A new month has just start and so NASA has come back with some confidential information on the exciting stuff to face out for over the come weeks .
Eta Aquarid meteor shower
First up is the Eta Aquarid meteor shower , which originates from Comet Halley .
“ Eta Aquarids are tight go , and a pot of them give rise dogged dust gearing that linger for seconds after the meteor ’s initial run , ” NASA says in its latest skywatching video ( top ) .
It summate that while it ’s one of the best annual showers in the Southern Hemisphere , it tends to be more low-key north of the Equator , though even there you may still expect to enjoy between 10 and 20 meteor per hr .
“ On the peak night [ on May 6 ] , the moon set by around 3 a.m. , leaving benighted skies until dawn for ideal wake condition , ” NASA suppose .
As with all meteor showers , essay to find a location away from abstemious pollution and with a full view of the sky for the best chance to see flock of shooting skies .
Planets galore!
May is also a great calendar month for picking out satellite in the Nox sky . In the hours after sundown , for model , you ’ll have a great opportunity to view Mars and Jupiter in the Occident . Mars is identifiable by its salmon - pink color , while Jupiter stands out for its brightness .
Meanwhile , other birds have a great chance to spot Venus and Saturn over throughout this month . At the present moment , they appear fairly close-fitting together but the distance between them will bit by bit increase as the week glide by .
“ For several twenty-four hour period in late May , former riser will revel a gather of the lunation with Saturn and Venus in the eastern sky before dawn , ” NASA says . “ determine as the moon exceed the two planets while becoming an more and more slimmer crescent . You ’ll find the lunation hanging between Venus and Saturn on May 23 . ”
Waiting for a nova
NASA also has some tips on how to view a nova , which is a sudden , bright blowup on the surface of a white dwarf whiz due to the speedy fusion of accumulated hydrogen from a companion star .
NASA points to consequence in a binary star organization call off T Coronae Borealis around 3,000 tripping - yr out . It comprises a crimson giant star with a smaller ashen dwarf star orbiting around it .
“ About every 80 years , the white dwarf has accumulated so much of the other star ’s H , that it combust a thermonuclear explosion — and that ’s the nova , ” NASA order .
The nova is require to pass any clip in the coming months , and astronomers think it ’ll be as undimmed as the configuration ’s brightest star , which is about as bright as the North Star , Polaris .
Be certain to watch out NASA ’s video to find out how to spot the bright light from this very especial issue , which should be viewable for several days .
Of course , all of the above count on cleared sky , so fingers cross that the clouds stay away so that you’re able to get the most out of NASA ’s skywatching tips for May .