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What’s Up in May 2023 – Skywatching Tips from NASA and Black Hole Week

Last Updated on May 2, 2023 by Solar System Ambassador Pam Roller

Here’s are some updates from our local Solar System Ambassador Pam Roller:

Credits: NASA, JPL, Preston Dyches

Planets strike a pose with the Moon, and we reach “peak Venus.” On the morning of May 13th, find the planet Saturn rising together with a third-quarter (or half-full) moon. Find them together in the southeast in the couple of hours before sunrise. Then on May 17th, a slim crescent moon rises about an hour before the Sun, and from much of the U.S. and Canada, the planet Jupiter will appear very close to the Moon. But from some southern U.S. states, you’ll be able to observe Jupiter passing behind the Moon as the pair rise in morning twilight. And from the western states, Jupiter will actually be behind the Moon, in occultation, as the pair rise. Jupiter will start to emerge from behind the Moon as the Sun comes up. Now, this will be quite low in the sky, so you’ll need a clear view of the horizon to observe it, and a pair of binoculars will be a big help as the sky begins to brighten. Next, following sunset on May 22nd through the 24th, the Moon, Venus, and Mars form a close grouping in the west. The Moon sits between the two planets on the 23rd.

Phases of the Moon are included.

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Credits: NASA, NASA Science Universe Exploration

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