Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Thursday May 1 to Thursday May 8
The First Quarter Moon is Sunday May 4. Jupiter and Mars are visible in the evening sky. Jupiter is close to the crescent moon on the 1st. Mars is high in the early evening sky and on the 4th and 5th Mars is close to the Beehive cluster. On the 4th Mars is also close to the first quarter Moon. Look for the constellation Corona Borealis before midnight, the blaze star T Coronae Borealis (TCrB) may go Nova eventually. The asteroid Vesta is visible nearby and is at opposition on the 2nd. Saturn, Venus and Mercury are visible in the morning twilight. The eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks on the 7th.
The First Quarter Moon is Sunday May 4.
Saturn is visible in the twilight near Venus with the crescent moon close to Mercury below.
The eta Aquariid meteor shower, which is produced by the debris from Halley’s Comet, will peak on May 7 (strictly speaking May 6, 3UT). dark sky sites could expect to see meteor every 3-4 minutes. Good rates will also be seen on the 8th.
If you look to the North just before midnight, you will see a prominent bright orange star, Arcturus, if you look northeast you will see a dainty circlet of stars. Corona Borealis, the northern crown. The blaze star T CrB is located on the right-hand side to the circlet, where the line of stars turns down, there are no other bright stars in the region, so when it erupts it will be easily visible. Viewing tips at my T CrB post.
Just above this is the asteroid Vesta, at opposition on the 2nd and theoretically visible to the unaided eye. it is roughly between the bright red Star Antares and Arcturus, two binocular widths from the bright star Beta Librae. The inset shows the approximate binocular view of Vesta, near the star 16 Librae. See my opposition of Vesta page for more details and charts.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset).
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).
Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).
Mercury begins sinking in the morning twilight.
Venus climbs higher in the morning twilight. It forms a pair with Saturn.
Mars is high in the evening sky. Mars is close to the First Quarter Moon and the Beehive cluster (M44) on the 4th.
Jupiter is sinking in the the north-western evening sky when the sky is fully dark. Jupiter forms a line with the crescent moon on May 1.
Saturn is rising in the morning the twilight. It forms a pair with Venus.
Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/
Labels: weekly sky
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