RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for the fourth week of May. We’re your hosts, Rachel...

PAUL
...and Paul.

RACHEL
Hey, Mercury’s making its best appearance for the year beginning this week.

PAUL
Begin looking for Mercury on the evening of the 18th.

RACHEL
The solar system’s smallest planet climbs higher above the western horizon for the next seven days.

PAUL
And it remains well placed for observation for another week after that.

RACHEL
Your best view is on the 25th when Mercury is at its highest above the horizon. PAUL Mercury’s not the only planet that won’t visible for long.

RACHEL
After being visible for six months, Jupiter is finally approaching the sun. PAUL It will disappear from our view in another five or six weeks.

RACHEL
As it approaches the sun, Jupiter gets closer to the climbing Mercury.

PAUL
Their closest approach is on the evening of the 24th.

RACHEL
That evening, look for bright Jupiter low in the west and fainter Mercury lower in the northwest.

PAUL
Mercury and Jupiter will be the brightest two stars between the west and northwest.

RACHEL
Their distance apart will be about the width of your outstretched fingers.

PAUL
There’s a possibly strong new meteor shower for us to watch on Saturday night the 24th.

RACHEL
The reason is that Comet LINEAR 209P is passing through the inner solar system again this May.

PAUL
Comet LINEAR is named after the automated telescope that discovered it, Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research.

RACHEL
LINEAR 209P is a faint comet with a short orbital period

PAUL
It’s so faint that it’s not visible in telescopes with lenses or mirrors larger than eight inches across.

RACHEL
Its orbital period is among the shortest of any known comet, five years.

PAUL
When first discovered, astronomers thought it was an asteroid rather than a comet.

RACHEL
A month later astronomers caught this asteroid developing a tail.

PAUL
There exists a chance that Earth will pass through the dust from its tail on May 24th.

RACHEL
If this does indeed happen, meteors from this shower will appear from the low north.

PAUL
This means it’s a good idea to observe north of Idaho City.

RACHEL
The moon is a waning crescent that night, so it won’t rise until 4:00 AM.

PAUL
Since the comet has recently past Earth, we might pass through a dense stream of rocky material left over from the comet.

RACHEL
If so, this could be a shower wonderfully filled with streaking meteors.

PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the fourth week of May. Next week the two innermost planets put on a show for Idahoans.

RACHEL
Be sure to follow us on Twitter at Idaho Skies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps. For Idaho Skies this is Rachel...

PAUL
...and Paul.

RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.