Items Featured In TGP NOMINAL 8.7 - May Skies 2022
ROss Hockham / WIL CHEUNG'S May Sky Guide:
This month is again all about the morning for planets.
Uranus is very close to the Sun so we won’t be able to see it for a while now.
Neptune is also to close to be seen in the morning sky.
If your up early before Sunrise this month, you may be able to spot Venus and Jupiter
at the beginning of the month close to each other.
To their right will be Mars, then Saturn further on.
Although its not a great month for planets, there is a comet brightening.
C/2017 Panstarrs K2 is expected to brighten through the month, possibly becoming a binocular object.
Headed from the constellation Aquila (The Eagle) towards Ophiuchus (The Serpent Bearer), as the month goes on.
The Moon is out of the way for the start of the month, so a brilliant time to go deep sky hunting for nebula and galaxies.
This month is again all about the morning for planets.
Uranus is very close to the Sun so we won’t be able to see it for a while now.
Neptune is also to close to be seen in the morning sky.
If your up early before Sunrise this month, you may be able to spot Venus and Jupiter
at the beginning of the month close to each other.
To their right will be Mars, then Saturn further on.
Although its not a great month for planets, there is a comet brightening.
C/2017 Panstarrs K2 is expected to brighten through the month, possibly becoming a binocular object.
Headed from the constellation Aquila (The Eagle) towards Ophiuchus (The Serpent Bearer), as the month goes on.
The Moon is out of the way for the start of the month, so a brilliant time to go deep sky hunting for nebula and galaxies.
On the 1st, Jupiter and Venus will be pretty close in the morning sky.
Rising at around 4.30am, Venus will be the brightest and easiest to spot with the gas giant Jupiter just above right of it.
You should easily get them in the field of view of a pair of binoculars, even a telescope.
Just be very careful as the rising Sun is on its way up.
On the 2nd, just after 21:00, after the Sun has set, see if you can spot a very slender crescent Moon.
Just to its right will also be the planet Mercury,
both are nestled in-between the clusters M45 Pleiades to their right and Hyades to their left.
On the 2nd, just after 21:00, after the Sun has set, see if you can spot a very slender crescent Moon.
Just to its right will also be the planet Mercury,
both are nestled in-between the clusters M45 Pleiades to their right and Hyades to their left.
On the 6th, a minor meteor shower peaks tonight,
The Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower is unfortunately not great for us to see in the Northern Hemisphere
as the area they radiate from doesn’t start to rise here until 3am giving us only a couple of hours
before the Sun washes them out.
Take a look at the Moon over the next few nights
and you will see the mountain range Montes Apenninus appear out of the shadows.
The Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower is unfortunately not great for us to see in the Northern Hemisphere
as the area they radiate from doesn’t start to rise here until 3am giving us only a couple of hours
before the Sun washes them out.
Take a look at the Moon over the next few nights
and you will see the mountain range Montes Apenninus appear out of the shadows.
On the 10th, its time for the Jewelled handle to make an appearance on tonight's Moon
This is an effect where The Montes Jura (Jura Mountains) tips catch the sunlight
making them shine out of the darkness to the top left of the Mare Imbrium.
On the 18th, Mars and Neptune are pretty close in the morning sky
However, as I stated earlier Neptune will be extremely hard to spot or see even through a telescope
but why not pop out when you can over the month to see the morning planets.
On the morning of the 22nd, The planets are again joined by the Moon.
Like last month, it will start today near Saturn and move then closer to Mars.
Finally Jupiter over the next few mornings, making an awesome morning sight.
On the morning of 25th, You will see a cool triangle created by Jupiter, Mars and a thin Moon
you may even spot a very low Venus off to their left.
On the 27th, If you have a good low Eastern Horizon you may be able to spot Venus
with a tiny crescent Moon just below it, a pretty cool sight to see.
Remember when looking in this area to take care of the rising Sun if in doubt just look with your eyes.
On the 27th, If you have a good low Eastern Horizon you may be able to spot Venus
with a tiny crescent Moon just below it, a pretty cool sight to see.
Remember when looking in this area to take care of the rising Sun if in doubt just look with your eyes.
Last but not least, on the morning of the 29th, Jupiter and Mars will be pretty close in the sky
with Mars just below right of the gas giant marking the end of the month.
Naked Eye Object Of The Month:
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The highlight of the month has to be the total lunar eclipse, on the 16th. When the Moon slowly moves into Penumbra of earth's shadow around 02:30am. Where the moon will slowly darken from its left side, then as it enters the Umbra, it will turn red from 03:27am with totality starting at 04:29am. I would get up about half hour before and just sit, take some pictures with your phone & watch it darken over time whilst sipping a coffee watching this cool event. |
Binocular Object Of The Month:
On the 13th, The Moon will occult a star from 01:30am depending on your location.
The bright star Porrima which will slowly disappear behind the moon as it moves backwards across the sky.
Porrima is a star in the constellation Virgo (The Virgin).
It will appear again on the Moons other side around 02:50am.
Binoculars are a great tool to watch the star slip behind our Moon.
Telescope Object Of The Month:
It’s been a while since we last looked at a Galaxy so why not look for M101 the Pinwheel Galaxy
around 21 million light years away.
It can be easily found by finding The Plough or Big Dipper Asterism in the sky.
Follow the handle up to the star Mizar then continue to the star Alkaid at the end of the asterism.
You should find it, pretty much to the right of Alkaid a really nice looking Galaxy to see.
Astrophotography Object Of The Month:
It's Noctilucent Cloud Season, which are a High Altitude Phenomenon,at around 82km up in the Mesosphere.
These clouds are ice sheets of tiny ice crystals made from meteor dust that hang in the atmosphere.
Noctilucent cloud spotting is great for taking pics as they show up really well even on phones
The sunlight glints up from below onto the around 90mins-120mins after sunset or sunrise.
So pop out set up before the Sunsets and see if you can snap some
or if you’re a mad astronomer like Ross, stay up just before Sunrise.
It's Noctilucent Cloud Season, which are a High Altitude Phenomenon,at around 82km up in the Mesosphere.
These clouds are ice sheets of tiny ice crystals made from meteor dust that hang in the atmosphere.
Noctilucent cloud spotting is great for taking pics as they show up really well even on phones
The sunlight glints up from below onto the around 90mins-120mins after sunset or sunrise.
So pop out set up before the Sunsets and see if you can snap some
or if you’re a mad astronomer like Ross, stay up just before Sunrise.
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