This Week’s Sky at a Glance, May 13 – May 20 ~by Curt Nason
The constellation Coma Berenices, or Berenice’s Hair, is high in the south at 10 pm this week, between the tail of Leo the Lion and kite-shaped Boötes. It is the only constellation with a mythological tale based on a real person. In the fourth century BC, King Ptolemy Soter of Egypt went to war against Assyria. His worried wife Berenice made a vow to the goddess Aphrodite that she would sacrifice her beautiful locks if he returned safely. He did return and she kept her vow against his wishes. When he visited the temple the next day he discovered the hair had been stolen, and he threatened to kill the temple priests. The court astronomer claimed that Zeus had taken the hair and placed it in the sky for all to admire, and that night he showed Ptolemy a cluster of stars. The Coma Star Cluster can be seen with the naked eye in rural areas, and fills the field of view in binoculars. At one time it was considered to be the tuft of Leo’s tail.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:49 am and sunset will occur at 8:41 pm, giving 14 hours, 52 minutes of daylight (5:55 am and 8:44 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 5:41 am and set at 8:50 pm, giving 15 hours, 9 minutes of daylight (5:48 am and 8:52 pm in Saint John).
The Moon rises with Saturn just after 11 pm on Saturday, May 13, and it is at third quarter on Thursday. Jupiter is highest in the sky and at its best observing at 10:30 pm, while Mars is setting around that time. Brilliant Venus dominates the morning sky, but also look for Mercury to its lower left as the elusive planet reaches its greatest elongation from the Sun on Wednesday. With the Moon out of the sky later in the week, try for comet C/2015 V2 Johnson in the constellation Boötes with binoculars or a small scope. See the Heavens-Above website for a map.
The provincial club, RASC NB, meets on Saturday, May 13, at 1 pm in Room 203 of the UNB Fredericton Forestry / Earth Sciences Building. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason.