| Apr.
24 |
New
Moon 8:23pm PDT (03:23 UT 4/25). |
| Apr.
25 |
Look
for morning Mars below dazzling Venus in the east; use binoculars.
Brilliant Jupiter lies in the southeast. 5:45am Map
The
youngest thinnest Crescent Moon lies near the WNW horizon at dusk.
Map |
| Apr.
26 |
Have
you seen morning Mars below dazzling Venus in the east; use binoculars.
Look for Jupiter too! Review the 4/25
5:45am Map
The
Moon conjoins Mercury
8:42am PDT (15:42 UT).
Evening Mercury,
at its best for 2009, is at greatest
elongation (20º), when a slim Crescent Moon joins the
Pleiades
very near (above) the planet. Map |
| Apr.
27 |
The
waxing
Crescent Moon lies below Elnath the northern horn tip of Taurus
the Bull. Look for Aldebaran and the Pleiades below. Map
The
Moon is at perigee (closest to the Earth at 227,446 miles)
11:25pm PDT (06:25 UT 4/28). |
| Apr.
28-29 |
The
Moon transits the Gemini Twins, first at their feet then near Wasat
below Castor and Pollux. |
| Apr.
30 |
The
growing Moon lies in the dim constellation Cancer, diagonally
aligned with and above the bright head stars of the Gemini Twins,
Pollux and Castor. |
| May
1 |
Beltane is
traditionally celebrated today. Astronomical
Beltane occurs 5/5.
First
Quarter Moon 1:44pm PDT (20:44 UT)
|
| May
2 |
National
Astronomy Day ~ Win
a Telescope
Morning
Venus is at its greatest brilliancy, magnitude -4.7.
Look for the waxing
Gibbous Moon near Regulus the heart of Leo the Lion.
|
| May
3 |
Begin
looking ESE for the Eta
Aquarid shooting stars 4:00am-dawn.
The
Gibbous
Moon lies near Saturn. |
| May
4 |
The
Moon
lies at the head of Virgo the Virgin. |
| May
5 |
Astronomical
Beltane occurs
today. Traditionally Beltane is
celebrated 5/1.
Mercury fades out of sight above the northwest horizon.
The growing
Moon lies south of Porrima in Virgo the Virgin. |
| May
6 |
The Eta
Aquarid meteor shower peaks. Look ESE 4:00am-dawn. Map
Look
for Spica, the brightest star in Virgo, north of the Moon. |
| May
7 |
Mercury
is stationary
retrograde. |
| May
8 |
Full
Moon of Wesak 9:01pm
PDT (04:01 UT) lies east of the two brightest stars of Libra.
Wesak Global Meditation |
| May
9-10/11 |
The
Cosmic
Rebirth is underway according to Mayan Cosmology.
The
waning
Gibbous Moon transits
Scorpius, first at the head of the Scorpion then east of its
heart star, Antares. Begin looking
in the southeast
at 11:30pm. View until sunrise. 5/11
12:30am Map
5/10 The
Moon occults (hides) the star for those in SE Europe, NE Africa & S
Asia 21:00 UT. IOTA |
| May
12-14/15 |
The
Gibbous Moon transits Sagittarius.
5/12
The
Moon conjoins Pluto
12:04pm PDT (19:04 UT).
5/13 The
Moon is at apogee (farthest from the Earth at 251,603 miles) 7:58pm
PDT (02:58 UT).
May 14/15 Titan's shadow transits Saturn 10:30pm-3:35am PDT (5:30-10:35
UT 5/15). |
| May
16 |
Look
southeast to see Jupiter and the Moon 2am-sunrise. Map/Text
Saturn
is stationary
direct 7:07pm
PDT; (02:07 UT 5/17).
The
Moon conjoins Jupiter
10:47pm PDT (05:47 UT 5/17). |
| May
17 |
The
Moon conjoins Neptune
12:16am PDT (08:16 UT).
Last
Quarter Moon 12:26am PDT (08:26 UT) lies very near predawn Jupiter
and telescopic Neptune. Look southeast before sunrise. 4:30am
Map Dazzling Venus
and dim Mars lie above the eastern horizon. 5:30am Sky Chart
|
| May
18 |
Look
southeast to see Jupiter and the Moon 3am-sunrise. Map/Text
Mercury
is in inferior
conjunction |
| May
19 |
The
Moon conjoins Uranus
8:55am PDT (15:55 UT). |
| May 20 |
The
predawn Crescent Moon lies west of Venus and Mars;
Jupiter lies to their southwest. 5:30am
Sky Chart ~ 5am Map/Text
The
Moon conjoins Venus
8:23pm PDT (03:23 UT).
|
| May
21 |
Ascension
Day ~ Global
Ascension Meditation
A waning
Crescent Moon guides
us to dazzling Venus and nearby dim Mars. 5am
Map ~ 5am
Map/Text
The
Moon conjoins Mars
8:22am PDT (15:22 UT). |
| May
24 |
New
Moon 5:11am PDT (12:11 UT). |