Four planets in tight quarters and an active meteor shower make May mornings worth getting up early for.
The Planets in the Morning Sky
Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter spend most of the month of May within a handful of degrees of each other in the east just before sunrise.
Jupiter and Mars have their closest approach on May 1 when they lie less than a half degree apart, with Mars on the left and Jupiter on the right. Just above the duo is Mercury, with Venus just a bit higher yet. To the left is an old crescent moon.
Mercury and Venus are at their closest on May 8 when they lie 1.4 degrees apart. Venus is the bright one on top and Mercury is just below it. Jupiter is the planet close by on the left, with Mars just a bit further to Jupiter's left. On May 11, Jupiter, Mercury, and Venus will be only 2.1 degrees apart.
Venus and Mars have their closest pairing on May 23 when they are 1 degree apart. Two days before, on May 21, Venus, Mars, and Mercury will be separated by only 2.1 degrees. Venus will be the brightest with Mars to the upper right and Mercury below. Jupiter is now to the upper right.
By the end of the month, the four planets will begin to distance themselves from each other and stretch out into a neat line, with the crescent moon again joining the scene by May 31.
Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower
May has a rather strong meteor shower, but because it occurs in the early morning hours, not many witness it. The Eta Aquarids are active from May 1 to 8, with the peak of activity on May 6 before sunrise. The meteors appear to emanate from the constellation Aquarius near its star Eta (which is not far from the more easy-to-recognize circlet of Pisces). Up to 45 meteors an hour is possible during the peak.
The Eta Aquarid shower is from the remnants of Halley's Comet when it passed Earth and left behind its dusty debris that now burns up as it hits our atmosphere.
May's Moon
The Full Moon for May, sometimes called the Flower Moon, occurs on May 17 at 7:09 a.m. EDT. The reddish point of light nearby is the star Antares.
May's new moon occurs on May 3. On May 10 and 11, the moon is not far from Regulus in Leo. On May 13 and 14, the moon will pass Saturn and then Spica.
Astronomy Day
This year, Astronomy Day falls on Saturday, May 7. Check local planetariums, observatories, and astronomy clubs for activities near you.
Source: Celestron's The Sky Software
Kelly Whitt - I have been a professional writer for more than a decade, covering many topics from science-based articles to do-it-yourself home ...
