Monthly Night Sky information provided by Chris Vaughan (@Astrogeoguy) at Starry Night Education (@StarryNightEdu).
From time to time, the largest asteroids in our solar system become bright enough to be seen without special equipment by skywatchers. On Thursday, May 1, Earth’s orbital motion will carry us between the minor planet Vesta and the sun. On the nights around that date, Vesta will be visible all night long and shine […]
In the early days of May, the brilliant planet Venus will be gleaming in the pre-dawn eastern sky near two other planets. Medium-bright Saturn will be readily visible a few finger widths to the Venus’ lower right (or celestial south), while far fainter Neptune will be located below Venus and a few finger widths to […]
Join us (weather permitting) at our Observatory! See Friday Night Sights: Explore the Night Sky – RASC Hamilton for the latest updates on the upcoming date.
In the western sky after dusk on Saturday, May 3, the reddish dot of Mars will be positioned just below the nearly half-illuminated moon. Binoculars (orange circle) will also reveal the scattered stars of the large open star cluster named the Beehive to Mars’ left (or celestial SSE). Other names for the cluster include Praesepe, […]
During the first week of May, the eastward orbital motion of the planet Mars will carry it through the northern edge of the large, bright open star cluster in Cancer known as the Beehive and Messier 44. After dusk, you can locate the medium-bright, reddish dot of Mars shining about halfway up the western sky. […]