When to use this chart

1 May at 00:00 AEST (14:00 UT) 15 May at 23:00 AEST (13:00 UT) 31 May at 22:00 AEST (12:00 UT) MAY HIGHLIGHTS

Eta Aquariid meteors are known to be swift, yellow and often show persistent trains. The shower’s radiant – the point at which it appears to a terrestrial observer – is easily visible from the Southern Hemisphere. In May the radiant rises in the early morning, reaching a reasonable altitude by the start of dawn.

The Eta Aquariid period of activity is from 19 April to 28 May – peaking on the morning of 7 May, which will also have a 25-day-old crescent Moon.

The chart accurately matches the sky on the dates and times shown for Sydney, Australia. The sky is different at other times as the stars crossing it set four minutes earlier each night.

STARS AND CONSTELLATIONS

The constellation of Virgo, the Virgin is home to the Great Diamond asterism, but Carina, the Keel has a much more pleasing (symmetrical) group known as the Diamond Cross. Located between Musca, the Fly and the False Cross asterism, its most northerly star is Theta (θ) Carinae, the brightest member of the cluster known as the Southern Pleiades.

The most prominent member is Beta (b) Carinae. At mag. +1.66 it’s the brightest star within 25° of the South Celestial Pole.

THE PLANETS

Presenting a challenge, Mercury and Venus spend May low in the evening twilight. Much better placed is Mars, low in the western evening sky and moving towards the Gemini twin stars of Castor and Pollux. Although of similar brightness, the Red Planet should be easily recognised by its colour. Saturn has now entered the evening sky, rising around 23:00 midmonth, followed by Jupiter around an hour later. Morning arrivals are Neptune (around 02:00 midmonth) and Uranus.