The month of May is special for astronomy lovers, bringing with it a series of unforgettable events in the galaxy. So, the astronomical calendar for May promises real breathtaking events. It is important to note that all geolocation coordinates and dates mentioned here use the sky do Brasil (DF) as a reference point and may differ slightly depending on where you are in the country. Check out!
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Calendar of astronomical events in May
- 01/05
The month began with the planets Venus and Jupiter in conjunction during the night (03:30 – 06:30), in the region of the Western Constellation of Pisces. They were so close that it was hard to tell them apart.
- 03/05
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket launched the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Operations and NASA's Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) to the Moon from New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula Zealand.
- 04/05 – 06/05
Peak activity of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower (02:25 – 06:00), generated by debris from the famous Comet Halley, in the Western Constellation of Aquarius, in the eastern region of the sky.
- 08/05 – 10/05
η-Lyrids meteor shower in the region of the Western Constellation of Lyra (00:20 – 06:30), close to the northern horizon.
- 09/05
The Moon was close to Regulus, the brightest star in the Western Constellation of Leo, between 5:20 pm and 11:59 pm.
- 05/13 and 14
The Moon will be close to the Spica binary star system, the brightest point in the western constellation of Virgo, around 5:40 pm to 2:30 am.
- 05/15 and 16
A total lunar eclipse (00:29), also known as a Blood Moon, will be visible from North and South America, Europe, Africa and parts of Asia. The Moon will begin to pass through the Earth's shadow at 23:28 on Sunday (15) and will end at 02:55 on Monday (16).
- 05/16 and 17
The Moon will be close to Antares, the brightest star in the Western Constellation of Scorpio, from 7:40 pm to 6:30 am.
- 19/05
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will launch Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) in a second test launch, dubbed OFT-2.
- 29/05
Conjunction between the planets Mars and Jupiter in the region of the Western Constellation of Pisces, scheduled to take place from 2:40 am to 6:30 am.
- 31/05
To end this month full of astronomical events, it is possible to have a brief but intense meteor display, thanks to a comet that broke up in 1995 and is apparently still falling apart decomposing.
