Sky this Week

The following is a list of a few of the objects that may be seen up in the sky, this week May 11 to May 17, 2008.

International Space Station

There are no bright passes this week. Several passes are visible early in the morning before sunrise but all are low, not bright, and visible for only a minute or two.

Sun

There are no active regions visible on the solar disk as of Sunday. For those of us around 40 degrees north latitude, the sun rose at 5:51 am and set at 8:07 pm MDT on Sunday, May 11. On Saturday May 17, sunrise is at 5:45 am and sunset is at 8:13 pm MDT

Moon

Sun May 11, lunation 6.7: Moon is at first quarter at 9:47 pm MDT. Lunar 1 targets are Aristoteles, Eudoxus, Manilius, Rima Hyginus, Gemma Frisius, and Marolycus. Mon May 12, lunation 7.7: Lots of Lunar 1 targets this evening, Vallis Alpes, Montes Alpes, Mons Piton, Cassini and Cassini A, Aristillus, Autolycus, Archimedes, Palus Putredinus, Mare Vaporum, Sinus Medii, Hipparchus, J. Herschel, Ptolmaeus, Albategnius, Alphonsus, Arzachel, and Walter. Tue May 13, lunation 8.7 so Lunar 1 targets are Mare Nubium, Plato, Sinus Aestuum, Fra Mauro, Rupes Recta, Pitatus, Tycho, Magnius, Clavius and the Clavius craterlets. Wed May 14, lunation 9.7: Mare Frigoris, Promontorium Laplace, Mare Imbrium, Copernicus, Bullialdus, Palus Epidemiarum, and Longomontanus Thurs May 15, lunation 10.7: Sinus Iridium, Promontorium Heraclides, Kepler, Mare Humorum, Gassendi, and Hippalus Fri May 16, lunation 11.7: Vallis Schroter, Aristarchus, Oceanus Procellarum, and Billy Sat May 17, lunation 12.7: Sinus Roris, Reiner Gamma, and Schickard

Planets

Mercury is visible in the northwest after sunset. It is +0.9 magnitude in brightness Mars is visible about midway up in the western sky after sunset in the constellation Cancer. It is magnitude +1.4 in brightness and its disk is 5.3 arc sec in diameter. It is 91% illuminated. Distance is 165 million miles. Saturn is visible in the early evening in the south-southwest in the early evening in the constellation Leo. It is magnitude +1 in brightness and its disk is 18.2 arc sec in diameter. Distance is 853 million miles. Jupiter rises a few minutes after midnight and may be seen low in the southeast in the constellation Sagittarius. It is magnitude -2.3 in brightness and its disk is 43.2 arc sec in diameter. Distance is 423 million miles. Jupiter’s Great Red Spot may be viewed about an hour before and after the following times this week: Mon. May 12 at 04:04 am Wed. May 14 at 05:42 am Thur. May 15 at 01:33 am Sat. May 17 at 03:11 am

Asteroids

(brighter than magnitude +10, positions for 0 UT May 17, 2008) 1 Ceres is in constellation Taurus (RA: 5h 12m 23s Dec: +23d58m15s) and is magnitude +8.8 41 Daphne is in constellation Virgo (RA: 13h 22m 56s Dec: +09d 24m 00s) and is magnitude +10

Comets

(brighter than magnitude +12, positions for 0 UT May 17, 2008) C/2007 W1 Boattini is in constellation Hydra (RA: 09 45 19 Dec: -24 00 47) . It will be about magnitude +5.9 and should be visible in binoculars. The coma is a 22.5 arc min in diameter 17P Holmes is in constellation Auriga (05 50 44.82 +35 15 18.6). The coma is 1 degree in diameter and is magnitude +6.1 in brightness. C/2008 C1 Chen-Gao is in constellation Monoceres (RA: 06 54 28 Dec:+03 08 59). The coma is 13.3 arc min in diameter and it is magnitude +10.5 in brightness C/2006 Q1 McNaught is in constellation Hydra (RA: 10 01 17 Dec: -19 56 03). It is magnitude 10.6 in brightness and the coma is 1.9 arc min in diameter. C/2007 B2 Skiff is in constellation Virgo (RA: 12 00 40 Dec:+00 21 09). It is magnitude +12 in brightness and the coma is 1.6 arc min in diameter.