Australian Sky Telescope MayJune 2017

http://www.skyandtelescope.com.au 47

by Con Stoitsis METEORS

Catch a falling star

M

eteoractivityrampsupinthewintermonths, with

May to early August being a most productive time of

the year for southern observers. For a start, there’s

the Eta Aquarids, active between April 19 and May 28 and

with a broad maximum around May 5/6. The meteors are

often fast and bright (the average magnitude is 2.7) and

many of them leave a trail.

Many minor meteor showers are active during May and

June, and sporadic meteor rates are also at their best. Sporadic

meteors are random ones not associated with any particular

shower. These meteors are best seen around 4:00am local

time, when our eastern night-time sky is facing in the same

direction as our planet is travelling in its orbit around the

Sun. Thus, not only are meteors swept up that are heading

toward the Earth, but Earth’s movement through space allows

it to catch up with some of the slower meteors and pull them

in. In the evening we’re facing away from the direction of

the Earth’s orbit, and the only meteors reaching us are those

which are overtaking us in our orbit.

In the next issue, I’ll be covering the Piscis Austrinids,

Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids, three

showers that often put on a good show from early July to

mid-August.

■ CON STOITSIS is the director of the Astronomical Society of
M. LEWINKSI/FLICKRVictoria’s comet and meteor sections.

S Sporadic meteors can appear at any time in any part of the sky.

E W

N

S

MAY 2017

Phases

First Quarter 3rd, 02:47 UT

Full Moon 10th, 21:42 UT

Last Quarter 19th, 00:33 UT

New Moon 25th, 19:44 UT

Distances

Apogee 12th, 20h UT

406,210 km

Perigee 26th, 01h UT

357,207 km

JUNE 2017

Phases

First Quarter 1st, 12:42 UT

Full Moon 9th, 13:10 UT

Last Quarter 17th, 11:33 UT

New Moon 24th, 02:31 UT

Distances

Apogee 8th, 22h UT

406,401 km

Perigee 23rd, 11h UT

357,937 km

EVENTS OF NOTE

May Australian Eastern Standard Time

2 Mercury stationary

4 Occultation of Regulus by the Moon

7 Mars 6° north of Aldebaran

8 Jupiter 2° south of Moon

14 Saturn 3° south of Moon

18 Mercury greatest elongation west (26°)

22 Venus 2° north of Moon

23 Uranus 4° north of Moon

24 Mercury 1.6° north of Moon

27 Mars 5° north of Moon

June

1 Regulus 0.3° north of Moon

3 Venus greatest elongation west (46°)

4 Jupiter 2° south of Moon

10 Saturn 3° south of Moon

10 Jupiter stationary

12 Mercury 5° north of Aldebaran

15 Saturn at opposition

21 Venus 2° north of Moon

21 Solstice

21 Mercury in superior conjunction

23 Aldebaran 0.5° south of Moon

28 Regulus 0.3° north of Moon ANTONÍN RÜKL

Winter is a fine time of the year

for meteor enthusiasts.