SkyDiary

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Find out what’s up in the night sky:
Upcoming astoronomical events, interesting observations, packed with everything a stargazer needs to know.

Observations are described for the NORTHERN hemisphere and can be made by naked eye, small binoculars or by small telescope.

May 2019

Phases of the Moon

New Moon:	May 04
First Quarter:	May 12
Full Moon:	May 18
Last Quarter:	May 26

Mercury

Mercury is not observable in May, because it is very close to the Sun. On May 21, the planet is in the so-called superior conjunction, i.e., right behind the Sun as seen from our Earth. Better conditions for its observation will be in June.

Venus

Also Venus is quite close to the Sun. It rises in the morning only about 30 minutes before the Sun. Please, be VERY CAREFUL with an observation which uses any kind of binoculars or telescope for searching in the bright morning sky. This can be VERY DANGEROUS because you can without any intention suddenly look directly at the rising Sun and damage your eyes!!!

Saturn and the Moon

On May 22 at evening, the planet will be 0.5 degree to the north to the Moon low over south-eastern horizon.

Article by (C) G. Okša