Sky Events May 2014

Moon Phases

Tuesday, May 6, 11:15 p.m. EDT

First Quarter Moon

The First Quarter Moon rises around 12:15 p.m. and sets around 2:15 a.m. It dominates the evening sky.

Wednesday, May 14, 3:16 p.m. EDT

Full Moon

The Full Moon of May is known as the Milk Moon, Flower Moon, or Corn Planting Moon. It rises around sunset and sets around sunrise, the only night in the month when the Moon is in the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the Moon spends at least some time in the daytime sky.

Wednesday, May 21, 8:59 a.m. EDT

Last Quarter Moon

The Last Quarter Moon rises around 1:30 a.m. and sets around 1:15 p.m. It is most easily seen just after sunrise in the southern sky.

Wednesday, May 28, 2:40 p.m. EDT

New Moon

The Moon is not visible on the date of New Moon because it is too close to the Sun, but can be seen low in the East as a narrow crescent a morning or two before, just before sunrise. It is visible low in the West an evening or two after New Moon.

Observing Highlights

Saturday, May 10, 2 p.m. EDT

Saturn at opposition

Saturn will be at opposition, exactly opposite the Sun in the sky.

Wednesday, May 14, early morning

Saturn and the Moon

The Full Moon will pass just below the planet Saturn. Observers in southern Australia and New Zealand will see the Moon occult Saturn. Saturn is just appearing from behind the Moon as seen from Melbourne, Australia.

Thursday, May 15, dawn

Venus and Uranus

This will be a difficult observation because the sky is starting to get light by the time the planets rise, making it difficult to see 6th magnitude Uranus. A low eastern horizon will be necessary.

Saturday, May 24, 3–4 a.m. EDT

New meteor shower

Debris from Comet 209P/LINEAR is expected to cause a new meteor shower radiating from the constellation Camelopardalis, just off the nose of the Great Bear. This may be the brightest meteor shower this year.

Sunday, May 25, dawn

Venus and the Moon

The slender crescent Moon will rise just above the planet Venus, shortly before sunrise. Later in the day, you can use the Moon to spot Venus in the daytime sky.

Sunday, May 25, sunset

Mercury at greatest eastern elongation

About half an hour after sunset, look for Mercury low in the western sky, framed by Procyon and Jupiter to the left and Capella to the right.

Planets

Mercury is well placed low in the western sky about half an hour after sunset, in the last half of May.

Venus is now a “morning star,” rising in the East just before the sun.

Mars was in opposition on April 8 and now is shrinking in size and fading in brightness.

Jupiter shines brightly in the western sky in Gemini at dusk, setting around midnight. The Great Red Spot is easier to see than in many recent years, showing a distinct orange color.

Saturn, in Libra, is in opposition to the Sun on May 10, and shines brightly in the southern sky all night.

Uranus emerges from behind the Sun late in the month, located in the constellation Pisces.

Neptune is in Aquarius all month, rising three hours before the Sun.

Geoff Gaherty
Starry Night Software Support
All graphics © 2014 Starry Night Software