Mercury and Mars are rather close to the sun and not visible.
Venus is about at its highest and can be seen from about 9.20 pm to nearly 0.50 am in constellation of Gemini.
Jupiter sets just after midnight and can be seen from 9.35 pm to about 2.00 am in constellation of Cancer.
Saturn can be seen nearly the whole night low in the South from 9.50 pm to 4.10 am in constellation of Libra.
Sun rise today Wednesday 20 May is at 5.00 am, and the Sun will set at 9.05 pm.
Moon First Quarter Sunday 25 May.
Wednesday 20 May
At 10.52 pm a bright Iridium flare in the West at an altitude of 24° in the constellation of Cancer. Only 7 minutes later, at 10.59 pm another flare appears in the West at an altitude of 22° in the constellation of Cancer, nearly at the same place as the previous flare. At 11.50 pm an exceptional multi moon and shadow event starts for 75 minutes on Jupiter: 2 moons, Io and Calisto, and 1 shadow, from Ganymede, are in front of Jupiter. You will need a small telescope to see though.
At 1.05 am in the morning an exceptional multi moon and shadow event starts for 31 minutes on Jupiter: 2 moons, Io and Calisto, and 2 shadows, from Io and Ganymede, are in front of Jupiter. You will need a small telescope to see though. And at 1.36 am a multi moon and shadow event starts for 32 minutes on Jupiter: 2 moons, Io and Calisto, and 1 shadow, from Io, are in front of Jupiter. You still will need a small telescope to see.
At 1.43 am an Iridium flare appears South at an altitude of 54° in the constellation of Hercules. The International Space Station, ISS appears at 3.29 am South South West at an altitude of 15°. Culmination, or highest appearance at 3.31 am in the South South East at an altitude of 28°. ISS disappears at 3.36 am in the Eastern horizon.
The Moon is in Maximum Libration East and Mare Crisium limb is tipped into Earth’s view at 3.37 am. At 6.08 am The Moon is in Maximum Libration North: North Pole and Mare Frigoris are tipped into our view. This is not visible for us as Moon rise is at 8.09 am in the morning of Thursday.
Thursday 21 May
Today in 1916, Daylight Saving Time was introduced in Britain as a war-time measure to save fuel. The idea began when a London builder, William Willett, presented a scheme of shifting the clock to better use the hours of daylight in summer.
The Moon is about 8 degrees South of Venus at 8 pm in the constellation Gemini. Look for Earthshine on the Moon at 9.09 pm just after Sunset.
At 10.53 pm an Iridium flare appears in West North West at an altitude of 22° in the constellation of Cancer. At 11.01 pm on Jupiter the Great Red Spot transits. You will need a binocular or small telescope to see. At about 11.20 pm the Moon is close to Lam Gem with a Limb separation of 1.54° or 3.02 lunar diameters.
ISS comes out of Earth’s shadow and appears at 2.39 am South South East at an altitude of 19°. Culmination just after at 2.40 am South South East at an altitude of 20° and disappears at 2.44 am in the Eastern horizon. At 3.30 am a flare appears in twilight in the East South East at an altitude of 44° in the constellation of Delphinus. Not long before Sunrise ISS appears again at 4.11 am West South West, culmination at 4.15 am in the South South East at an altitude of 54° and disappears at 4.21 am in the Eastern horizon.
Friday 22 May
Look for Earthshine on the Moon from 9.09 pm just after Sunset onwards. The Moon “sits” in between Jupiter and Venus but more Southwards.
At 10.56 pm a flare appears in the West North West at an altitude of 19° in the constellation of Gemini.
A very nice challenge to see a very short ISS appearance at 1.48 am in the South East at an altitude of 12° but disappears already 4 minutes after, at 1.52 am in the Eastern horizon. At exact 3 am Saturday morning, Saturn is in opposition, exactly opposite of the Sun. At 3.08 am a bright Iridium flare appears South East at an altitude of 46° in the constellation of Delphinus. At 3.21 am ISS appears once more, passing the bright star Altair in Aquila South West at an altitude of 15°. Culmination at 3.23 am South South East at an altitude of 42° and disappears at 3.29 am in the Eastern horizon. At 4 am Saturn is closest approach and distance to our Earth and is 8.967 AU. Explanation: 1 AU (Astronomical Unit) is the distance from the Earth to the Sun.
Saturday 23 May
At 10.50 pm, an Iridium flare appears West North West at an altitude of 20° in the constellation of Gemini. Look for the Earthshine on the Moon just after 11 pm. The Moon is close to Jupiter. Another Iridium flare appears just before midnight at 11.58 pm in the West South West at an altitude of 44° in the constellation of Coma Berenices.
