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Night sky in May
THE DIAGRAM shows the evening sky as seen from latitudes 0 to 40 degrees North. The inner circle represents the horizon as seen from latitude 22.5 degrees North. The star chart has been extended on the northern and southern sides for use all over India. The chart should be held overhead and turned in such a way that the North, South, East and West marked on the chart point to the correct directions. With some experience, it would be possible to use it in a more convenient position. With the help of a few known star-groups in the sky, the remaining stars can be easily identified using the chart. From a particular place, these stars will be seen at about 21-30 hrs., 20-30 hrs. and 19-30 hrs. of local mean time on the 1st, 16th and 30th of the month.
The Moon
The new moon occurs on May 1 at 5.45 p.m. and again on May 31 at 9.05 a.m., and the full moon occurs on May 16 at 9.06 a.m. IST. The first quarter of the Moon occurs on May 9 at 05-23 p.m. and the last quarter occurs on May 23 at 6.01 a.m. IST.
The moon passes about three and a half degrees north of the Saturn on May 5, four degrees north of the Jupiter in the late night of May 8, about five and a half degrees south of the Neptune on May 21, three degrees south of the Mars in the early hours of May 22, about five degrees south of the Uranus on May 23, two and a half degrees north of the Mercury and very close to Venus on May 29.
The Moon is at apogee i.e. farthest from the Earth on May 1 and again on May 28, and at perigee i.e. nearest to it, on May 15.
The lunar crescent becomes first visible after the new moon day in the evening of May 2.
Eclipse: There will be a total eclipse of the Moon on May 16. It will not be visible in India. The eclipse begins at 07-33 hrs. IST and ends at 10-47 hrs. IST.
There will also be an annular eclipse of the Sun on May 31. It will be partly visible in India.
The eclipse begins at 07-16 hrs. IST and ends at 12-00 hrs. IST. The beginning and ending of the partial phases of the eclipse are visible from some parts of northern and western India. Some of the places from where the partial phase of the eclipse can be seen are Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Delhi, Jaipur, Rajkot, Simla, Srinagar and Udaipur.
There will be a transit of Mercury over the disc of the Sun on May 7. It will be visible in India. The general beginning of the transit is at 10-43 hrs. IST and the ending is at 16-02 hrs.s IST.
The Planets
Mercury (Budha): It is too near the Sun to be visible up to almost the third quarter of the month, being in inferior conjunction with the Sun on May 7. It is at the aphelion i.e. farthest from the Sun on May 18. The planet reappears in the eastern sky, visible till dawn, rises about one hour before sunrise during the remaining period of the month. It is in direct motion on May 20. It passes about two degrees south of the Venus on May 28. The planet remains in Aries (Mesha) throughout the month. Its visual magnitude varies form +2.2 to +0.8.
Venus (Sukra): It is visible in the eastern sky till dawn, rises about one and a half hours before sunrise during the first half of the month and about one and a half hours to one hour before it during the second half. The planet moves from Pisces (Mina) to Aries (Mesha) on May 11. Its visual magnitude is about - 3.9.
Mars (Mangala): It is visible towards the eastern sky around local midnight till dawn throughout the month. The planet rises shortly after local midnight to within half an hour before it during the first half of the month and about half an hour to one hour before it during the second half. The planet passes about two degrees south of the Neptune on May 13. It remains in Capricornus (Makara) throughout the month. Its visual magnitude varies from - 0.0 to - 0.6.
Jupiter (Brihaspati): It is visible in the evening towards the western sky throughout the month, sets about half an hour after local midnight to about half an hour before it during the first half of the month and about half an hour to one and a half hours before local midnight during the second half. The planet remains in Cancer (Karkata) throughout the month. Its visual magnitude is about - 2.0.
Saturn (Sani): It is visible in the evening towards the western sky, sets about three and a half hours to two and a half hours after sunset during the first half of the month and about two and a half hours to one and a half hours after it during the second half. The planet remains in Gemini (Mithuna) throughout the month. Its visual magnitude is about +0.1.
Uranus: It is visible towards the eastern sky around local midnight till dawn, rises about one and a half hours to half an hour after local midnight during the first three quarters of the month. During the last quarter of the month, the planet rises at around local midnight to shortly before it, being in quadrature with the Sun on May 24. It remains in Aquarius (Kumbha) throughout the month. Its visual range is about sixth magnitude.
Neptune: It is visible towards the eastern sky around local midnight till dawn. The planet rises at around local midnight to within half an hour after it during the first quarter of the month, being in quadrature with the Sun on May 4. During the remaining period of the month, the planet rises within half an hour to one and a half hours before local midnight. Its motion becomes retrograde on May 16. The planet remains in Capricornus (Makara) throughout the month. Its visual range is about eighth magnitude.
Source: Director, Positional Astronomy Centre, India Meteorological Department,
New Alipore,
Kolkata 700053
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