Monthly Night Sky Report: May 2020

Our days are getting longer, nights are getting warmer, and cloud free nights are getting more plentiful.  Lets get back outside and start stargazing!!

Mercury

At the beginning of May, Mercury can be found close to the Sun, much too close to see in the morning or evening sky. However, towards the middle of the month, Mercury will be found in the western sky just after sunset. Mercury will be easier to spot as the month nears its end when it can be found higher in the sky after sunset. On the evening of the 21st, Mercury can be found in close proximity to Venus, making it easier to spot. If you are able, and weather permitting, observe the pair of inner planets on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd. On the 20th, Mercury can be found lower than Venus. The following night, Mercury will still be below Venus, but much closer. Finally, on the 3rd evening, Mercury can be found to the upper left of Venus.  For those into astrophotography, try to catch an image of the pair on these three nights. On the 23rd, the Moon will join the pair, which might also create a nice photo opportunity.

Venus

Venus will dazzle us for nearly the entire month. It should be an easy target since it's the brightest natural object in the sky other than the Sun and Moon.  Venus will be high in the western sky, but will appear closer to the western horizon with each passing night.  As mentioned, it can be found near Mercury between the 20th-23rd, with the Moon joining the pair on the 23rd. By the end of the month, Venus will be found close to the Sun and may be hard to spot due to the glare. 

Mars

Mars can be found rising in the morning sky after Jupiter and Saturn during May.  On the opening morning of the month, Mars will rise above the mountains around 4:30 Mountain Time.  By the end of the month, Mars will rise about an hour earlier.  The Moon will make a close approach to Mars on the morning of the 15th.  Currently, Mars will not offer up any surface detail due to its great distance from Earth in its orbit around the Sun, but that still doesn't mean you shouldn't look at it!     

Jupiter

Jupiter will rise above the mountains around 3:30 in the morning, Mountain Time.  If you are able to get to a dark sky, you may be able to notice the central Milky Way rising about an hour before Jupiter.  By the end of the month, Jupiter will rise between an hour and two hours earlier.  On the 15th, the Moon will join Jupiter in the morning sky.  Saturn will be found close to Jupiter all month.  As always, be sure to use your binoculars or telescope to view the Galilean moons.  With your telescope, you should be able to make out the cloud bands of Jupiter, and even the Great Red Spot!

Saturn

Just to Jupiter's left, you will notice another bright object.  This is Saturn!  It will rise about 30 minutes after Jupiter.  As mentioned, the pair will be found close together all month with the Moon joining them on the 15th.  If you are out looking at Jupiter, don't forget to give Saturn and its majestic rings a look!  I have been able to make out the rings of Saturn with a pair of binoculars, but a telescope will work best.  Most any size of scope will show you the rings.  Later this year, Jupiter and Saturn will reach opposition making them more enjoyable to view.

Neptune

Uranus

The outer two planets are best viewed through a telescope but can still be seen through a pair of binoculars.  Uranus will lie too close to the Sun to be seen during May.

Neptune will rise about an hour after Mars, around 5:30 Mountain Time at the beginning of the month.  Since the glare from thsunrise is shortly after this time, you may not be able to spot this most distant world until later in the month.  By the end of the month, Neptune will have pulled itself away from the sunrise glare and rise about 2 hours earlier.  If you can see Mars, Neptune will be slightly lower and to the left.  In June, Mars and Neptune will have a close approach, making Neptune easier to find with your telescope.  On the 16th, the Moon can be found to the lower right of Neptune, which may aid in locating this distant planet.

Meteor Shower

May brings the return of the Eta Aquariid meteor shower.  This shower is brought to us by Halley's comet!  The Earth is passing through the debris left behind by this periodic comet.  Many of my young readers should be able to see this comet when it returns in 2061.  As the name suggests, this meteor shower will appear to radiate from the constellation of Aquarius.  Mars can be found near Aquarius during May, which might help locate these meteors.  Unfortunately, a nearly Full Moon will wash out all but the brightest of these meteors.  This shower peaks on May 5th with an expected rate of 10 meteors per hour with a clear, Moon-free sky.  This year, with the Moon in the sky, we might be able to see about half of these meteors.  The best time to view this shower will be on the morning of May 2nd when the Moon sets at around 4 in the morning.       

Spot Me....🕵️  

I've had you try to spot quite a few different objects in the night sky, most of which require a telescope.  This month, I want you to try and spot a comet!  The target is comet PanSTARRS (C/2017 T2).  You should be able to spot this with a pair of binoculars, but a telescope will enhance your views.  This comet can be found to the upper left of the North Star, Polaris, on May 4th, when it reaches its closest approach to the Sun.  As the month moves on, this comet will climb higher into the sky, making a close approach to M82, the Cigar Galaxy, on the 19th through the 22nd.  Following this close approach, if you keep observing this comet, you may notice two "spikes" or "tails".  One should appear blue or green while the other appears white.  Be sure to give this comet a look!

Next month may bring another comet which might reach unaided eye visibility.  Keep your fingers crossed! 

As always, let me know what you see!

Monthly Breakdown

May 05:  Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower Peaks; Look near Mars
May 07:  Full Moon 🌕
May 12:  Jupiter, Saturn, and the Moon are close together
May 14:  Last Quarter Moon 🌗
May 14:  Moon passes within 3° of Mars
May 16:  Moon passes within 4° of Neptune
May 22:  Mercury and Venus less than 1° separation
May 22:  New Moon 🌑
May 23:  Moon passes within 4° of Venus
May 24:  Moon passes within 3° of Mercury
May 29:  First Quarter Moon 🌓

Think About This....💡

This month, while I get back into the swing of things, I thought I would share a few of the last astrophotography pictures that I have taken.  These were all taken in Kolob Canyon, just south of Cedar City. 

Jupiter, Saturn, Mountain

Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Northern Milky Way, Cedar City skyglow

Big and Little Dippers, Cassiopeia, Andromeda Galaxy, Northern Milky Way, Cedar City skyglow

Jupiter, Saturn, Southern Milky Way, St. George skyglow, Aircraft

Jupiter, Saturn, Southern Milky Way, St. George skyglow

Jupiter, Saturn, Southern Milky Way, St. George skyglow

I hope to take out the telescope soon and capture more pictures to share with you! 

Stay tuned for more exciting news and events!                      

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos taken by Jeff Greenland.