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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the period between May 1 and May 31, 2023. Here are the events happening in the sky of southern California.
Mercury rises due east at 6:04 a.m., PDT, and the sun rises at the same time on the 1st, and so the planet is not observable. The planet rises earlier each morning. On the 29th, Mercury reaches greatest western elongation, 25 degrees west of the sun. On the 31st, Mercury rises at 4:35 a.m., PDT, and the sun rises at 5:43 a.m., PDT, 68 minutes later. The planet rises just north of east and stays close to the horizon. Mercury is 43-percent illuminated and only eight arcseconds wide. Do not observe any planet when it comes close to the sun, for the danger to the eyes is great.
Venus is due west and about a third of the way above the horizon after sunset. On the 1st, the sun sets at 7:37 p.m., PDT, and Venus sets at 11:07 p.m., PDT. Venus is 66-percent illuminated and 17 arcseconds wide. On the 31st, the sun sets at 7:59 p.m., PDT, and Venus sets at 11:21 p.m., PDT, and is 52-percent illuminated and 23 arcseconds wide. Venus continues to increase in brightness and width and to decrease in the percentage of its disk that is illuminated.
Mars crosses from Gemini the Twins to Cancer the Crab on the 16h. On the 1st, Mars is due west and two-thirds of the way up from the horizon. The planet sets at 12:54 a.m., PDT, and is 91-percent illuminated and 5.4 arcseconds wide. On the 31st, Mars sets at 11:53 p.m., PDT, and is 93-percent illuminated and 4.7 arcseconds wide. A magnification of 200x is needed to see the planet’s small disk. From June 1 to June 2 Mars is a degree west of the large star cluster M44. This can be observed with the unaided eye from a dark site, or with binoculars or a small telescope from an urban site.
Jupiter moves from Pisces the Fishes to Aries the Ram on the 19th. On the 1st, Jupiter rises due east at 5:28 a.m., PDT, and the sun rises 36 minutes later. On the 31st, Jupiter rises at 3:50 a.m., PDT. A magnification of 50x will show the Red Spot, and the four bright Galilean moons may be seen moving back and forth, roughly in a line centered on Jupiter.
Saturn is in Aquarius the Water Bearer. On the 1st, the planet rises in the southeast at 3:15 a.m., PDT, and on the 31st, the planet rises at 1:22 a.m., PDT. Saturn is 16 arcseconds wide. A magnification of 50x is needed to see the rings and Saturn’s largest moon Titan.
Uranus is in Aries the Ram. On the 1st, Uranus sets at 8:10 p.m., PDT, only 33 minutes after the sun sets. The planet is low in the west. On the 31st, Uranus rises at 4:38 a.m., PDT, an hour before the sun rises, and so for the month of May the planet is not observable.
Neptune is in Pisces the Fishes. On the 1st, the planet rises at 4:11 a.m., PDT, and is east-southeast. On the 31st, Neptune rises at 2:15 a.m., PDT. On the 15th, Neptune is at Right Ascension 23h 51m 17s and declination -2° 14ʹ 48ʺ. A magnification of 150x is needed to see its 2.2-arcsecond wide disk.
Full moon occurs on the 5th, last quarter on the 12th, new moon on the 19th, and first quarter on the 27th.
SPECIAL EVENTS
The eta Aquariid meteor shower occurs from the night of April 19 through May 28. The meteors come from comet Halley. They are named for the star in Aquarius the Water Bearer from which they appear to originate. The shower is best seen from the southern hemisphere. From the northern hemisphere, it usually produces medium rates of 10 to 30 meteors per hour just before dawn. The meteors are swift with a high percentage of persistent trains but few fireballs. The peak occurs from the evening of the 5th to the morning of the 6th. On that night, the moon is waning gibbous and 98-percent illuminated and so will hinder observations.
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