Astronomy Events Calendar
This guide shows you what to look out for in the night sky including meteor showers and conjunctions. Each event show the moon phase so you can see what the observing conditions will be like.
What to see in May 2008
May Eta Aquarids
Monday 5th May 2008
This is mainly a southern hemisphere shower, but northern observers can see it, too. The best time to look, no matter where you live, is during the hours immediately before sunrise on Saturday morning. The Eta Aquarids are flakes of dust from Halley's Comet, which last visited Earth in 1986.
Deep Space Objects in May
Full list of Messier Objects and Caldwell Catalogue.C3 - Spiral Galaxy in Draco
This object is seldom imaged as an apparent size of over 20 arc-minutes and a very low surface brightness results in a very faint galaxy.
Right Ascension: 12h 16.7m Declination: +69° 28m Magnitude: 9C6 - "Cats Eye Nebula" Planetary Nebula in Draco
C6 is situated almost exactly in the direction of the North Ecliptic Pole. While the nebula, with its 20 arc second diameter, is rather small, it has an extended halo of matter the progenitor star has ejected during its red giant phase. This halo measures 386 arc seconds (5.8 arc min) according to observations of A.G. Millikan
Right Ascension: 17h 58.6m Declination: +66° 38m Magnitude: 8C21 - Irregular Galaxy in Cains Venactici
This irregular dwarf galaxy is part of the Canes Venaticorum group of galaxies some 12 million light years away. It is very similar to to the Large Magellanic Cloud in terms of structure and size.
Right Ascension: 12h 28.2m Declination: +44° 06m Magnitude: 9C26 - Spiral Galaxy in Cains Venactici
Right Ascension: 12h 17.5m Declination: +37° 49m Magnitude: 10
C29 - Spiral Galaxy in Cains Venactici
Right Ascension: 13h 10.9m Declination: +37° 03m Magnitude: 9
C32 - Spiral Galaxy in Cains Venactici
Right Ascension: 12h 42.1m Declination: +32° 32m Magnitude: 9
C45 - Spiral Galaxy in Bootes
Right Ascension: 13h 37.5m Declination: +08° 53m Magnitude: 10
C52 - Elliptical Galaxy in Virgo
Right Ascension: 12h 48.6m Declination: -05° 48m Magnitude: 9
C60 - "The Antennae" Spiral Galaxy in Corvus
Right Ascension: 12h 01.9m Declination: -18° 52m Magnitude: 10
C61 - "The Antennae" Spiral Galaxy in Corvus
Right Ascension: 12h 01.9m Declination: -18° 53m Magnitude: 10
C94 - "Jewel Box Cluster" Open Cluster in Crux
Right Ascension: 12h 53.6m Declination: -60° 20m Magnitude: 4
C98 - Open Cluster in Crux
Right Ascension: 12h 42.3m Declination: -62° 58m Magnitude: 6
C99 - "Coal Sack" Dark Nebula in Crux
Right Ascension: 12h 53m Declination: -63° 00m Magnitude: 0
M49 - Galaxy in Virgo
This is an elliptical galaxy in Virgo just south of the main cluster of galaxies. M49 is round patch of light with bright center gradually fading to a round halo. M49 looks like a faint fuzzy star in binoculars.
Right Ascension: 12h 29.8m Declination: 08° 00m Magnitude: 10M51 - "The Whirlpool Galaxy" Galaxy in Cains Venactici
The famous Whirlpool galaxy in Canes Venatici is a bright face on spiral with a smaller elliptical companion, NGC 5195. Look for a pair of fuzzy patches of light. The slightly larger and brighter one is M51. Make sure to spend some time here as there is almost always some spiral structure to be seen, on good nights the detail possible is unbelievable. This is a difficult but very possible object in binoculars appearing as a hazy patch of light.
Right Ascension: 13h 29.9m Declination: 47° 12m Magnitude: 8M61 - Galaxy in Virgo
This is a face on spiral galaxy just south of M49 in Virgo, but much fainter. Look for a faint, round fuzzy patch of light.
Right Ascension: 12h 21.9m Declination: 04° 28m Magnitude: 10M63 - "The Sunflower Galaxy" Galaxy in Cains Venactici
Another spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici smaller and fainter than M51, but seen more edge on so the galaxy appears as an elongated patch of light with a bright star at one end. Further inspection will show a faint halo around this patch. A difficult object in binoculars.
Right Ascension: 13h 15.8m Declination: 42° 02m Magnitude: 8M64 - "The Blackeye Galaxy" Galaxy in Coma Berenices
In a telescope this galaxy in Coma Berenices is a fairly bright, slightly oval shaped patch of light. Look for the dark lane which gives this galaxy the common name Black Eye. The galaxy appears as a faint fuzzy patch in binoculars.
Right Ascension: 12h 56.7m Declination: 21° 41m Magnitude: 9M85 - Galaxy in Coma Berenices
This elliptical galaxy lies in Coma Berenices just north of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies. This appears as a bright, but small, patch of light with a bright stellar core.
Right Ascension: 12h 25.4m Declination: 18° 11m Magnitude: 10M94 - Galaxy in Cains Venactici
Just past M63 is another galaxy in Canes Vanitici. Look for a bright fuzzy star to find the core of M94, surrounded by a faint haze. A tough binocular object.
Right Ascension: 12h 50.9m Declination: 41° 07m Magnitude: 10M101 - "Pinwheel Galaxy" Galaxy in Ursa Major
This is a large faint patch of light almost as big as the full moon. There are no real condensations so use low power and look for a brighter part of the sky, more of a change in contrast than an object at first glance, which is the galaxy. Dark skies really help in the search of this one and are a to find M101 in binoculars.
Right Ascension: 14h 03.3m Declination: 54° 21m Magnitude: 8M102 - "Spindle Galaxy" Galaxy in Draco
This object can be found rather easily and with a small telescope a bright elliptical or spindle-shaped nebulous object with a brighter core is visible. Larger telescopes show more details, in particular the dust lane and the brighter ends.
Right Ascension: 15h 06.5m Declination: 55° 45m Magnitude: 10M104 - "Sombrero Galaxy" Galaxy in Virgo
This is the well known Sombrero galaxy in Virgo. It is bright edge on spiral galaxy which looks like a bright, elongated streak. It is very possible to see in binoculars.
Right Ascension: 12h 40.0m Declination: -11° 37m Magnitude: 10
