The Southern Hemisphere T

T H N

M106

M51

CANES VENATICI CANES

BOÖTES

92 M

THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE T

M63 E

N β M94

With Glenn Dawes H

γ R

Keystone Caroli Cor H α

BOREALIS

Catch the Eta Aquariid meteor shower and enjoy A

13 M

HERCULES

CORONA

Kite BERENICES

Almach

a view of the Diamond Cross in Carina, the Keel

MAJOR

COMA

3 M

URSA

NGC 4565 NGC

When to use this chart Great Diamond

Arcturus

The chart accurately matches the sky on the δ

1 May at 00:00 AEST (14:00 UT)

Sickle

64 M

dates and times shown for Sydney, Australia.

15 May at 23:00 AEST (13:00 UT)

LEO

53 The sky is different at other times as the stars M

Rasalgethi

crossing it set four minutes earlier each night. Diadem

31 May at 22:00 AEST (12:00 UT)

M86

SERPENS M87

CAPUT

M60 α ε

OPHIUCHUS MAY HIGHLIGHTS STARS AND CONSTELLATIONS δ

Rasalhague

59 M VIRGO

Eta Aquariid meteors are known to The constellation of Virgo, the Virgin M66

α M5

AURIGA

19th Alpheratz be swift, yellow and often show is home to the Great Diamond Triplet Leo

persistent trains. The shower’s radiant asterism, but Carina, the Keel has a much α

Celestial Equator Celestial

β 22nd

AQUILA β

– the point at which it appears to a more pleasing (symmetrical) group known

γ γ

terrestrial observer – is easily visible from as the Diamond Cross. Located between Regulus

β M12

0 M1

Altair

the Southern Hemisphere. In May the Musca, the Fly and the False Cross

SERPENS CAUDA

δ radiant rises in the early morning, reaching asterism, its most northerly star is Theta

M104

Ecliptic

β 25th

a reasonable altitude by the start of dawn. ( ) Carinae, the brightest member of the γ

θ β

Spica

M11

The Eta Aquariid period of activity is cluster known as the Southern Pleiades. α

R ν

from 19 April to 28 May – peaking on the The most prominent member is Beta M16

δ R δ

SCUTUM

M23 M80

LIBRA

morning of 7 May, which will also have a ( ) Carinae. At mag. +1.66 it’s the brightest

b α

CRATER

γ CORVUS

20 M E Antares 7

M1 T

25-day-old crescent Moon. star within 25° of the South Celestial Pole. γ HYDRA

M4 β A

M83 α E M25

SCORPIUS CENTAURUS α

T 8 M β Alphard

LUPUS α THE PLANETS M6 Ghost of Jupiter

28th

Presenting a challenge, Mercury and the Red Planet should be easily recognised γ γ

Teapot Venus spend May low in the evening by its colour. Saturn has now entered M7

β α twilight. Much better placed is Mars, low the evening sky, rising around 23:00 1st α ω Cen

SAGITTARIUS NORMA γ in the western evening sky and moving midmonth, followed by Jupiter around an

TAURUS γ δ towards the Gemini twin stars of Castor hour later. Morning arrivals are Neptune α α

α β CRUX ANTLIA δ and Pollux. Although of similar brightness, (around 02:00 midmonth) and Uranus. γ β β γ β CIRCINUS

AUSTRALISCORONA

β TELESCOPIUM Saturn ARA α α γ β δ γ α

β ο DEEP-SKY OBJECTS δ Jewel Box NGC 3699 δ γ α

Coal Sackβ

This month we take a deep (sky) dive shaped (2’x1’) with a fainter surface CAPRICORNUS α VELA

δ α PYXIS into the cluster of galaxies in Virgo brightness. However, this eyepiece field α PUPPIS “Peacock Star” θ MUSCAγ and Coma Berenices. Starting from the has much more to offer. M60 has a much TRIANGULUM β

AUSTRALE naked-eye star Epsilon (e) Virginis, move closer spiral galaxy companion NGC 4647 α Southern υ β δ CHAMAELEON α Pleiades 4.5° west to the pair of 10th magnitude only 2.5’ northwest. At mag. +11.4, it has a α β γ ω R δ APUS elliptical galaxies M60 (RA 12h 43.7m, fainter, evenly illuminated, circular halo γ β δ dec. +11° 33’) and M59 (23’ west-northwest (1’), nearly touching M60’s – impressive! δ Diamond α γ INDUS Cross

of M60). M60 has a bright circular halo Forming a triangle with M59/60, PAVO CARINA CETUS β β False Cross (2.5’), brightening towards the centre. southward is the elliptical NGC 4638. The OCTANS South Celestial Pole α β γ M59 also shows brightening towards smallest of the group, it has a good surface γ

the centre, but it’s smaller and more oval brightness showing off its ovality (1’x0.5’). Miaplacidus β ERIDANUS VOLANS T δ γ δ α δ E T α H SMC β γ α α W E GRUS H A T Chart key δ T β Tarantula Neb β HYDRUS PICTOR STAR α 47 Tuc δ FORNAX ASTEROID BRIGHTNESS: γ MENSA δ GALAXY DIFFUSE γ Canopus DORADO TRACK MAG. 0 NEBULOSITY LMC β OPEN CLUSTER & BRIGHTER TUCANA METEOR δ γ DOUBLE STAR MAG. +1 GLOBULAR RADIANT β β EQUULEUS MAG. +2 β CLUSTER VARIABLE STAR α QUASAR MAG. +3 PLANETARY γ MAG. +4 NEBULA COMET TRACK δ PLANET & FAINTER RETICULUM α CHART: PETECHART: LAWRENCE

PHOENIX

BBC Sky at Night Magazine May 2021 TH BBC Sky at Night Magazine May 2021

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