


This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. According to the University of Alaska, the planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 24.9 degrees from the Sun.

Then on May 29, Mercury will be at it's greatest western elongation. for that brief instant before the sun illuminates the morning sky. An older term in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi is “kau ka lā i ka lolo,” which means “the sun rests upon the brain” and references both the physical and cultural significance of the event. As the name suggests, Heliacal is a lamp inspired by astronomical phenomena. The morning twilight is often called dawn, while the evening twilight is also known as dusk. Astronomers define the three stages of twilight on the basis of how far the Sun is below the horizon. According to the Bishop Museum, in English, the word “lāhainā” can be translated as “cruel sun,” and is a reference to severe droughts experienced in that part of the island of Maui in Hawaii. There are three types of twilight: Civil twilight. It happens in the tropical region twice a year, when the sun is directly overhead around solar noon. A phenomenon known as Lāhainā Noon will occur. The middle of May will be quiet, up until the very end on May 27-30. You'll want to limit light pollution to spot these meteors!

For the best viewing, you'll want to get out of town. The Eta Aquarids are annual shower in May that are known for their speed! According to NASA, the meteors are said to be traveling at about 148,000 mph (66 km/s) into Earth's atmosphere. Unfortunately, the best viewing will be for those in Asia, Africa and Australia.Ī meteor shower is also in store for May 5.
ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA FOR THIS MORNING FULL
This eclipse isn't as dramatic as others, and can be mistaken for a regular full moon. A penumbral lunar eclipse takes place when the moon moves through the faint, outer part of Earth's shadow, called the penumbra. On May 5, the Penumbral Lunar Eclipse will occur. It’s an open cluster of very bright, very blue, very hot young stars and with a good pair of binoculars or especially a telescope it’s really quite spectacular to look at.”ĭr John O’Byrne, an Astronomy professor from the University of Sydney, said the planetary alignment was a common phenomenon, taking place once every few years.Michael Probst/AP FILE - In this Thursday, file photo, the full moon sets behind trees in the Taunus region near Frankfurt, Germany. “Also lining up pretty close along this line is a star cluster called the Pleiades,” he said. “If anybody does want to get out there with a pair of binoculars or a telescope tonight and they’re going to go looking for Jupiter and Mercury, just be particularly careful to not point their telescope anywhere close to the sun, as that can cause damage to your eyesight,” he said.Ĭameron said there would be an interesting star cluster near the line of planets. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. For more information see our Privacy Policy. Twilight is the time between day and night when the Sun is below the horizon but its rays still light up the sky. Astronomical twilight in Nashville, Tennessee. It is the earliest stage of dawn in the morning and the last stage of dusk in the evening. Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. Astronomical twilight is the darkest of the 3 twilight phases.
