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SCAS STARGAZER for May 2013

By Barb Yager

Last Qtr. Moon	Thursday,  2nd 7:14 a.m.
New  Moon	Thursday, 9th  8:28 p.m.
First Qtr. Moon	Saturday, 18th 12:35 p.m.
Full   Moon	Saturday,  25th  12:25 a.m.
Last Qtr. Moon	Friday, 31st 2:58 p.m.

01- Evening dusk, Venus appears on the NW horizon. Pleiades star cluster shimmers 6 degrees above Venus. Jupiter in Taurus, Bull, in the west and sets late evening. Aldebaran in the Hyades cluster between Venus and Jupiter. Saturn rises in ESE in Libra after sunset and follows Spica, in Virgo, and Corvus, Crow across the south. Globular cluster Omega Centauri shimmers low in the south. Leo, Lion, lies overhead. Arcturus sparkles in the east. The Big Dipper hangs in the north and faces the Little Dipper and Polaris, North Star. Capella, in Auriga in NW. The Beehive cluster follows Gemini Twins into NW. Procyon, Little Dog, follows Orion, Hunter, low in the west. Brilliant blue Sirius (nearby star) sparkles in Orion's Big Dog in SW. Late evening, Hercules brings Vega and the Summer Triangle higher in NE. Huge Scorpius appears on the SE horizon.

04- At 4 a.m. the waning Moon rises 3 degrees left of Neptune in Aquarius in SE.

05/06- Eta Aquarid Meteors radiate from SE 3-5 a.m. Earth cruises through dust tail remnants of long-gone Comet Halley. Weather permitting, about 50 Aquarids per/hr. may be visible from a rural site.
In the predawn, Cassiopeia arrives NNE. Pegasus rises in the east.Hercules leads Vega, in Lyra the Harp, and the vast Summer Triangle overhead. Cygnus, Swan soars within the Triangle.  Capricornus in SE. Sagittarian Teapot (center of our Milky Way Galaxy) in the south. Scorpius low in SW.

10- At dusk, the very young Moon lies next to Venus. They set early.

11-  By nightfall, the young Moon with dark Earthshine floats between Jupiter & Venus in west.

15- Tonight Venus rises to the right of Aldebaran. Mercury appears on the horizon below them.

19/21- A planetary line-up forms near the NW horizon: Jupiter above Venus & Mercury.

24- By nightfall the Full Moon leads Scorpius above the SE horizon.

25- Aim binoculars, telescopes & cameras to the Trio of Planets low in the NW. Jupiter left of Mercury; Venus 1 degree below them.

28/30- Final line up as planets switch places: Mercury above brilliant Venus and Jupiter on the horizon

Open Spaceweather.com for awesome solar, aurora photos, and flyby link for the periodic Miami Track of the Int'l Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope.

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2013 US Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT) Period: March 10 - November 3

2014 US Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT) Period: March 9 - November 2

2015 US Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT) Period: March 8 - November 1

(Source: U. S. Naval Observatory )

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GREEN LASERS ARE PROHIBITED AT ALL SCAS EVENTS! Due to recent national events, it has become necessary for the Southern Cross Astronomical Society of Miami, Florida, to completely ban the use of green laser pointers at SCAS sponsored events. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY (January 2005) any use of such devices (hand-held or attached) at SCAS Star Parties, the Winter Star Party, or any other SCAS public event SHALL BE PROHIBITED. Violation of this restriction will result in the immediate expulsion of the offending party from the SCAS event. Tim Khan, SCAS Vice- President / Director of the Winter Star Party