Astronomy

The Night Sky

OUR SKIES MAY BE A LITTLE LIGHTER NOW IN THE EVENINGS, BUT THERE IS STILL SO MUCH TO SEE!

Here we are in spring and the days are warmer and getting longer and the nights - sadly for we astronomers - are getting a little shorter as the season proceeds. With so much technology available to us at the tips of our fingers these days, I thought that it would be handy for you to be able to research the details of this month's events and objects using a free application. You can download 'Stellarium' to your mobile phone or computer. 'Skysafari' provides the same details and views of objects you are interested in searching for and, if your mobile phone has an inbuilt compass, will provide live / simulated views as you point your phone at different areas of the sky. I have these apps on my devices and refer to them frequently to search for objects during an imaging session. They are full of great information and free! This month, amongst other things, we can look forward to the planets Saturn and Jupiter returning to our morning skies while Venus and Mercury will be evening objects. What is known to astronomers as 'Galaxy Season' is with us now, so with a small telescope you may be able to spot the brightest of these in the area of Virgo. A meteor shower associated with Comet 1P/Halley will peak on the 6th of the month. Later in the month we are also treated to the beautiful sight of a Supermoon!

The Moon and Planets in May

Early in the morning (5.30am) of the 3rd of the month it will be well worth the early start to catch the planet

We’re very excited to have started up this group, a place to share experiences of the night sky in France, for English-speaking residents.

By Claire Wardlaw

Claire Wardlaw, originally from Edinburgh, lives in the Charente with her husband. Since their move nearly 6 years ago, Claire has become passionate about astronomy.

Saturn rising close to a quarter Moon. On the 4th and 5th you can see Jupiter join a similar view looking south-east. On the 12th and 13th you can see a stunning thin waxing crescent Moon pass close to the planets Venus and Mercury and the bright star Aldebaron. Look to the north-west, low on the horizon just after sunset (around 10.10pm). New Moon is on the 11th this month while the very special Full Supermoon will be on the 26th. The 'Supermoon' is the name for a full moon which is at its closest to the Earth during its orbit - known as being 'at perigee'. As the orbit around the Earth is elliptical rather than circular, the Moon will be ONLY (!) 357,111km away from us and will appear 30% brighter. It should be a grand photo opportunity. If we were to pop over to the Americas, the Pacific, Australia or parts of Asia... we could view a total lunar eclipse! This is also on the 26th. I'm sure it will be given some TV coverage. On the evening of the 14th, in the twilight, the Moon will be between Mars and Mercury, while Venus will be very low on the horizon towards the north-west. Taurus and The Pleiades will also be part of this lovely view.

Object of the month The Virgo Cluster

This time of the year is known to astronomers as 'Galaxy Season'. One of the most populated areas of our night sky is close to the constellation of Virgo. It is therefore known as 'The Virgo Cluster'. This cluster is made up of 2000 galaxies. The galaxy at the centre of this enormous grouping is M87, a giant elliptical galaxy also known as Virgo A. A small telescope is needed to view this object, when it will appear as a roundish blob. The Virgo cluster of galaxies is around 65 million light years away from earth.

Shining a light on astro jargon The Ecliptic!

The word Ecliptic means 'place of eclipses'! All of the major planets, the earth and our moon orbit the sun on the same plane - the plane of the Ecliptic. At different times of the year we can observe planets, the Moon or stars apparently meeting and passing one another as they continue on their orbits. We can observe Lunar or Solar eclipses for example. When the Solar System formed, the Planets settled into their orbiting plane, like marbles sitting on a table. As you follow the journey of the Sun across the sky throughout the year you can observe that it traces the plane of the Ecliptic.

Constellation of the month - Virgo

Virgo - or 'The Maiden' - is the second largest constellation in the night sky. It can be viewed from the northern and southern hemispheres as it sits on the celestial equator. As mentioned above, it is home to many galaxies and is an area of the sky which will be much observed during the month. The easiest star to spot in Virgo is Spica (also known as Alpha Virginis). Spica, in Latin means 'ear of wheat' and marks the bounty held in the left hand of the maiden. To locate the constellation, firstly find the bright twinkling star of Arcturus. If you form an imaginary curve from the handle of the plough, through to Arcturus and continue on this same curve you will arrive at the next bright star Spica, the fifteenth brightest star in the night sky. Observe Spica for just a few minutes and you will see it display many changing colours. Virgo follows the constellation of Leo across the sky from east to west and is herself followed by the constellation of Libra. As Virgo sits on the ecliptic, it is also possible to observe the star Spica being passed or occulted by the Moon as it changes position in orbit. In Greek mythology, Virgo is usually associated with the god of justice Dike. The maiden is thought to be Astraea or 'star maiden' and has long been linked to stories of the harvest, spring and balance. Virgo can be viewed throughout the six months from March to August which may explain why the many mythological stories link her to harvest.

This month's meteor shower The Eta Aquariids

The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is associated with the comet 1P/Halley. The radiant of these meteors is well below the horizon until late in the night but you can still spot them in the eastern sky. The peak of the shower this year is on the 6th and coincides with a thin waning crescent Moon, so will therefore be a favourable time for viewing. We can expect around 40 meteors per hour and around a quarter of these will leave long persistent trains in the sky. As always, for a night / morning of meteor spotting, get outside at least half an hour beforehand to allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Lie back on a lounger or even on a blanket on the ground and ensure you have a wide

We can expect around 40 meteors per hour and around a quarter of these will leave long persistent trains in the sky