Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday May 13th and 14th, written by Joe Slomka

This is the Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday May 13th and 14th, written by Joe Slomka.

The Sun sets at 8:10 PM; night falls at 10:09. Dawn begins at 3:34 AM and ends with Sunrise at 5:33.

The Moon appears in northern Cancer on both nights. Monday’s Moon sets at 1:16 AM and rises at 10:10 AM, by 9 PM it is 49° high in the West, 30 arc-minutes in size and 39% illuminated; by 9 PM the Moon lies only 4° from the beautiful Beehive star cluster. Tuesday’s sets at 1:49 AM, rises at 11:17 AM, 54° high, still 30 arc-minutes and sets at 2:15 AM on Wednesday.

Last week saw the Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower at its maximum. Stragglers may still be sighted at 4 or 5 AM on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tuesday the variable star Algol will be at minimum at 9:46 PM.

Again, there are no evening planets. Southeastern Saturn is the first, in Aquarius, rising at 3:10 AM, first magnitude, 16 arc-seconds, and 19° high at 5 AM. Eastern Pisces hosts Neptune, Mars and Mercury. Neptune follows 11° behind Saturn, rises at 3:33 AM, 8th magnitude, 2 arc-seconds and 16° high. Red Planet Mars is next, 11° following Neptune, rises at 3:56 AM, 1st magnitude, 5 arc-seconds and 12° high. Mercury brings up the rear, 18° from Mars, rises at 4:46 AM, glows with zero magnitude, 7 arc-seconds and 3° high; it slowly heads back toward the Sun; due to its proximity to the horizon, binoculars and a clear view are advised.

Neptune is a gas giant, which means that it is a large ball of gas. It is seventeen times heavier and thirty times further than Earth. Neptune takes almost 164 years to circle the Sun. Neptune sports a faint ring system, visible only to space telescopes. Like Jupiter it has a “Great Dark Spot,” similar to Jupiter’s gigantic hurricane. But it is also different. It is warmer at its equator and poles than its middle. It has a chaotic weather system that permits storms to switch latitudes.

Clear Skies Joe Slomka