This week in the sky we have a meteor show peaking and the Moon dancing with some very common objects! The chart below highlights these great events.
| Date | Event |
|---|
| May 5 | η-Aquariid Meteors Peak |
| May 7 | Mars 3°N of Moon |
| May 10 | Moon in Beehive Cluster (M44) |
| May 11 | First Quarter |
The Eta-Aquariid Meteor Shower will be peaking Sunday/Monday. It is an early morning shower that is difficult to see as the morning twilight might eat a lot of the meteors. This is typically a shower for those in the Southern Hemisphere. The chart below shows the expected rate based on where you live.
| City | Suburbs | Rural | Optimal |
|---|
| 3 | 5 | 10 | 60 |
The radiant can be located in the 'Y' shape asterism within
Aquarius as shown below.
 |
| Eta-Aquariid Radiant |
The Moon will be hanging out in the
Beehive Cluster on May 10. Check out the sky shortly after the Sun goes down and stick binoculars on the Moon. You should see the Beehive just slightly to the west. A map of this event can be found below.
 |
| Moon/Beehive Cluster Conjunction |
Another great Moon event happens three evenings earlier. The Moon will be in conjunction with Mars and they will both be in the same binocular field. Also, the Crab Nebula will be in this field, however it is quite dim even for urban telescope users.
 |
| Mars |
There will be one public star night happening in Calgary this week! Come to Ralph Klein Park on Saturday, May 11 from 7:30-10:30 in the evening to take in the wonder of the night sky. Members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada will be out with their telescopes to showcase the amazing sights in the sky. This event is completely free and kid friendly! Details can be found below:
https://calgary.rasc.ca/rkp_2019a.htm
https://www.facebook.com/events/288238772118789/
| Date | Event |
|---|
| May 11 | Ralph Klein Park Star Night |
 |
| Ralph Klein Park Star Night |
Also, it is important to note that at 7pm on May 16 at the Central Branch of the Calgary Public Library we will be hosting a lecture on Black Holes and Gravitational Waves. Our speaker will be Dr. David Hobill, Professor at the University of Calgary. This free event is one you are not going to want to miss. Details can be found below.
https://www.facebook.com/events/281464452729885/
 |
| Black Hole |
If you would like to keep up to date on astronomical events happening around Calgary on the ground and in the sky follow our Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/simonjastronomy/
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