N E Whats Up Highlighting the Near and

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N E What’s Up Highlighting the Near and Deep Sky May 1 - 31,

N E What’s Up Highlighting the Near and Deep Sky May 1 - 31, 2018 S W

General Information May 2018 • Among this month’s celestial happenings: • Sol’s largest companion

General Information May 2018 • Among this month’s celestial happenings: • Sol’s largest companion puts on its best show of the year. (Yay!) • Earth’s natural satellite spoils an annual meteor shower. (Boo!) • Our favorite ringed planet cozies up to one of our favorite globular clusters. • Sunset Range: 8: 09 PM (May 1 st) to 8: 34 PM (May 31 st). • End of Astronomical Twilight*: 9: 48 PM (May 1 st) to 10: 24 PM (May 31 st). * This is “full darkness” – the sun has reached 18° below the horizon. It’s usually dark enough for observing about a half hour before this.

Moon Phases May 2018 • Mon. , 7 th – Last Quarter (Fri. /Sat.

Moon Phases May 2018 • Mon. , 7 th – Last Quarter (Fri. /Sat. observing opportunities May 4 th/5 th) • Tues. , 15 th – New Moon (Fri. /Sat. observing opportunities May 11 th/12 th) • Mon. , 21 st – First Quarter • Tues. , 29 th – Full Moon Roughly speaking: • • First Quarter Moon is highest at sunset and sets at midnight Full Moon rises at sunset and is in the sky all night Last (“Third”) Quarter Moon rises at midnight and is highest at dawn New Moon sets at sunset and is absent from the sky all night

Celestial Events May 2018 • Wed. , 2 nd, Dusk – Watch as Venus,

Celestial Events May 2018 • Wed. , 2 nd, Dusk – Watch as Venus, then Sirius and then, between them, the stars of Orion emerge from the glow of sunset. • Sat. , 5 th – Moon at apogee; distance 63. 41 Earth-radii. • Sun. , 6 th – Annual Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower peaks; best in pre-dawn hours. Usually 10 to 20 per hour, but waning gibbous moon spoils 2018’s show. • Tues. , 8 th – Jupiter at opposition; magnitude – 2. 5. ! Rises at sunset and sets at sunrise. • Sun. , 13 th – Equation of Time reaches shallow maximum of 3. 65 min. • Sat. , 19 th, Pre-Dawn – Saturn 1. 6° north of globular cluster M 22. • Sun. , 20 th – Moon 1. 4° south of the Beehive Cluster (M 44) in the evening sky.

N May 15 th, th 9: 00 p. m. 15 , full 9: 30

N May 15 th, th 9: 00 p. m. 15 , full 9: 30 p. m. (~30 May min. before darkness) May 2 nd, (~30 min. before full darkness) 8: 20 PM nd May , , 8: 30 May 22 ndnd 8: 50 PM PM May 2 , 8: 40 PM Venus For tonight, Mar. 19 th, Forp. m. tonight, Apr. 8: 30 is about 3016 min. 9: 00 full p. m. darkness. is about 30 min. before full darkness. Betelgeuse Sirius 51° E Rigel Jupiter Stargazers Online S Venus W

Questions ? ? ? What’s Up programs are posted on the RVAS Website!

Questions ? ? ? What’s Up programs are posted on the RVAS Website!