Introduction
April brought much-needed precipitation to Utah. The precipitation obviously brought cloudy skies, which prevents any type of stargazing. Fortunately, the current weather forecast for Northern Utah shows clear skies for the final week of April. I hope that this forecast is accurate and I will finally be able to spend some time under the stars in 2022. Although the skies were cloudy, I was able to see the Moon and Venus poke through during a couple of mornings.
May will bring many observing highlights, granted that the weather cooperates. The Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower will peak during the early part of the month. A conjunction of Mars and Jupiter will occur near the end of the month. A Total Lunar Eclipse will perhaps be the most anticipated event of May. Utahns will be able to observe this eclipse so read on to find out when this event will occur!
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| Mercury |
At the beginning of May, Mercury can be found in the western sky after sunset. This tiny planet can be found paired with the Pleiades. On the 1st evening of the month, the one-day-old Moon can be found below Mercury and the Pleiades. The following night, the Moon will change its position to the upper left of Mercury and the Pleiades, creating a line of these three objects. Mercury and the Pleiades will sink ever closer to the western horizon with each passing evening, so if you desire to see this pair in the night sky, do so earlier in the month, if possible. On the 21st, Mercury will reach inferior conjunction with the Sun and won't return to view until June, when it will be found in the morning sky.
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| Venus |
Venus and Jupiter will still be found close together on the first morning of the month due to the late April conjunction between the pair. However, as the days in May increase, so too does the distance between these two planets. Venus will fall closer to the Sun as Jupiter increases its distance. Observers that are willing and able should use their binoculars or a telescope with a low-power eyepiece to view these two planets. Near the end of the month, the Moon will join Venus in the morning sky.
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| Mars |
Mars will be the second planet to rise in the morning planetary lineup. At the start of the month, Mars will rise around 4:30 in the morning. By the end of the month, the Red Planet will peak above the mountains about an hour earlier. Two planetary conjunctions will occur this month which involve Mars. The first, which will include Neptune and Mars, will occur on the 17th and 18th. The closest approach between these two planets will occur during daylight hours in Utah, but that should not stop observers from viewing this planetary duo. A pair of binoculars or a telescope will help bring Neptune into focus. The second planetary conjunction will occur on the 28th. Jupiter and Mars will appear less than 1° apart from our vantage point. The contrasting color between these two planets will be exaggerated while using a pair of binoculars or a telescope with a low-power eyepiece. Unfortunately, the Red Planet will not offer much, if any, surface detail since it is currently in a place of its orbit around the Sun which places it far from the Earth.
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| Jupiter |
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| Saturn |
As the month begins, Jupiter can be found with Venus floating nearby, as a consequence of this planetary conjunction on April 30th. As the month progresses, Jupiter will rapidly pull away from Venus and approach Mars. It will take nearly all of May for Jupiter to catch the Red Planet, but when they finally meet in the morning sky, the contrast between their two colors will be something an observer won't want to miss. The conjunction between these two planets will occur on the 28th when the pair will be less than 1° apart. A pair of binoculars will enhance the color difference while also revealing the Galilean Moons of Jupiter. A telescope will reveal the cloud bands of the giant planet as well as the Great Red Spot and shadows of the Galilean Moons as they transit the planet. Jupiter will rise above the Utah mountains around 5:30 as the month begins, and nearly two hours earlier by the end of May.
Saturn will lead the morning planetary lineup throughout May. The ringed world will rise above the mountains around 3:30 in the morning and about two hours earlier by the end of the month. The other four morning planets, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Neptune, will struggle to catch up to Saturn. The only visitor Saturn will get this month is the Moon. This pair can be found close by on the 22nd.
The prime time for viewing Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will come later this year. Make sure your gear is ready for observing! I recommend using a widefield eyepiece to capture the background stars of whatever planet you are looking at, as well as a high-powered eyepiece to view as much detail as your telescope and the sky allows. A great alternative is a zoom eyepiece which allows you to accomplish both tasks with one eyepiece!
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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. Uranus will be in conjunction with the Sun on the 5th of May and won't be visible again until the end of the month. At this time, Uranus will be found in the morning sky and will remain difficult to view due to the Sun's morning glow.
Neptune will be an easier target than Uranus this month. On the 17th, a planetary conjunction will occur between Neptune and Mars, which may aid observers in finding the most distant planet. A telescope will reveal the red-orange color and Mars contrasting nicely with the blue-gray color of Neptune.
Meteor Shower
May will bring another chance to view a meteor shower. During the Lyrids in April, most Utahns were only able to witness rain showers during the peak date. The Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower will peak on May 6th with a potential of up to 50 meteors per hour. The Moon, which will sink below the western horizon around one in the morning, will not interfere with this meteor shower. The best time to view this shower will be between three and four in the morning as Aquarius rises above the eastern horizon. Unfortunately, the glow of the Sun will come before this constellation can rise high enough in the sky so that more meteors can be seen.
Spot Me....🕵️
In addition to the gorgeous planetary lineup and the Total Lunar Eclipse, I encourage observers to view Comet C/2021 O3. Unfortunately, this comet doesn't have a catchy name, but that should not discourage observers from trying to catch a glance before it's gone. This comet can be found in the western sky after sunset but will require a pair of binoculars or a telescope to view. On May 1st, the comet can be found to the right of Mercury and the Pleiades. The following evening, the comet will have traveled to the upper right of the Seven Sisters, towards Perseus. The comet will spend the first week of the month in Perseus before it continues on towards the next constellation. Unfortunately, predictions of the brightness of this comet are low, and it is expected this comet will dim considerably after the first week.
Monthly Breakdown
May 02: Moon passes within 2° of Mercury
May 05: Uranus in conjunction with the Sun
May 06: Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower peaks
May 08: First Quarter Moon 🌓
May 16: Full Moon 🌕
May 16: Total Lunar Eclipse
May 17: Mars and Neptune within 1°
May 21: Mercury reaches inferior conjunction
May 22: Last Quarter Moon🌗
May 22: Moon passes within 4° of Saturn
May 24: Moon passes within 3° of Jupiter
May 24: Moon passes within 4° of Neptune
May 24: Moon passes within 3° of Mars
May 26: Moon passes within 0.2° of Venus
May 28: Moon passes within 0.3° of Uranus
May 28: Mars and Jupiter within 1°
May 30: New Moon 🌑
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| Now get outside and look up! |
Planet images were taken by NASA.
Andrew vs. the Cosmos was taken by Jeff Greenland.