May 2018 Sky Calendar
May 3, 2018 3:07:35 GMT
Post by Joe on May 3, 2018 3:07:35 GMT
CVAS Monthly Sky Calendar for May 2018
Venus – Venus can be found in the western evening skies after sunset. It now more prominent with it being up for over 2 hours the whole month and be around 25° high at sunset. Its phase for the month will go from 89% to 81%, its size going from 11.5 to 13.0 arc-seconds, and a magnitude between -3.94 to -4.0 for the month.
Jupiter – With Jupiter being in opposition on the 9th of the month, it now is up basically all night. It is best to wait at least 2 or 3 hours after sunset in order for the planet to get higher in the sky. This is the best time to try to view details on the planet since it is at it’s closet to Earth for this year. During the month the size goes from 44.6 to 44.2 arc-seconds with a magnitude around -2.5.
Saturn- As approaches its opposition next month it is up longer and longer, with being up for 5 ½ hours to start the month, with this increasing to 7 hours at month’s end. It best viewed later in the night viewed when it is highest up in the southern skies. The size of Saturn itself go from 17.4 arc-seconds to 18.1 arc-seconds with a magnitude going from 0.4 to 0.2 during the month. The rings are about 39 arc-seconds in size with a tilt to close to 26 degrees.
Mars – Mars is still best viewed this month in the morning hours when it is highest up in the southern skies an hour or so before sunrise. It is up around 4 ½ to 5 hours before sunrise for the month. It is size is increase now to a point where you might actually be able to see some detail on it as it approaches opposition this July, with it diameter being between 11.1 and 15.0 arc-seconds for the month. Mars should be easy to find now with the naked eye, with its magnitude increases during the month going from -0.38 to -1.2.
Neptune – Now a couple past conjunction with the Sun, Neptune is getting a little easier to see, it is now up from 2 to 3 ½ hours before sunrise. It can found lower on the eastern horizon right be sunrise. During the month its size will be around 2.2 arc-seconds with a magnitude of around 7.9.
Uranus –After coming out of conjunction with the Sun last month it will to difficult to view it to start the month. But by month’s end it rises up some with it being up close to 2 hours and 34° high at sunset. During the month, its magnitude will around 5.9 with a diameter of 3.4 arc-seconds.
Mercury – It can be found very low on the eastern horizon right before sunrise. Mercury is not up very long before the sun comes up and as it approaches superior conjunction with the Sun next month, it sinks even lower as the month goes on. During the month its phase will go from 46% up to 95%, it size from 7.8 arc-seconds to 5.2 arc-seconds and it magnitude from 0.4 to -10.5.