Blue Moon + meteor shower: What’s in the skies in May
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We live in a space town here in Huntsville, so perhaps what we are about to tell you here is common knowledge. But, if you need a refresher, we do have some significant astronomical events happening next month, including a rare “Blue Moon.”
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May 6/7: Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower follows April’s Lyrid meteor shower. The shower peaks during early May each year. Known for their speed, the meteors are active this year from April 20 to May 21. The meteor shower will peak the night of May 6 into the morning hours of May 7.
May 13/14: ‘Da Vinci glow’
This happens when the dark part of a crescent moon faintly glows, caused by sunlight reflecting off Earth’s oceans and clouds onto the lunar surface. The best time to view this right after sunset.
May 18/19: Venus and Jupiter Conjunction
On May 18, about an hour after sunset, the waxing crescent moon will lie close to Venus, positioning itself between Venus and Jupiter by May 19, making for a notable, tight triple-conjunction visible shortly after sunset.
May 31: Full Blue Moon
Surely you’ve heard the phrase “once in a blue moon” before. Well, that’s because this occasion—a second full moon in one month—is so rare. The name, however, is a misnomer. The Moon will not be blue in color.
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