May 2016 Sky
- Posted by OCastronomy
- On May 1, 2016
- 0 Comments
- Aldebaran, Antares, Aquarid meteor shower, Beehive cluster, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, meteor shower, Regulus, Saturn, Spica, Transit of Mercury, Venus
May 2016 Sky
| 5 | 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 and southern hemisphere observing after midnight. • The Eta Aquarids (Gary Kronk) • Meteor Shower Calendar (American Meteor Society) |
| 6 | Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 4h UT (357,827 km; angular size 33.4′). |
| 6 | Moon near Venus (9° from Sun, morning sky) at 5h UT. Mag. -3.9. |
| 6 | New Moon at 19:30 UT. Start of lunation 1155. • Lunation Number (Wikipedia) |
| 8 | Moon near Aldebaran (22° from Sun, evening sky) at 8h UT. |
| 9 | Mercury at inferior conjunction with the Sun at 15h UT. Mercury passes into the morning sky. |
| 9 | Transit of Mercury across the face of the Sun.WARNING: NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN — IT WILL INSTANTLY DAMAGE YOUR EYES. Observers require a safe Sun filter attached securely to the front of their telescope to safely observe Mercury’s tiny disk pass in front of the Sun. The event will be visible from most of Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Transit begins at 11:12 UT; mid-transit at 14:58 UT; ends at 18:42 UT. The next transit of Mercury will occur on November 11, 2019. • Transit of Mercury (Wikipedia) • Get Ready for the Transit of Mercury (Sky & Telescope) |
| 12 | Moon near Beehive cluster (evening sky) at 12h UT. • Beehive Cluster (Wikipedia) • M44: The Beehive Cluster (APOD) |
| 13 | First Quarter Moon at 17:02 UT. |
| 14 | Moon near Regulus (evening sky) at 6h UT. |
| 15 | Moon near Jupiter (evening sky) at 5h UT. Mag. -2.2. |
| 18 | Moon near Spica (evening sky) at 18h UT. |
| 18 | Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 22h UT (distance 405,933 km; angular size 29.4′). |
| 21 | Full Moon at 21:14 UT. • Full Moon Names (Wikipedia) |
| 21 | Moon near Mars (midnight sky) at 22h UT. Mag. -2.0. • Mars (Wikipedia) |
| 22 | Mars at opposition at 11h UT. Mag. -2.1. Visible all night. • Opposition (Wikipedia) • Mars Viewing & Closest Approaches (Wikipedia) |
| 22 | Moon near Antares (midnight sky) at 14h UT. |
| 22 | Moon near Saturn (morning sky) at 22h UT. Mag. +0.1. • Saturn (Wikipedia) |
| 29 | Last Quarter Moon at 12:12 UT. |
| May 2016 Sky All times Universal Time (UT). USA Eastern Summer Time = UT – 4 hours. | |
