at 7h UT. Mag. −0.5.
8 Last Quarter Moon at 2:10 UT.
9 Jupiter at opposition at 0h UT. Best time to observe the largest planet in the solar system. Mag. −2.5.
• Opposition (Wikipedia)
13 Moon near Mercury (23° from Sun, morning sky) at 19h UT. Mag. −0.2.
15 New Moon at 11:49 UT. Start of lunation 1180.
• Lunation Number (Wikipedia)
16 Moon near Aldebaran (15° from Sun, evening sky) at 13h UT.
17 Moon near Venus (31° from Sun, evening sky) at 19h UT. Mag. −4.0.
17 Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 21h UT (363,776 km; angular size 32.8′).
19 Moon near Pollux (evening sky) at 13h UT.
20 Moon near Beehive cluster M44 (evening sky) at 12h UT.
• Beehive Cluster (Wikipedia)
• M44: The Beehive Cluster (APOD)
21 Venus 0.7° N of M35 cluster (32° from Sun, evening sky) at 10h UT. Mags. −4.0 and 5.1.
22 Moon near Regulus (evening sky) at 2h UT.
22 First Quarter Moon at 3:50 UT.
26 Moon near Spica (evening sky) at 2h UT.
27 Moon near Jupiter (evening sky) at 20h UT. Mag. −2.5.
29 Full Moon at 14:20 UT.
29 Moon near Antares (midnight sky) at 19h UT.
May 2018 Sky All times Universal Time (UT).

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