Photo courtesy of tonynetone’s photostream
The annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower is expected to peak this weekend. The mornings of May 5 and 6, 2012 are probably best for meteor-watching. But the largest full moon of 2012 on May 5 – what many are calling a supermoon – will drown these meteors in its glare. The best you can hope for is a diminished display, with faint meteors occasionally visible against a bright sky background. Or you might see a bright meteor or two streaking along in the supermoon’s glare, worth the wait.
Is biggest and closest full moon on May 5, 2012 a supermoon?
Why does the Eta Aquarid meteor shower favor the Southern Hemisphere?
Last night's moon (May 3, 2012). The moon you'll see tonight is still waxing toward the May 5 supermoon. Photo from EarthSky Facebook friend Ken Christison. Many thanks for sharing, Ken!
The moon is now waxing to the much heralded May 5, 2012 supermoon. That is, the moon on the night of May 5 will be both full and at its closest to Earth for this year. Will it appear bigger or brighter to the eye than other full moons? Astronomers say no, but that won’t stop all of us with clear skies from enjoying this wonderful May full moon, at its closest.
By the way, ancient Greek astronomers used an instrument called a diopter to directly measure the moon’s angular diameter. So they knew of the moon’s varying distance from Earth – that the moon got closer to Earth, then farther away – thousands of years ago.
The bright moon on May 4, 5 and 6 2012 obscures the Eta Aquarid meteors. But the moon guides you to the planet Saturn and star Spica before dawn on Saturday, May 5
So the big, close full moon will drown the 2012 Eta Aquarid meteor shower in its glare. But, as a consolation prize, tonight’s bright moon guides you to the planet Saturn and Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden. The brilliant waxing gibbous moon and Saturn both shine in front of Virgo tonight, though the moon will leave Virgo to enter the constellation Libra later this weekend. Meanwhile, Saturn will remain in front of Virgo until December 2012.
Virgo? Here’s your constellation
When no moon is in the sky to spoil the show, you typically see 10 to 20 meteors per hour at mid-northern latitudes and perhaps twice that number in the Southern Hemisphere, for the Eta Aquarid shower. This shower is like most others in that the best time to watch tends to be during the wee hours before dawn.
Tonight's moon near Saturn and Spica from a friend on Facebook, Arthur Seabra. Thank you, Arthur!
Click here to expand image above
The Eta Aquarid meteors, in particular, are strictly for night owls or early risers, if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere. This shower’s radiant point doesn’t rise over our horizons until around 2 or 3 a.m. The meteors are few and far even then, but the wee hours are a time for catching earth-grazing meteors in this shower. An earth-grazer is a long, slow, colorful meteor that horizontally streaks the sky.
The closer to dawn, the more Eta Aquarid meteors you’re likely to see. These meteors are extremely fast and often bright, striking Earth’s atmosphere at 66 kilometers – about 41 miles – per second. Many of the brighter meteors leave persistent trains – glowing ionized gas trails – for a few moments after their fiery plunge. You’re not likely to see many of these trails in the bright moonlight in 2012, however.
Three planets – Mars, Saturn, Venus – at nightfall throughout May 2012
Bottom line: There’s good news and bad news. Good news: the 2012 Eta Aquarid meteors will probably produce the most meteors during the predawn hours on Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6. Bad news: the light from the closest and largest full moon of 2012 – the supermoon – is sure to wash out all but the brightest Eta Aquarid meteors. Good news: you’ll probably see a few meteors streaking along in the moon’s glare, plus the moon will guide your eye to the planet Saturn and the star Spica on May 5. Have fun.
Is biggest and closest full moon on May 5, 2012 a supermoon?
Your website is very cool and informative! I always check. Thumbs up from the Philippines! ;)
Thanks Linard!
so cool !!
Wow this is amazing. I can’t wait to see Saturn unite!!
This is my favorite website ever! I go on it once every 5 years.
[...] catch a glance of al naturale fireworks this weekend. The annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower will peak this weekend, too. The Eta Aquarid meteors — named because of their apparent location in the constellation [...]
IF METEORS ARE MAKING CONTACT WITH THE EARTHS ATMOSPHERE AT THIS RATE THEN MAYBE YOU COULD SEE METEOR CONTACT WITH THE MOONS ATMOSPHERE OR SURFACE DURING THIS FULL SUPERMOON.WHY NOT CHECK FOR THIS DURING ALL METEOR SHOWERS AT ALL PHASES ?
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!And I thought the Illnois Glacial Lobe named by Frank Leverette
in 1899 was the penultima……………………..goes to show you we learn some-
thing everyday…Eh???????????????Cheers, regards, and kiss a cow!!!!!!!!!!!!
The moon is so beautiful here in North Florida. There is a very very bright star – I’m not sure which planet that is. I thought the skies were full of planes since we live near an airport…but they were STARS! Who sees stars anymore in the city? They are like lightening bugs!
Wow, my grandson loves this site and also have some of moms friends and mom looking at the sky with us now.
Great–now if I just knew when the Moon was setting I could get up and see it through the trees-
at what time will the super moon appear ? if im in sand diego what will be the best time for me to go outside
May 4 8;49
what will be the best time for me to go outside and look at the super moon if im in the san diego area?
May 4 8:51
at waht time does the super moon start if im in the san diego area ?
at waht time does the super moon start if i am in the san diego ca area?
Am looking at, I believe Saturn and it appears in eclipse, from the earth. Is that right or is my telescope in seriouse need to be cleaned?
Mark, it’s Venus. See my response to Mary, below.
Tonight as we were looking at the planets, the brightest one was all of a sudden the shape of the crescent moon. Something passed in front of it. As we watched closer we could see the shape of either a moon or a star to the northwest of the planet. Got us all excited because we don’t know what we saw. What did we see???
Mary, you were looking through a telescope?
The brightest planet up in the evening is Venus. It’s in the west after sunset. And yes, it’s in a crescent phase now. Venus will pass between the Earth and sun on June 5/6. So its day side is facing mostly away from us now ….
The phase of Venus will continue to wane throughout May. It’ll be a very interesting things to watch, if you have a telescope.
Thanks for dropping by.
Deborah
[...] and awesome that it will prevent us from seeing the meteor shower at its peak. (Check it out HERE for the astronomy side of the of the deal). Last night, the moon was pretty bright, even hidden [...]