Celestial Events Calendar

May 2006

May is named after Maia, the Greek and Roman goddess of the Earth.

She represented the rebirth of growth on the Earth every spring.

Mercury – first visible in the evening after sunset then visible in the morning before sunrise.

Venus – visible in the morning sky all month, rises 2 hours before the Sun

Earth – visible 24/7

Mars – visible in the evening sky all month, sets about midnight

Jupiter – rises around sunset all month

Saturn – visible in the evening the whole month, sets about 1AM

Uranus – rises in the east 3 hours before the Sun

Neptune – rises in the east 4 hours before the Sun

Pluto – rises in the east about 10 PM

Monday, May 1, 2006:

On this date in 1939 Gerald Kuiper discovers Neptune’s moon Nereid.

Thursday, May 4, 2006:

9 AM CDT – Jupiter is at opposition. This is the best time to view Jupiter as it is visible all night. It rises (all objects rise in the east) when the Sun sets

(all objects set in the west) and it sets when the Sun rises.

Friday, May 5, 2006:

Eta Aquarid meteor shower – active April 19 through May 28, ZHR ~ 60 meteors each hour

12:13 AM CDT – First Quarter Moon, it rises about noon and sets about midnight

On this date in 1961 Alan Shepard was the first American to fly in space.

Saturday, May 6, 2006:

National Astronomy Day

Sunday, May 7, 2006:

2 AM CDT – The Moon is at apogee, the point in its orbit where it is furthest from the Earth ~ 253,600 miles

Tuesday, May 9, 2006:

Epsilon Arietid “radio” meteor shower

3:30 AM CDT – The Moon is at its descending node, the place in its orbit where it is crossing the plane of the Earth’s orbit (ecliptic) and moving southeast.

Saturday, May 13, 2006:

1:52 AM CDT – Full Moon, Planting or Milk Moon, rises at sunset and sets at sunrise – a good night for viewing the Moon

2 AM CDT – Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 will be at its closest approach to Earth. The comet has already broken up into many pieces. This will be a close approach ~ 25 times the distance of the Moon, 7 million miles

Sunday, May 14, 2006:

12 AM CDT – The Sun’s apparent position among the stars in the sky leaves the astronomical constellation of Aries the Ram and enters the astronomical constellation of Taurus the Bull.

On this date in 1973 the United States’ space station Skylab was launched.

Monday, May 15, 2006:

Mars and Neptune are at heliocentric opposition, that is, they are on opposite sides of the Sun.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006:

Arietid “radio” meteor shower

10 PM CDT – Venus is at aphelion, the point in its orbit where it is furthest from the Sun

Wednesday, May 17, 2006:

2 AM CDT – Mercury is at its ascending node. It is crossing the plane of the Earth’s orbit and heading northeast.

Thursday, May 18, 2006:

3 PM CDT – Mercury is at superior conjunction with the Sun. The Sun is between Mercury and the Earth. Mercury moves from being visible in the evening sky to being visible in the morning sky.

Saturday, May 20, 2006:

Sagittarid meteors – Active April 15 through July 15, ZHR ~ 5 meteors/hour

Omicron Cetid “radio” meteor shower

4:20 AM CDT – Last Quarter Moon, rise around midnight and sets around noon

Sunday, May 21, 2006:

1 AM CDT – The astrological sign of Taurus changes to the astrological sign of Gemini.

6 PM CDT – Mercury is at perihelion, the point in its orbit where it is closest to the Sun ~ 28.6 million miles

Monday, May 22, 2006:

9 AM CDT – Neptune is stationary in right ascension. Neptune ceases its normal eastward drift along the ecliptic through the stars and begins a westward (retrograde) drift.

11 AM CDT – The Moon is at perigee, the point in its orbit where it is closest to the Earth ~ 231,200 miles

1 PM CST – The Moon is at its ascending node.

Friday, May 26, 2006:

The 84^th Meeting of the North Houston Astronomy Club

Saturday, May 27, 2006:

12:27 AM CDT – New Moon, the beginning of lunation 1032