At 0.40 am Transit of the Great Red Spot on the planet Jupiter. Use a small telescope of binocular to view. Look for Jupiter which is close to the Moon just before Moon set at 1 am. Limb separation is 6.12° or 12.27 lunar diameters. ISS appears at 2.30 am in the South at an altitude of 26°. Culmination is not long after at 2.31 am in the South South East at an altitude of 31°. ISS disappears at 2.36 am in the Eastern horizon. ISS appears once more right high in the sky during twilight at 4.03 am West South West horizon, culmination at 4.07 am South at 66° and disappears at 4.12 am in the East horizon.
Sunday 24 May
At 10.54 pm a bright Iridium flare appears West North West at an altitude at 17° in the constellation of Gemini. Look for the Earthshine on the Moon when it is dark enough after 11 pm. The Moon is left of Jupiter and right of Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. There is also a fainter star nearby the Moon. It is the star Subra, or Omi Leo, which has a Limb separation of only 0.35° or 0.71 lunar diameters. At 11.52 pm, there is another bright Iridium flare in the West South West at an altitude of 43° in the constellation of Coma Berenices.
A low and short appearance of ISS at 1.39 am in the South East at 21° and already disappears 5 minutes later at 1.44 am in the East horizon. But ISS appears again at 3.12 am in the West South West at an altitude of 12°. Culmination at 3.15 am in the South South East at 58°. ISS disappears at 3.20 am in the East horizon. Very tricky and difficult to see, when ISS appears a 3rd time at Sunrise at 4.46 am in the West horizon. Culmination at 4.51 am in the South at 64° and ISS disappears at 4.57 am in the East South East horizon. Sunrise is at 4.53 am.
Monday 25 May
Today in 1961, the formal announcement of an American lunar landing was made by President John F. Kennedy speaking to the Congress: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. No single space program in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important in the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.”
First quarter Moon at 18.18 pm. This is the 2nd smallest first quarter moon of the year. Former smaller first quarter moon was 7th May 2014. Next smaller first quarter moon is on 24th June 2015.
Venus gets closer to the main stars of Gemini: Pollux and Castor. At 10.05 pm an Iridium flare appears North North West at an altitude of 15° in the constellation of Andromeda. Another flare at 10.57 pm West North West at an altitude of 15° in the constellation of Gemini. And another fainter flare at 11.46 pm West South West at an altitude of 44° in the constellation of Leo.
A very short and very low ISS appearance in the early Tuesday morning at 0.49 am in the East South East at 11° and disappears after 3 minutes at 0.52 am in the East horizon. Do not miss this extremely bright Iridium flare at 1.21 am in the South at an altitude of 56° in the constellation of Hercules.
At 2.20 am Transit of the Great Red Spot on the planet Jupiter. Use a small telescope of binocular to view. ISS appears again at 2.21 am South West at 25°. Culmination at 2.23 am South South East at 46°. ISS disappears at 2.28 am in the East horizon. A double Iridium flare appears with 5 seconds between each at 2.58 am South East at an altitude of 48° in the constellation of Sagitta.
ISS appears once more, high up in the sky at 3.54 am at the Western horizon. Culmination at 3.59 am in the South at 69°. ISS disappears at 4.04 am in the East horizon.
Tuesday 26 May
An Iridium flare appears at 11 pm low West North West at an altitude of 13° in the constellation of Gemini. At 11.10 pm Moon in apogee. Distance moon center to earth center is 404282.7 km or 251209 miles and 1097 yards.
ISS appears out of the Earth shadow at 1.30 am South South East at an altitude of 34°. Culmination a minute later at 1.31 am South South East at 35°. ISS disappears at 1.36 am in the East horizon. And if you do not have enough, another ISS appearance. ISS appears at 3.03 am in the West low at 7°. Culmination at 3.07 am South at 68° and ISS disappears at 3.12 am in the East horizon. Finish off the morning with a flare in twilight at 4.17 am East at an altitude of 27° in the constellation of Andromeda. But the challenge is at Sunrise ISS appears at 4.38 am at the West horizon. Culmination at 4.43 am South South West at 50°. ISS disappears at 4.49 am in the East South East horizon. Sunrise is at 4.51 am.
Wednesday 27 May
At 10.59 pm an Iridium flare appears West North West at an altitude of 12° in the constellation of Gemini. Another flare only 5 minutes later at 11.04 pm West North West at an altitude of 11° in the constellation of Gemini at nearly the same place.
ISS has a short appearance at 0.39 am East South East at 22° and only 5 minutes after ISS disappears at 0.44 am in the East horizon. A good appearance is at 2.12 am West South West at 15°. Culmination at 2.15 am in the South at an altitude of 61°. ISS disappears at 2.20 am in the East horizon. ISS appears once more at dawn at 3.46 am at the West horizon. Culmination at 3.51 am in the South at 61°. ISS disappears at 3.56 am in the East South East horizon.