Sky Report, May-June 2022

Sky Report by Ted Gruber

Morning Sky

Saturn (magnitude 0.8), Mars (0.8), Jupiter (-2.2), and Venus (-4.0) are visible in the early morning southeast to east sky. Saturn currently rises around 2:00am, followed by Mars just before 3:30am, Jupiter about 3:30am, and Venus just past 4:00am.

Mercury (magnitude 2.3) joins the morning crowd in early June, rising about 30 minutes before sunrise. All five naked eye planets are then visible spanning the sky from south to east-northeast, in order of decreasing distance from the sun. On June 15, Saturn (0.7) rises about 12:15am, Jupiter (-2.4) just before 2:00am, Mars (0.6) about 2:15am, Venus (-3.9) a bit past 3:30am, and Mercury (0.7) about 4:15am. In addition, Uranus (5.8) lies south of Venus, Neptune (7.9) lies south of Jupiter, and Pluto (14.3) lies southwest of Saturn.

The last quarter moon passes about 4° south of Saturn in the early morning hours of May 22. Two mornings later, the moon passes about 3° south of Mars and Jupiter. Venus appears just north of the moon the morning of May 26, and just south of the moon the next morning.

Mars appears less than 1° south of Jupiter the morning of May 28.

Moon Phases

Last (5/22), new (5/30), first (6/7), full (6/14), last (6/20), new (6/28).