ASTRONOMICAL BULLETIN FOR MAY 2024

The Moon

Full Moon occurs on 23rd at h 19-23 I.S.T.	Last Quarter occurs on 1st at h 16- 57 I.S.T.
New Moon occurs on 8th at h 08-52 I.S.T.	First Quarter occurs on 15th at h. 17- 18 I.S.T.
Last Quarter occurs on 30th at h 22- 43 I.S.T.
The Lunar Crescent becomes first visible after the New Moon day in the evening of 9th.
The Moon is at Perigee or nearest to the Earth on 6th of this month and at Apogee or farthest from the Earth on 18th.

 

 

The Moon passes about 1⁰ south of Saturn on 4^th before sunrise, about ½⁰ south of Neptune on 5^th, just north of Mars on 5^th, about 4⁰ north of Mercury on 6^th, about 3½⁰ north of Venus on 7^th, about 3½⁰ north of Uranus on 8^th, about 4½⁰ north of Jupiter on 8^th, about ½⁰ south of Saturn on 31^st.

The Planets

Visibility of Planets:

Mercury: The planet rises about 1 hour to 1½ hours before sunrise upto second quarter of the month and about 1½ hours to 1 hour before it for the remaining days of the month. It is in Greatest Western Elongation of about 26º from the Sun on 10^th.

Venus: The planet rises about ½ hour before sunrise to close to sunrise time throughout the month.

Mars: The planet rises about 2 hours to 2½ hours before sunrise throughout the month. The planet approaches the Perihelion position on its orbit or reaches nearest to the Sun on 8^th.

Jupiter: The planet sets about 1 hour to ½ hour after sun set upto upto 5^th of the month. From 6^th planet is too close to the Sun to be visible. The planet is in conjunction with Sun on 19^th of the month.

Saturn: The planet rises about 2½ hours to 2 hours after local midnight upto first quarter of the month, about 2 hours to 1½ hours after it upto second quarter of the month, about 1½ hours to 1 hour after it upto third quarter of the month and about 1 hour to ½ hour after it for the remaining days of the month.

Uranus: The planet is too close to the Sun to be visible upto 25^th of the month and planet rises about 1 hour before sunrise for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in conjunction with Sun on 13^th of the month. 

Neptune: The planet rises about 3 hours to 2½ hours after local midnight upto first quarter of the month, about 2½ hours to 2 hours after it upto second quarter of the month, about 2 hours to 1½ hours after it upto third quarter of the month and about 1½ hours to 1 hour after it for the remaining days of the month.

 

Conjunction of Planet:

Venus passes about ½⁰ south of Uranus on 18^th.

Venus passes about just north of Jupiter on 23^rd.

Mercury passes about 1½⁰ south of Uranus on 31^st.

 

Planets	Planets in Zodiacal Constellation	Magnitude
Mercury (Budha)	Moves from  Pisces (Mina) to Aries (Mesha) on 10th. Moves from Aries (Mesha) to Taurus (Vrisha) on 31st.	+1.1 to – 0.7
Venus (Sukra)	Moves from Aries (Mesha) to Taurus (Vrisha) on 19th.	– 3.9
Mars (Mangala)	Remains in Pisces (Mina).	+ 1.1
Jupiter (Brihaspati)	Moves from Aries (Mesha) to Taurus (Vrisha) on 1st.	– 2.0
Saturn (Sani)	Remains in Aquarius (Kumbha).	+ 1.2
Uranus	Remains in Aries (Mesha).	+ 6.0
Neptune	Remains in Pisces (Mina).	+ 8.0

 

Source : : Head

Positional Astronomy Centre

India Meteorological Department

Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700 091.