On the night of the Full Moon in mid-month there will be a Lunar Eclipse. A portion of event it will appear across the country but the best part favours Eastern Canada. Cross your fingers and wish for clear skies. During the last week of May, the Moon is out of the evening sky revealing dimmer structures of the night sky. Looking north is the Milky Way forming a line from the east (the summer portion) over to the left in the west (the winter section). Under the North Celestial Pole and just above the horizon is the “Big W” (Cassiopeia).
5 Moon at Apogee 08:46
6 Night for Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower
8 1st Qtr.Moon
14 Sun enters Taurus, 09:04
16 Full Moon, Lunar Eclipse
17 Moon at Perigee 11:27
22 Last Qtr.Moon
29 Cassiopea (“W”) under Polaris on the horizon
30 New Moon
LUNAR ECLIPSE
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon orbits through the Earth’s shadow. The penumbra phase is when the Earth’s shadow progresses across the Moon, and the umbra phase is when the Moon is entirely within the Earth’s shadow. The Moon is then illuminated only by light passing through our atmosphere around the Earth’s limb. Since red light doesn’t scatter as much as blue light, the lunar disk will take on a reddish or copper colour. How dark the eclipsed Moon will appear depends on the transparency of the Earth’s atmosphere. Clouds around the Earth’s limb will block this light and the Moon may almost “disappear”.
There are two early morning total lunar eclipses visible from Canada this year. The May 16 moon will be seen in eastern Canada while it sets in the SW in the early morning when viewed from eastern Canada.
The May 16 lunar eclipse favours eastern Canada. Western Canada will see the eclipse in progress as the Moon rises at sunset.
The times of the May event are in Eastern Daylight Saving,
For your city, you need to apply your time zone correction, but not the “Ottawa Correction” table.
PLANETARY CONFIGURATIONS
PROMINENT CONSTELLATIONS BY SEASONS
Brightest Stars
Ottawa Correction Table
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One of Canada’s foremost writers and educators on astronomical topics, the Almanac has benefited from Robert’s expertise since its inception. Robert is passionate about reducing light pollution and promoting science literacy. He has been an astronomy instructor for our astronauts and he ensures that our section on sunrise and sunset, stargazing, and celestial events is so detailed and extensive it is almost like its own almanac.
