LISTEN to this week’s Sky Report
This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report through the period ending May 31, 2021. Here are the events happening in the sky of southern California.
Mercury appears in the west during early evening. On the 1st, the sun sets at 7:37 p.m., while Mercury sets at 8:49 p.m., slightly later than Venus. Because Venus is brighter than Mercury, you can use Venus to find Mercury. Look for a faint “star” above Venus. On the 17th, Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation, when it is farthest to the east of the sun. The sun sets at 7:50 p.m., while Mercury sets at 9:39 p.m. On May 28, Mercury passes about half a degree to the left of Venus. Never observe Mercury when the sun is in the sky, for the danger to the eyes is great.
Venus is in the evening sky for the next several months. On the 1st, the sun sets at 7:37 p.m., while Venus sets at 8:22 p.m. On the 31st, the sun sets at 7:59 p.m., and Venus sets at 9:21 p.m. Venus presents a wide gibbous phase and is small. Never observe Venus when the sun is in the sky, for the danger to the eyes is great.
Copper-red Mars continues to recede from earth and shrinks slowly. Its disk is too small to reveal anything on its surface, even with a telescope. Mars starts the month about halfway up from the western horizon. It sets at 11:52 p.m. on the 1st and at 11:06 p.m. on the 31st.
Jupiter rises in the east at 2:50 a.m. on the 1st and at 1:01 a.m. on the 31st.
Saturn rises in the east at 2:03 a.m. on the 1st and at 12:06 a.m. on the 31st.
The last quarter moon occurs on the 3rd. New moon is on the 11th. First quarter is on the 19th, and full moon is on the 26th.
On the morning of May 5, the eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks. This is a weak shower as viewed from the northern hemisphere. It produces 10 to 30 meteors an hour. The meteors are swift and can produce persistent trains but no fireballs.
On May 26, a total lunar eclipse occurs during the early morning hours before dawn. Entry into the earth’s penumbral part of its shadow starts at 1:48 a.m. The moon enters the umbra, the darker part of earth’s shadow, at 2:45 a.m. Greatest eclipse is at 4:18 a.m. Sunrise occurs at 5:45 a.m. The moon sets while still in the umbra at 5:53 a.m.
Measures intended to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus keeps Griffith Observatory closed to the public until further notice. Please check the Griffith Observatory homepage for current information.
Follow All Space Considered and Griffith Observatory on Twitter for updates on astronomy and space-related events.