Sky ArchiveTonight

Spectacular Moon and Venus May 22

crescent moon near planet Venus

Tomorrow – May 22, 2017 – get up an hour or two before sunrise to see the moon and planet Venus, the second-brightest and third-brightest objects in the sky after the sun. The brilliant twosome will be near each other, a beautiful and compelling sight as seen from around the globe.

We’ll all be able to see these worlds shining in our dawn sky, but folks at southerly latitudes have the better view. Southern Hemisphere observers will see the moon and Venus lighting up the morning sky for a much longer period before sunrise than we will at more northerly latitudes.

Moon and Venus on May 21, 2017 by Dennis Chabot of POSNE Night Sky. These two are spectacularly close on May 22.

In fact, the farther south you are on Earth’s globe on May 22, the bigger your advantage for catching the moon and Venus in the predawn/dawn sky. For example – on May 22, 2017 at Anchorage, Alaska (61o north latitude) – the moon rises about 12 minutes before sunrise, and Venus comes up about 35 minutes before the sun. On this same date at Honolulu, Hawaii (21o north latitude), the moon and Venus both come up well over two hours before sunrise.

At the more southerly latitudes, you also have a good chance of spotting Mercury, the innermost planet of the solar system. For example, Mercury follows Venus into the sky about one and one-quarter hours before sunrise on May 22 from Honolulu, Hawaii.

From northerly latitudes, it’ll harder to catch the planet Mercury and very hard to see the old moon and Mercury before sunrise May 23.

In short, southerly latitudes have the big advantage for catching the moon, Venus and especially Mercury in the predawn/dawn sky. And, far and away, the Southern Hemisphere has the advantage over the Northern Hemisphere for watching the great morning spectacle. South of the equator, all three worlds – the moon, Venus and Mercury – climb above the horizon before the dawn’s first light. Click here for recommended almanacs, which can tell you the rising times for the moon, Venus and Mercury in your sky.

Bottom line: From around the world on the morning of May 22, 2017, you’ll find a picturesque scene in the east before dawn, as the waning crescent moon and very bright planet Venus pair up at early dawn.

Posted 
May 21, 2017
 in 
Sky Archive

Like what you read?
Subscribe and receive daily news delivered to your inbox.

Your email address will only be used for EarthSky content. Privacy Policy
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

More from 

Bruce McClure

View All