Download NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST

Starmap
DAVIS PLANETARIUM
MAY/JUNE 2017
601 Light Street • Baltimore’s Inner Harbor
410.685.5225 • www.marylandsciencecenter.org
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TO USE MAP:
Hold the map in front of you so that the direction you are facing is on the
bottom. The stars on the lower half on the map will match up with the stars
in the sky. The center of the map is directly overhead in the sky. Constellation
and star pattern names are all capitalized. Names of stars have only the first
letter capitalized. The map is valid within an hour of:
11:30pm Mid-May EDT
9:30pm Mid-June EDT
MAGNITUDE is a measure of a star’s brightness.
The lower the number, the brighter the star
1st or brighter magnitude star
2nd magnitude star
3rd magnitude star
4th or fainter magnitude star
ECLIPTIC:
The imaginary path of the Sun through the year.
Constellations of the Zodiac surround the Ecliptic
and the Moon and planets appear along it.
Starmap
DAVIS PLANETARIUM
MAY/JUNE 2017
IN THE MAY/JUNE SKY
May 2
First Quarter Moon
June 1 First Quarter Moon
May 4
Moon near Regulus
June 3
Venus at greatest
elongation
(See Celestial Highlights)
May 7
Moon near Jupiter
June 9
Full Moon near Saturn
May 10
Full Moon
May 13
Moon near Saturn
June 15 Saturn at Opposition
(See Celestial Highlights)
May 17
Mercury at greatest
elongation
(See Celestial Highlights)
June 17
Last Quarter Moon
May 18
Last Quarter Moon
May 22
Moon near Venus
May 23
Moon near Mercury
May 25
New Moon
May 31
Moon near Regulus
June 20
Moon near Venus
June 21
Summer Solstice—official
start of summer!
(See Celestial Highlights)
Superior conjunction
of Mercury
June 22
Moon near Aldebaran
June 24
New Moon
June 28
Moon near Regulus
= Observatory events
MERCURY
When:
Morning sky, until
June 19
Where:
East
Constellation:
Pisces, Aries, Taurus
VENUS
When:
Morning sky
Where:
East
Constellation:
Pisces, Aries, Taurus
MARS
When:
Evening sky
Where:
Southwest
Constellation:
Taurus
CELESTIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Planet Oppositions and Conjunctions with Sun – The
astronomical term opposition describes when an object appears
opposite the sun in the sky as seen from Earth. Planets at
opposition are visible all night. Saturn is in opposition on June
15. In contrast, conjunction means that two objects appear in
the same place in the sky as seen from Earth. Mercury is in
conjunction with the Sun on June 21. Planets in conjunction with
the sun are not visible.
Planet Elongations, Mercury on May 17, Venus on June 3 –
The interior planets Mercury and Venus don’t have oppositions
from the sun but rather they have what is called an elongation.
This means they are at their farthest distance from the sun in
the sky from our perspective on Earth making it the best time
to look for these two planets. Both planets are found in the
early morning sky before sunrise, if you look toward the east the
bright non-twinkling dots in the sky are Venus and Mercury, with
Venus being the brightest.
Summer Solstice, June 21 – marks the beginning of summer for
the Northern Hemisphere with the longest hours of daylight, and
the shortest night as the North Pole is tilted towards the Sun.
MSC EVENT
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on because on
Saturday, May 20, we’re blasting off on an Astro Adventure!
From noon to 4pm, be an honorary astronaut for a day and
experience all the wonders space has to offer.
SAVE THE DATE
Total solar eclipse to cross the US on Monday, August 21 – A
total solar eclipse only happens at the new moon phase, when
the new moon passes directly in front of the sun. New moon
passes directly in front of the sun. Observing the sun requires
safe method(s). NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN! Join us at
MSC for safe solar views.
The bi-monthly STARMAP is available on the web at
http://www.mdsci.org/pdf/STARMAP.pdf
CROSBY RAMSEY MEMORIAL OBSERVATORY
INFO 410-545-2999
Free public observing nights are held Friday evenings
from 7:00-10:30pm. Please call after 5:00pm on Friday for
observing conditions.
JUPITER
When:
Evening sky
Where:
West
Constellation:
Virgo
SATURN
When:
Morning sky, May
All night, June
Where:
Southeast to Southwest
Constellation:
Sagittarius, Ophiuchus