ASTRONOMICAL BULLETIN FOR MAY 2025

The Moon

First Quarter occurs on 4th at h. 19- 22 I.S.T.	Full Moon occurs on 12th at h 22-26 I.S.T.
Last Quarter occurs on 20th at h 17- 29 I.S.T.	New Moon occurs on 27th at h 08-32 I.S.T.
The Lunar Crescent becomes first visible after the New Moon day in the evening of 28th.
The Moon is at Apogee or farthest from the Earth on 11th and at Perigee or nearest to the Earth on 26th.

The Moon passes about 2⁰ north of Mars on 4^th, about 3⁰ north of Saturn on 22^nd, about 2⁰ north of after midnight Neptune on 23^rd, about 4⁰ north of Venus on 24^th, about 5⁰ north of Uranus on 26^th, about 5⁰ north of Mercury on 27^th, about 5½⁰ north of Jupiter after sunset on 28^th. 

The Planets

Visibility of Planets:

Mercury: The planet rises about 1 hour to ½ hour before sunrise upto 15^th of the month. From 16^th planet is too close to the Sun to be visible. The planet is in superior conjunction with the Sun on 30^th. The planet approaches the Perihelion position on its orbit or reaches nearest to the Sun on 31^st.

Venus: The planet rises about 2 hours to 2½ hours before sunrise throughout the month.

Mars: The planet sets about ½ hour after local midnight time to close to it upto first quarter of the month and close to local midnight time to about ½ hour before it upto third quarter of the month and about ½ hour to 1 hour before it for the remaining days of the month.

Jupiter: The planet sets about 3 hours to 2½ hours after sun set upto first quarter of the month, about 2½ hours to 2 hours after it upto third quarter of the month, about 2 hours to 1½ hours after it for the remaining days of the month.

Saturn: The planet rises after local midnight throughout the month. 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 and about 1½ hours to 1 hour after it for the remaining days of the month.

Uranus: The planet is not visible throughout the month.  The planet is in conjunction with Sun on 18^th of the month.

Neptune: The planet rises after local midnight throughout the month. 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 1 hour after it for the remaining days of the month.

Conjunction of Planet:

Venus passes about 2⁰ north of Neptune on 4^th.

Mercury passes about just south of Uranus on 25^th.

Mercury passes about 6½º north of Aldebaran (Rohini) on 31^st.

 

Planets	Planets in Zodiacal Constellation	Magnitude
Mercury (Budha)	Moves from Pisces (Mina) to Aries (Mesha) on 7th. Moves from Aries (Mesha) to Taurus (Vrisha) on 23rd.	+ 0.0 to – 1.6
Venus (Sukra)	Moves from Pisces (Mina) to Aries (Mesha) on 31st.	– 4.7 to – 4.5
Mars (Mangala)	Remains in Cancer (Karkata).	+ 0.9 to + 1.2
Jupiter (Brihaspati)	Moves from Taurus (Vrisha) to Gemini (Mithuna) on 14th.	– 2.0 to – 1.9
Saturn (Sani)	Remains in Pisces (Mina).	+ 1.2 to + 1.1
Uranus	Remains in Taurus (Vrisha).	+ 6.0
Neptune	Remains in Pisces (Mina).	+ 8.0

 

Source : : Head

Positional Astronomy Centre

India Meteorological Department

Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700 091.