Look Up, Minnesota: May’s Dark Sky Is Lit!

MAY IS MADE FOR THE SKY GAZING

For those of you who love to do some stargazing during the warmer months, now is a great time to get outside and look up. According to a recent article, in the early morning hours, you can see meteor showers, comets, planets, and much more.

PLANET TREATS FOR THE EARLY BIRDS

First, for you early birds. If you get up before sunrise, you should look to the East. Venus is now the brightest object in the sky and hard to miss. Saturn is close to Venus, so in early May, they make a great pair to view. Later in May, around the 22nd and 23rd, the moon is going to join the two. I've also read that if you have a good telescope, you should be able to see Saturn's rings and Venus's crescent shape.

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METEOR SHOWERS GALORE

Another early riser treat is going to be the spring meteor showers called 'Eta Aquariids,' from Halley's Comet. You can expect to see them early in the morning, just before the sun rises, and there will probably be 10 meteors an hour to view.

GET OUT THAT TELESCOPE FOR SOME MOON VIEWING

May 6th and May 7th, get that telescope focused on the moon. You should try to focus on the crater Copernicus, as you might be able to see volcano domes close to it.

DO YOU HAVE BINOCULARS

If you want to do a little bit of work, get out your binoculars and look towards the stars Spica and Arcturus. In the month of May, you should be able to see the Asteroid Vesta, as it should be bright enough to see, and you can also look for a comet called Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann. It will be faint, but if you can find it, it will be a fun experience for those who like a little hide and seek in the nighttime sky.

H/T Chatgpt