Transcript for May 4 - 10

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

PAUL
...and Paul.

RACHEL
A bright star appears to the lower left of the moon on the night of the 4th.

PAUL
This is the 8th brightest star and many people don’t know its name.

RACHEL
It’s called Procyon and it’s the brightest star of Canis Minor, the Little Dog.

PAUL
Procyon is a close by star at only 11.5 light years away.

RACHEL
Its closeness to Earth is one reason it appears so bright.

PAUL
Like its even brighter neighbor Sirius, a white dwarf companion star orbits Procyon.

RACHEL
The white dwarf companion of Procyon is very difficult to observe and requires a very good telescope.

PAUL
May’s meteor shower peaks on the night of the 6th and morning of the 7th.

RACHEL
The dust making up the Eta Aquarids meteor shower originated in the tail of Halley’s Comet.

PAUL
And when Earth passes through the orbit of its dust, we see meteors as the dust burns up in the upper atmosphere.

RACHEL
Unfortunately, the Eta Aquarids are not one of the best showers.

PAUL
We only expect to 12 meteors per hour from this shower.

RACHEL
Even worse, the moon is above the horizon at sunset and its light will wash out some of the shower.

PAUL
Fortunately, the moon sets by 3:30 AM.

RACHEL
So you’ll still have several hours before sunrise to observe this shower.

PAUL
You can easily find Leo the Lion on the night of the 7th.

RACHEL
That night the moon is placed just below Leo.

PAUL
If you follow the terminator of the moon straight up, you’ll run right into Regulus, the brightest star in Leo.

RACHEL
The rest of Leo is above Regulus and also to its left.

PAUL
Saturn reaches opposition on the 10th.

RACHEL
This means Saturn rises at around 8:40 PM and shines it’s brightest for the year.

PAUL
The planet’s rings are tipped wide open with respect to Earth.

RACHEL
They’re visible with modest optical aid beyond a pair of binoculars.

PAUL
An easy way to find Mars is to wait until the moon passes on the night of the 10th.

RACHEL
Mars is the yellowish-orange star to the moon’s upper left that night.

PAUL
Just beyond Mars is a fainter star in Virgo named Porrima.

RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the second week of May. Next week the moon passes close to Spica, a bright star surrounded by a sea of darkness.

PAUL
Be sure to read our blog for additional information. It’s at idahoskies.blogspot.com. For Idaho Skies this is Paul...

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.