* Astronomy

This week, the giant planet Jupiter, poised against the stars of Sagittarius, looms up into view low in the southeast in the middle of the night. It rises around 11:30 p.m. local daylight time, and is best seen in telescopes just before morning twilight, when it's fairly high in the south or southeast. A medium-size telescope of high quality on a night of good seeing will show the disk of this creamy white giant richly, though subtly patterned.
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Tonight Mars will be located near to a thin crescent Moon in the constellation Gemini.
Look to the west after sunset


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Mercury: at magnitude-0.8, starts the month in the constellation of Taurus. Best seen from 21.3h -22.4h. The planet is at greatest eastern elongation (22 degrees) at 4:00 UT, on the 14th..
(On May 1th, RA= 3h41m47s Dec=+21°38.2' (J2000) Distance=1.113AU Elongation= 17° Phase k=72% Diameter=6.0")

Venus: is at magnitude -3.9, The planet is in constellation Pisces at the start of the month. It is best seen from 5.5h -19.5h.
(On May 1st, RA= 1h55m56s Dec=+10°30.7' (J2000) Distance=1.693AU Elongation= 10° Phase k=98% Diameter=9.9")

	Moon Phase Now!

Earth: - .

The Moon is at Perigee on the 6th at 0318 UT, (distance to earth center: 357,771 km) and at apogee on the 20th, at 2:11 UT, (distance to earth center: 406,403 km).

Mars: at magnitude 1.2 starts the month in the constellation Gemini. The planet is best seen from 21.3h - 2.7h. The planet is at aphelion at 2:00 UT, on the 13th. .
(On May 1st, RA= 7h50m03s Dec=+22°55.3' (J2000) Distance=1.625AU Elongation= 74° Phase k=90% Diameter=5.8")

Jupiter: is still bright at magnitude -2.4 in the constellation Sagittarius. The planet is stationary on the 9th. On the 24th Jupiter is 2.0 degrees from the Moon. The planet is best seen from 2.3h - 5.5h.
(On May 1st, RA=19h35m40s Dec=-21°38.8' (J2000) Distance=4.791AU Elongation=109°)
The planet Jupiter is a source of huge radio storms. Click the link to hear the live audio stream.
The radio outbursts are in the frequency range 18 - 32 MHz. Sensitive receivers translate Jupiter's radio waves to audio sounds.
For alternative listening site.
for Great RedSpot Transit times.
Check forum for Satellite predictions.

Saturn: at magnitude 0.5 sits in the constellation Leo. The planet is best seen from 21.3h - 4.0h . The planet is the brightest object in the constellation and worth a look through binoculars this month. The planet is stationary on the 3rd.
(On May 1st, RA=10h16m57s Dec=+12°35.9' (J2000) Distance=8.894AU Elongation=111°)
for interactive Saturn moon calculator .

Uranus is in the constellation Aquarius, near Lambda Aquarii, magnitude 3.7. Uranus at magnitude 5.9, has a bluish-green hue and appears 3.7 arcseconds wide. The planet is 3 degrees from the Moon at 23:00 UT, May 1st. The planet is 4 degrees from the Moon at 9:00 UT, on the 29th.
(On February 1st, RA=23h11m41s Dec= -5°59.3' (J2000) Distance=20.901AU Elongation= 34°)

Neptune: in the constellation Capricornus less than 3 degrees northeast of the 4.3 mag star Iota Capricornii. On the 27th, the planet is 0.6 degree from the Moon, with an occultation observable from western Asia, Europe, and north Africa, at 3:00 UT.. A telescope will usually show a tiny bluish dot, only 2.5 arcseconds wide (mag 7.9).
(On November 1st, RA=21h26m36s Dec=-15°21.4' (J2000) Distance=29.851AU Elongation=100°)

Pluto is in the constellation Sagittarius (mag 14). Normally, a finder chart is necessary to help in identifying the 0.1" diameter dwarf planet. The dwarf planet is best seen from 21.9h - 4.5h. .
(On May 1st, RA=18h03m24s Dec=-17°01.6' (J2000) Distance=30.801AU Elongation=130°)

The Sun enters the zodiac sign Gemini on the 20th May.

May is a long month with a solar system full of action. The evenings open with Mercury in the western sky stealing attention from larger planets, including Saturn and Mars, which entertain sky gazers high above the horizon.
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