Earth & Sky

Moon, Antares rendezvous on night of May 20-21

Tonight's Sky for Tuesday, May 20 2008

Our chart shows the waning gibbous moon and the star Antares for around the middle of the night. If you have a clear horizon – with no trees or mountains to block the view – you might see the moon with Antares rising over your horizon as early as mid-evening.

Otherwise, it could be late tonight before you see the moon and Antares. The moon and Antares won’t even climb as high as the winter solstice sun does in deep, dark December.

Last night, the full moon shone to west (right) of the moon. Tonight, the moon will be east (left) of the Scorpion star. Antares wins acclaim for being one of the brightest stars of the Zodiac – the band of stars in front of which the sun, moon and planets travel. Therefore, the moon occults – passes in front of – Antares in predictable cycles. In fact, the moon will occult Antares every single month this year.

There will be an occultation of Antares tonight, but we won’t be able to witness it from North America. You have to be in South Africa, the southern half of Madagascar or eastern Brazil to see it.

Written by Bruce McClure , 20 May 08