What’s new in planets Venus and Saturn? fall is the greatest time of year to explore the desert if you like big boulders, gorgeous sunsets, and ethereal raven cries.
The fact that an astronomy event is already scheduled for May 2023 only serves to increase the region’s autumnal attraction.
Morning Events of Saturn
Events in the morning: As dawn brightens, Saturn, in Aquarius, burns at magnitude +0.9 in the east-southeast to southeast.
The rings appear to be only 8.0° to 7.4° from edgewise through a telescope.
On May 7, the 96% moon will be 1.5° east (to the left) of the red star Antares, the Scorpion’s heart.
The third-magnitude star Sigma in Scorpius, which is one of the “outworks of the heart,” will be obscured by the moon early that morning.
It is located just west-northwest (to the right) of Antares.
A large, 41 percent crescent moon will pass by Saturn on May 13.
Find recently emerged Jupiter (magnitude -2.1) on May 16 at a very low altitude, 14° to 15° to the lower left of the waning crescent moon, which is 12 percent illuminated.
A 6 percent moon occults Jupiter on May 17.
May’s dawns get brighter and the Summer Triangle of Vega, Altair, and Deneb passes overhead. Arcturus and Antares fall low to the west and west-northwest, respectively.
Far to the bottom right of Saturn is Fomalhaut, the mouth of the Southern Fish.
Read more: James Webb’s Space Telescope Image Of Uranus’ Rings Amazes Scientists
Venus Dominates the Night Sky
Evening activities: On May 1, when the sky grows darker, Venus will be visible between Beta and Zeta Tauri, the tips of the Bull’s horns.
Locate faint Mars, magnitude +1.4, 6° below Pollux, in Gemini, nearly 26° to Venus’ upper left.
At magnitude -4.1 to -4.4, Venus dominates the night sky!
Throughout the month of May, Venus is visible for more than three hours after sunset.
In the second week of May, Venus is approximately 41° up at sunset and 32° up at mid-twilight, giving it the highest altitude for this entire evening apparition if spotted at those times.
Venus is still up at dusk on May 1 and May 31, when twilight ends with the sun 18° down.
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