Items Featured In TGP NOMINAL Xtra - May Skies 2021
Ross Hockham's Naked eye objects of the month:
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Mercury and Venus are the things to watch in this months evening sky.
Mercury will be swinging up from the Sun, up and around and then back towards over the month.
As you know it takes about 88 days to go once around the sun, so it moves quickly in our skies.
It will be be rising through the month, so at the beginning you might not be able to see it,
but it will be steadily moving up as the month goes on.
Venus is also going to be gradually rising is going to rise up past almost Mercury's orbital line,
and they are going to close in for a nice conjunction with the moon later in the month.
Mercury and Venus are the things to watch in this months evening sky.
Mercury will be swinging up from the Sun, up and around and then back towards over the month.
As you know it takes about 88 days to go once around the sun, so it moves quickly in our skies.
It will be be rising through the month, so at the beginning you might not be able to see it,
but it will be steadily moving up as the month goes on.
Venus is also going to be gradually rising is going to rise up past almost Mercury's orbital line,
and they are going to close in for a nice conjunction with the moon later in the month.
Ross Hockham's binocular object of the month:
This months Binocular Object Of The Month is the Moon.
We are not going to look at the details on the Moon because we covered a lot of that last month, but we are going to watch the Moon’s phases and how it travels across the sky each night,
encountering various objects as it goes and having a little conjunctions with them.
NASA Solar System Ambassador ‘Janelle Harrier Wilson’ did a really cool experiment using Oreo Cookies,
to explain the Moon’s phases for the Astronomy In April online festival
Which you can watch in the show notes, as well as a NASA Moon Phase Observation Journal for you to download.
So throughout the month I’m going to be looking at the moon phases, you can watch Janelle’s video,
and then each night, pop out and fill in the Journal.
We are not going to look at the details on the Moon because we covered a lot of that last month, but we are going to watch the Moon’s phases and how it travels across the sky each night,
encountering various objects as it goes and having a little conjunctions with them.
NASA Solar System Ambassador ‘Janelle Harrier Wilson’ did a really cool experiment using Oreo Cookies,
to explain the Moon’s phases for the Astronomy In April online festival
Which you can watch in the show notes, as well as a NASA Moon Phase Observation Journal for you to download.
So throughout the month I’m going to be looking at the moon phases, you can watch Janelle’s video,
and then each night, pop out and fill in the Journal.
Ross Hockham's May Sky Guide 2021:
On the 1st of the month, if you find Mercury, it will be just as the sun sets and will be quite low.
BE CAREFUL, DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN! We talk about this all the time.
So if you can find Mercury with a telescope, there will be a little white dot.
And as it goes around in between us, you can see it's phases, which is quite cool.
It's going to be 80% full and will slowly wane through the month.
So that's a little challenge for you.
BE CAREFUL, DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN! We talk about this all the time.
So if you can find Mercury with a telescope, there will be a little white dot.
And as it goes around in between us, you can see it's phases, which is quite cool.
It's going to be 80% full and will slowly wane through the month.
So that's a little challenge for you.
On the 4th, the Moon is joined on the low horizon at 4:30am by the planets Saturn and Jupiter,
making a nice triangular conjunction.
making a nice triangular conjunction.
We move on to the 10th and if you pop back to Mercury.
You’ll see it’s now around a half phase, as it starts rising further.
You’ll see it’s now around a half phase, as it starts rising further.
On the13th, Mercury is joined by a thin crescent Moon in the evening sky as the sun sets.
This kind of moon always looks awesome but will be even better with a small Mercury,
just around the 2oclock mark in the sky.
Venus will be further below to the right, but will be very low on the horizon.
This kind of moon always looks awesome but will be even better with a small Mercury,
just around the 2oclock mark in the sky.
Venus will be further below to the right, but will be very low on the horizon.
On the 14th there will be a nice diagonal conjunction created by the thin crescent Moon, Mercury then Venus,
drawing an imaginary line to the Sun.
Again, BE CAREFUL, DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN!
drawing an imaginary line to the Sun.
Again, BE CAREFUL, DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN!
