Introduction and Monthly Reminders
We have already made it to the middle of May. I have seen the Pleiades and Orion near the western horizon after sunset and the morning planetary quartet. All of these observations have been made with my unaided eyes. I missed the meteor shower this month, but I am looking forward to the Lunar Eclipse beginning as the Moon rises over the mountains on the 15th (around 8:30) and will stretch about an hour into the morning of the 16th. The eclipse might even be underway while you reading this post! If that's the case, stop reading immediately and get outside to watch this eclipse! As a reminder, the eclipse will begin as soon as the Moon is above the mountains. The total eclipse starts at 9:30 with the maximum eclipse occurring at 10:11, Utah time. The Earth's shadow will leave the surface of the Moon at 12:50 on the morning of the 16th, concluding the eclipse.
In my opinion, the eclipse is the most significant highlight this month, but that should not stop any observers from getting outside to view the other wonders of the night sky. Observers that enjoyed the planetary conjunction between Venus and Jupiter may also enjoy watching Jupiter approach Mars in the morning sky. On the 28th, this pair of planets can be found less than 1° apart.
Think About This....💡
The Moon is captured in many dramatic pictures that can be found circulating the web. Like the stars, the Moon is also an inspiration for countless songs, poems, and books. Each month of the year experiences a Full Moon, which is often given a particular name, depending on the month. January's Full Moon is called the Wolf Moon. This name was given to the January Full Moon by the Native Americans and medieval Europeans due to wolves howling at the Moon during this time of year. Some other names you may have heard for the first month's Full Moon include Old Moon and Ice Moon.
February is cold and snowy for much of North America, so the Moon has been named the Snow Moon. Other names for the February Full Moon include the Storm Moon and the Hunger Moon. March's Moon received the name Worm Moon by Native Americans for the worm trails that would often appear in the ground after it had thawed. Other names include Death Moon and Sap Moon.
April's Moon has earned the name Pink Moon due to an early species of wildflowers. This Moon is sometimes called the Egg Moon and the Fish Moon. The Moon for May is often referred to as the Flower Moon because of all the blooming plants during the month. The Moon has also been called the Hare Moon and the Milk Moon.
June's Moon has been called the Strawberry Moon because of the harvesting of strawberries during the month. It has also been called the Rose Moon and the Hot Moon. July's Moon is known as Buck Moon. This name was adopted from the Native Americans and was given to this Moon because deer start to regrown their antlers in July. Other names include Thunder Moon and Hay Moon.
The Full Moon of August is known as the Sturgeon Moon because this species of fish is more abundant this month. It is sometimes called the Red Moon due to the color of the Moon often being due to the summer haze. One of the most common Moon names, the Harvest Moon, occurs in September. The Moon gets this name because crops are gathered during this time of the year.
The Full Moon of October is known as Hunter's Moon due to the time of year when hunted animals have fattened up to prepare for winter when food is more scarce. This Moon is sometimes called the Travel Moon. The Full Moon of November is known as the Beaver Moon because of beavers building their winter dams and being hunted. This Moon is sometimes called the Frost Moon.
The Full Moon of December is known as the Cold Moon because of the coming of winter. It has also been called the Long Night Moon due to the longest night of the year occurring during December. Another name that you might be familiar with is the Blue Moon. The Moon is given this name when a Full Moon occurs twice in one month. This can occur during any month.
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| Now get outside and look up! |
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