The Pleiades star cluster, meteor showers, and Venus-Moon conjunction all the sky magic show in May
There are be several exciting and interesting astronomical events in the night sky in May, including Mars passing through the Pleiades star cluster on the 5th (Monday), the peak of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower on the 6th (Tuesday), the disappearance of Saturn's rings again, and the conjunction of Venus and the Moon on the 24th (Saturday). Each of sky events has its own characteristics and is worth watching. Between May 3rd and 6th, Mars will pass through the famous Pleiades star cluster, with the closest approach being on the 5th. The Pleiades, also known as M44 the Beehive Cluster, is an open star cluster located in the constellation Cancer. This celestial body, visible to the naked eye as a hazy mist, has been observed and recorded since ancient times, but is less known due to the influence of modern light pollution. Between the 3rd and 6th, bright red Mars will pass by it, making it the best indicator. After dark, the red Mars appears in the western sky, and the Pleiades star cluster can also be found. By using binoculars, the stars that look like many little diamonds are even more beautiful. The Eta Aquarids meteor shower will reach its peak in the early morning of the 6th. The meteors will be fast and bright, and often the "meteor trails" can last for several seconds. The estimated number of zenithal meteors per hour (ZHR) is 50, and the actual viewing rate is about 20 to 30 meteors per hour. After the radiant point rises at around 1:30 a.m., there will be more meteors as it gets closer to daybreak, and the scene can be seen with the naked eye in a place with a wide field of vision and no light pollution. Another feature of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower is that within 3 days before and after the peak, the number of zenithal meteors (ZHR) per hour will reach more than 30, so the period from the 2nd (Friday) to the 8th (Thursday) are good time for viewing. Throughout May, Saturn and bright Venus rose together in the east before dawn. A crescent moon close to the waning moon visited Saturn first on the 23rd, and when Venus conjunct the moon on the 24th, the two were less than 3 degrees apart. What is particularly interesting is that at this time, the brightness of Venus, at a magnitude of -4.7, is not inferior to that of the moon. Moreover, with a small telescope with a magnification of 20 times, you can see the waxing and waning of Venus, which is close to a crescent shape, like a "small moon" next to the "big moon". It is very interesting! In addition, May 6 is Saturn's "Autumnal Equinox". Although the seasonal changes on Saturn, which is 1.5 billion kilometers away, have no effect on the Earth, the sunlight is directly shining on Saturn's equator at this time. In the absence of sunlight, Saturn's rings seem to "disappear" due to the darkness. This is also a rare and special phenomenon. The next similar situation will occur 14 years later, on Saturn's "Vernal Equinox" on January 22, 2039. For detailed information, please refer to the Taipei Astronomical Museum website.