Sunday, May 22, 2016

The Sky Is Cheap Entertainment: The Planets Dance With The Moon This Week

Saturn Dances with the Moon
http://www.space.com/32945-moon-near-saturn-sunday-skywatching.html

While the celestial object of the moment is no doubt Mars, thanks to its closest approach to Earth in more than 10 years, on May 30, another planet will be attracting its own share of admirers in the coming weeks.
As summer kicks into gear, the top target of star parties and balmy outdoor astronomy gatherings will almost certainly be Saturn, the "Lord of the Rings."
- See more at: http://www.space.com/32945-moon-near-saturn-sunday-skywatching.html#sthash.nLGUG5fa.dpuf
While the celestial object of the moment is no doubt Mars, thanks to its closest approach to Earth in more than 10 years, on May 30, another planet will be attracting its own share of admirers in the coming weeks.
As summer kicks into gear, the top target of star parties and balmy outdoor astronomy gatherings will almost certainly be Saturn, the "Lord of the Rings."
- See more at: http://www.space.com/32945-moon-near-saturn-sunday-skywatching.html#sthash.nLGUG5fa.dpuf
May 2016 guide to the 5 bright planets

http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/visible-planets-tonight-mars-jupiter-venus-saturn-mercury#saturn 

Earth passes between Mars and the sun on May 22, bringing Mars to opposition in our sky for the first time in two years. Saturn, near Mars (and the star Antares) on the sky’s dome, ascends in the east at early-to-mid evening. Once Mars and Saturn are up, they’re out for rest of the night, near each other, getting brighter, heading toward their brightest and best in late May.

Brightest Mars in 10 years

http://earthsky.org/tonight/brightest-mars-in-over-ten-years 

Tonight – May 22, 2016 – Mars comes to opposition in our sky for the first time in over two years. It’s the brightest that Mars has appeared in our sky, though, in over 10 years! Mars is now very nearly the same brightness as Jupiter, which has been the brightest starlike up each evening for some weeks. You can’t miss it! Even the drenching moonlight of the waning gibbous moon, just past full on this date and near Mars in the sky, won’t be able to wash the Red Planet from the nighttime sky. 

And just for fun--

Van Morrison Moondance 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo3JznMhpWc 

 

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