April was a bit warmer with a few more clear nights as compared to March. As mentioned in the midmonth post for April, I was finally able to take the telescope out for some observing. It was under a light polluted sky, but any observing is better than no observing! I wasn't able to take the telescope out any other time during April, but I hope that May will bring more opportunities.
For Utah, May will continue to bring warmer temperatures and a larger percentage of cloud free days. This month will offer stargazers the chance to view the Eta Aquariid meteor shower and a conjunction between Mercury and Venus. Perhaps the most exciting astronomical event this month will be a total lunar eclipse near the end of the month.
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| Mercury |
May will be the best month of 2021 to view Mercury in the evening sky. Mercury can be found close to the western horizon as the month begins. This tiny planet will climb higher in the sky until the 17th when it reaches greatest eastern elongation. Four days prior, on the 13th, the Moon will join Mercury in the sky. After the 17th, Mercury will begin to fall towards the Sun and the western horizon, leading up to its inferior conjunction with our star. As Mercury falls closer to the Sun, Venus will pull away, climbing higher in the sky, until the two meet on the 28th. Using a pair of binoculars or a telescope equipped with an eyepiece that will allow you to see the entirety of the Full Moon, you will be able to see these inner planets in a single field of view.
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| Venus |
Venus can be found close to the western horizon after sunset during the first 2 weeks of May. As such, it may be hard to spot in the twilight glow. By the 12th, the 1% lit Moon can be found close by, but will likely be hard to see. Like Mercury, Venus will move away from the Sun, climbing higher in the western sky as the month progresses, but unlike Mercury, Venus will continue this motion all month instead of reaching its greatest eastern elongation. As mentioned, these two inner planets will appear close together on the 28th, creating a conjunction for us. The pair will be so close that they can be viewed in a single field of view if using an eyepiece that can show you the entire Full Moon.
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| Mars |
Mars will also be visible in the evening sky after sunset. While Venus and Mercury will be found in Taurus, Mars can found in the next constellation to the east, Gemini. Mars will again be a disappointing target for telescopic views as the orbits of Earth and Mars increase the distance between these planets. It will still be an easy object to see with the unaided eye during May, but will continue to dim in our sky as it recedes. The 16% lit Moon can be found close to the red planet on the 15th. Mars will continue its eastward motion compared to the background stars monthlong, bringing it within 5° of the bright star, Pollux, which is a "close" 34 light years from our Sun.
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| Jupiter |
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| Saturn |
Jupiter is rising earlier each morning, positioning it higher in our sky, marking the beginning of this giant planets' observing season. Jupiter still has a few more months before it reaches opposition, which is the time when many observers will be looking at this planet. As the month begins, Jupiter will rise between 3:30 and 4:30 Utah time, depending on how close the observer is to the mountains. May 4th will bring the 43% lit Moon within 5°. Jupiter will be found in Aquarius, which is where the meteor shower this month will radiate from. Jupiter will remain in this constellation nearly all year. Don't forget that the Galilean Moons can easily be seen with a pair of binoculars and offer a changing view hourly.
Saturn will rise approximately 45 minutes before Jupiter, in the constellation of Capricornus. The half lit Moon will be within 4° of the ringed world on May 3rd and again on May 30th. The observing season for Saturn is also upon us, as it can be found high in the sky, with less atmospheric disturbance, in the early morning hours before sunrise. Saturn will also reach opposition later this year, offering excellent views of its rings.
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| Neptune |
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| Uranus |
The outer two planets are best viewed through a telescope but can still be seen through a pair of binoculars. Last month, Uranus could be seen in the western sky after sunset, until it reached conjunction with the Sun at the end of the month. During May, Uranus can be found rising before the Sun but will likely be hard to spot in the morning glow. As the month progresses, Uranus will rise earlier, but your best chance will be next month when it will be found further from the Sun from our vantage point.
Neptune will lag behind Jupiter by about an hour this month. This most distant planet will also be a hard target this month since it can be found rising shortly before the Sun. The end of May will find this planet rising earlier, improving the chances of spotting it. It will continue to rise earlier, making each morning better than the previous.
Meteor Shower
For the second month in a row, we will have a meteor shower to observe in May! The Eta Aquariid shower will peak on the night of May 5th and morning of May 6th. These meteors will appear to radiate from the constellation of Aquarius. Bright Jupiter will be found in this same constellation, so use it as a guide if you don't know where to look. If you can get away from all forms of light pollution and view during the early morning hours of May 6th, before the Moon rises, you can expect to see up to 50 meteors per hour. A quarter lit Moon will rise a short 2 hours after Aquarius.
On the morning of the 26th, we will be able to view a lunar eclipse, weather permitting. Over Utah, the eclipse will begin at 2:47 in the morning when the shadow of the Earth begins to cross the surface of the Moon. The maximum eclipse, when the Moon is completely immersed in Earth's shadow and appear red will occur at 5:18. The Moon will slip below the horizon an hour later before the eclipse comes to an end, but at least we will be able to view totality! If you are unable to watch the eclipse from beginning until moonset, I recommend watching around 5:00 so you can witness totality. Since the Moon will be close to the horizon, I recommend finding a location prior to the eclipse with a clear view to the west.
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 would you like you to try watching the lunar eclipse. We won't have another total lunar eclipse over Utah until 2022, so take this opportunity to view this one on the morning of the 26th! Remember to find a location that has a clear view to the west since the Moon will fall below the horizon before the eclipse is over.
I also encourage you to try to view the meteor shower this month. While it may be difficult for many to view this shower during the peak date and time, don't forget that it can also be viewed before and after the peak date, which is the evening of the 5th and morning of the 6th. This won't be the best shower of the year, but it is good to get into the habit of observing during warm weather!
As always, leave a comment to let me and others know what you see!
Monthly Breakdown
May 03: Last Quarter Moon 🌗
May 03: Moon passes within 4° of Saturn
May 04: Moon passes within 5° of Jupiter
May 05: Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower peaks
May 06: Moon passes within 4° of Neptune
May 11: New Moon 🌑
May 12: Moon passes within 1° of Venus
May 13: Moon passes within 2° of Mercury
May 16: Moon passes within 2° of Mars
May 17: Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation
May 19: First Quarter Moon 🌓
May 26: Full Moon 🌕
May 26: Total Lunar Eclipse: Start @ 2:47, Peak @ 5:18
May 29: Mercury and Venus within 1°
May 30: Moon passes within 4° of Saturn
Think About This....💡
You may recall the historic landing of Perseverance on Mars, the first of its kind to show an actual video of the landing instead of an animation. This newest rover also included a small robotic drone or helicopter, named Ingenuity, designed to fly on Mars. Ingenuity is the first craft to achieve controlled flight on another world. Due to the thinner atmosphere and weaker gravitational pull on Mars, this drone had to be designed a bit differently than what we would use on Earth. Ingenuity weighs about 4 pounds (half a gallon of water), has larger propeller blades, and the blades are designed to spin much faster than a typical drone. Ingenuity, like many rovers and satellites before it, is solar powered.
As of this writing, Ingenuity has successfully flown 3 times, with each flight lasting longer and covering more distance than the one before. If Ingenuity continues to be successful, future trips to Mars may include more crafts similar to this one. You can stay up to date with Ingenuity by following a blog created by the flight team here!
Stay tuned for more exciting news and events!
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| Now get outside and look up! |
Planet images taken by NASA.
Andrew vs. the Cosmos taken by Jeff Greenland.
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