Shropshire Sky At Night – May
With public events and gatherings off the menu, most stargazers are left to ponder the skies on their own.
Highlights this month include the conjunction of Venus and Mercury on the 22nd, which is enhanced shortly after sunset on the 24th when a young crescent moon makes an appearance, so get your camera ready.
A conjunction is when two objects tend to come together, illustrated when Shropshire Astronomical Society member Jane Newell of Baschurch photographed Venus approaching the Pleiades (seven sisters) cluster last month.
The last of this year's super moons will wash out the 'Eta Aquarids' meteor shower early in the month, which is a shame because sky pollution is greatly reduced at the moment, due to the lack of vapour trails.
For the early riser, mid month with see both Jupiter and Saturn low in south east, about 90 minutes before sunrise. A pair of binoculars or small telescope will produce magical views.
The 23rd will see the recently discovered comet Atlas make its closest approach to Earth, at a distance of 72 million miles. During the following months comet Atlas is expected to get brighter, with the potential to make it the second brightest object in the night sky besides the moon.
Forecasting the behaviour of comets is often a fruitless pursuit. Latest observations suggest that Atlas has already begun to break up but we can but hope. Finding and observing comets requires planning and making good use of the many sky charts available online or via smart phone apps.
Member Gary Williams' attempt at capturing Atlas shows what determination and perseverance can achieve. Good luck if your take up the challenge.
The International Space Station makes a good target as it is visible every day throughout the month. It makes one orbit of the Earth every 90 minutes and relies on light from the Sun being reflected to Earth, so its relative position is important. The free website heavens-above.com is an excellent tool to help you plan your search and contains a wealth of additional information.
As summer approaches we have the return of spectacular Noctilucent, or night shining, clouds, high in the sky. Like ordinary clouds they form due to water vapour but the very cold temperatures above 80km produce the reflective ice crystals which contain dust from space and meteors. Looking west 60 to 90 minutes after the sun has set and you might be lucky enough to observe these neon blue streaks.
The Shropshire Astronomical Society always welcomes experienced or novice stargazers, but unfortunately has suspended all meetings and public events for the foreseeable future. For further information visit www.shrophire-astro.uk
Steve Szwajkun is a member of Shropshire Astronomical Society