On the 15th, the Waxing Moon is now approaching Mars slowly moving closer to it throughout the night,
before disappearing below the horizon around midnight.
before disappearing below the horizon around midnight.
On the 16th, the Moon has passed Mars which will now be on its right.
The Moon is now heading through the constellation Gemini (The Twins) passing just below the star Pollux.
If you take a closer peek at the other twins head star Castor,
with a telescope, you may spot it’s a double star.
The Moon is now heading through the constellation Gemini (The Twins) passing just below the star Pollux.
If you take a closer peek at the other twins head star Castor,
with a telescope, you may spot it’s a double star.
There will also be a nice pass of the ISS, just before 11.30pm. With another around 1am.
From now onwards, this month, it will be passing, most nights around 10pm-11pm. Check your ISS APPS for times and location |
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On the 17th, Mercury reaches its Greatest Elongation.
Meaning It's highest and farthest point from the Sun.
It’s a great time to spot the elusive planet before it is pulled back past the Sun.
You’ll spot that it's just gone past it’s half phase, as it wanes.
Meaning It's highest and farthest point from the Sun.
It’s a great time to spot the elusive planet before it is pulled back past the Sun.
You’ll spot that it's just gone past it’s half phase, as it wanes.
On the night of the 18th, the Moon approaches the constellation Cancer (The Crab),
and it's awesome cluster that’s full of different coloured stars.
It's called M44 The Beehive Cluster or prasepe and it is brilliant to see through binoculars.
On the 19th, the near half moon will venture into the constellation Leo (The Lion),
and sits just above the bright blue regal star Regulus.
On the 20th, the moon will be visible in the daytime from about 1pm so should be able to see it for most of the day.
Later on the Moon will be sitting just below the Leo Triplet of Galaxies, three awesome looking galaxies.
It might be best to wait until the Moon has moved out the way before viewing, as it will wash them out.
On the 22nd, The Moon now moves into the constellation Virgo (The Virgin),
where again just above it sits a super cluster of galaxies known as the Virgo Cluster,
There are loads of galaxies here but you will need a clear decent sky to spot them.
There’s a lovely chain of 8 galaxies called the Markarians Chain here,
which is Ross Hockham's Telescope Object Of The Month.
These galaxies are part of a cluster that includes our own galaxy The Milkyway,
and when viewed with a telescope looks like a smooth rising line of galaxies going up on the left.
On th evening of the 24th, not to far north of the Moon,
is M5 a lovely Globular Cluster.
You may spot it with binoculars and a steady hand.
Again with the near full moon, its best to wait a few days but no harm in having a go.
is M5 a lovely Globular Cluster.
You may spot it with binoculars and a steady hand.
Again with the near full moon, its best to wait a few days but no harm in having a go.
M5 looks a bit like a spider web, but if you use "Averted Vision" you can make out the thousands of stars.
The 25th is the Last chance to get a peek at Mercury, as it is now a very thin crescent (through a telescope)
BE CAREFUL, DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN!
BE CAREFUL, DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN!
Watch the "Supermoon" rise on the 26th, as it just just skims over the constellation Scorpious (The Scorpion),
and a couple of Globular Clusters M4 and M80.
Although low, you should be able to make out the blob of stars, just below the Moon.
and a couple of Globular Clusters M4 and M80.
Although low, you should be able to make out the blob of stars, just below the Moon.
Early morning on the 29th, the Moon passes the constellation Sagittarius (The Archer),
where the core of our own Galaxy lies.
The Milkyway is low in the sky at the moment but it is possible to see it's centre,
where a Super Massive Black Hole that’s pulling us all slowly round towards it lies.
where the core of our own Galaxy lies.
The Milkyway is low in the sky at the moment but it is possible to see it's centre,
where a Super Massive Black Hole that’s pulling us all slowly round towards it lies.
So we come to the 31st and the last stop for this month’s Moon is Saturn .
Both will be very low on the horizon in the constellation Capricornus (The Sea Goat), rising around 2am until Sunrise.
Both will be very low on the horizon in the constellation Capricornus (The Sea Goat), rising around 2am until Sunrise.
Other Items Featured:
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