ASTRONOMICAL BULLETIN FOR MAY 2023

The Moon

Full Moon occurs on 5th at h.23-04 I.S.T.	Last Quarter occurs on 12th at h. 19-58 I.S.T.
New Moon occurs on 19th at h. 21-23 I.S.T.	First Quarter occurs on 27th at h. 20-52 I.S.T.
The Lunar Crescent becomes first visible after the New Moon day in the evening of 20th.
The Moon is at Perigee or nearest to the Earth on 11th of this month and at Apogee or farthest from the Earth on 26th.

 

 

The Moon passes about 3½º south of Saturn on 13^th, about 2º south of Neptune on 15^th, 1º north of Jupiter on 17^th, about 3½º north of Mercury on 18^th, about 2º north of Uranus of 19^th, about 2° north of Venus on 23^rd, about 4º north of Mars on 24^th.

  

The Planets

Visibility of Planets:

Mercury: The planet is too close to the Sun to be visible upto 12^th of the month. On 13^th it becomes visible in the eastern sky, it rises about 1 hour before sunrise upto third quarter of the month, about 1 hour to 1½ hours for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in Inferior Conjunction with Sun on 2^nd. It is at Aphelion or farthest from the Sun in its orbit on 15^th. The motion of the planet becomes Direct with respect to Earth on 15^th. It is in Greatest Western Elongation of about 25º from the Sun on 29^th. 

Venus:  The planet sets about 3 hours to 3½ hours after sunset throughout the month. 

Mars:   The planet sets 1 hour to 1½ hours before local midnight upto third quarter of the month, about 1½ hours to 2 hours before it for the remaining days of the month.

Jupiter: The planet rises ½ hour to 1 hour before sunrise upto first quarter of the month, about 1 hour to 1½ hours before it upto third quarter of the month, about 1½ hours to 2 hours before it for the remaining days of the month. 

Saturn: The planet rises about 2 hours to 1½ hours after local midnight upto first quarter of the month, about 1½ hours to 1 hour after it upto second quarter of the month, about 1 hour to ½ hour after it upto third quarter of the month, about ½ hour after local midnight to 1 hour before local midnight for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in Quadrature with Sun on 28^th.

Uranus: The planet is too close to the Sun to be visible upto 25^h of the month. From 26^th the planet rises about 1 hour before sunrise for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in Conjunction with Sun on 10^th. 

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, about 1½ hours to 1 hour after it for the remaining days of the month.

 

Conjunction of Planets:

Mars passes about 5º south of Pollux (Punarvasu) on 11^th.

Venus passes about 4º south of Pollux (Punarvasu) on 30^th.

 

 

 

Planets	Planets in Zodiacal Constellation	Magnitude
Mercury (Budha)	Remains in Aries (Mesha).	+5.4 to +0.4
Venus (Sukra)	Moves from Taurus (Vrisha) to Gemini (Mithuna) on 2nd.  Moves from Gemini (Mithuna) to Cancer (Karkata) on 30th.	–4.1 to –4.4
Mars (Mangala)	Moves from Gemini (Mithuna) to Cancer (Karkata) on 10th.	+1.4 to +1.5
Jupiter (Brihaspati)	Remains in Aries (Mesha).	–2.0 to –2.1
Saturn (Sani)	Remains in Aquarius (Kumbha).	+0.9 to +0.8
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.