Whats Up for May? The worlds of dusk and dawn, a lunar eclipse, and the Coma star cluster.
Sky chart revealing Mercury low in the western sky on May 2, accompanied by the crescent moon and intense star Aldebaran. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
On May 2nd, look to the west about 45 minutes after sundown to discover Mercury about 10 degrees off the horizon, accompanied by a slim crescent moon. Just to the south of the Moon is brilliant red giant star Aldebaran, which ought to be roughly the very same brightness as Mercury.
Sky chart showing how Jupiter and Mars will appear incredibly close in the morning sky on May 28-30. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
Then in the last week of May, you can view each early morning as Jupiter and Mars get increasingly close in the predawn sky. Their morning meetup culminates in a close combination that you can see on the 28th through the 30th, where theyll be separated by barely the width of the moon. Must look incredible with field glasses, where you can likewise see Jupiters biggest moons.
Skywatchers in the Western Hemisphere can eagerly anticipate a total lunar eclipse in mid-May. The occasion will be visible throughout the Americas, Europe, and Africa– generally anywhere the Moon is above the horizon at the time.
Eclipse presence map for the May 15-16, 2022 overall lunar eclipse. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
The noticeable part of the eclipse starts about 10:30 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on May 15th, with totality beginning an hour later and lasting for about an hour and a half. Those in the Eastern U.S. will see the eclipse start with the Moon well above the horizon. For the Central U.S., the eclipse begins about an hour and a half after dark, with the Moon relatively low in the sky. On the West coast of the U.S., the Moon rises with totality start or currently underway, so youll wish to discover a clear view towards the southeast if seeing from there.
Now, lunar eclipses are the ones that are safe to look at directly with your eyes, field glasses, or a telescope (unlike solar eclipses).
The Moon handles a dim, reddish hue during the duration of totality. Even though the Moon is completely immersed in Earths shadow at that time, red wavelengths of sunshine filter through Earths atmosphere and fall onto the Moons surface. One way to consider this is that an overall lunar eclipse shows us a forecast of all the dawns and sunsets occurring in the world at that minute.
So check your regional details for this eclipse, and find lots more eclipse info from NASA at this link..
In May, a truly nice target for binoculars: the Coma star cluster. This loose, open star cluster shows 40 or 50 stars spread over an area of sky about 3 finger-widths broad. The brightest stars in the cluster form a distinct Y shape, as seen here.
Sky chart revealing where to discover the Coma star cluster in May. The cluster is about 6 ° wide, and lies about 15 ° east of the hindquarters of Leo, the lion constellation, which is discovered high overhead in the south. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
The Coma star cluster is located about 300 light-years away, making it the second-closest open cluster to Earth after the Hyades cluster in Taurus.
To discover the Coma star cluster, look southward for the constellation Leo. When youve recognized Leo, the Coma star cluster is about 15 degrees to the east of the triangle of stars representing the lions hindquarters.
So heres wishing you clear skies for discovering the Coma star cluster and any other wonders you find in the night sky in May.
In May, an actually great target for binoculars: the Coma star cluster. The brightest stars in the cluster form a distinct Y shape, as seen here.
Sky chart showing where to find the Coma star cluster in May. To discover the Coma star cluster, look southward for the constellation Leo. Once youve determined Leo, the Coma star cluster is about 15 degrees to the east of the triangle of stars representing the lions hindquarters.