{"id":57865,"date":"2024-04-29T08:42:05","date_gmt":"2024-04-29T08:42:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/f0f3411c-f21e-454f-8c7b-aef3022484c9"},"modified":"2024-04-29T09:08:22","modified_gmt":"2024-04-29T09:08:22","slug":"planet-heaven-is-coming-later-in-2024-this-month-can-you-spot-saturn-and-mars-beside-a-thin-crescent-moon","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/planet-heaven-is-coming-later-in-2024-this-month-can-you-spot-saturn-and-mars-beside-a-thin-crescent-moon\/","title":{"rendered":"Planet heaven is coming later in 2024. This month can you spot Saturn and Mars beside a thin crescent Moon?"},"content":{"rendered":"

See Saturn and Mars next to the Moon this month. <\/p>

By Pete Lawrence\n <\/p>

Published: Monday, 29 April 2024 at 08:42 AM<\/p>

\n\n

There\u2019s no getting away from the fact that May 2024 isn\u2019t a month for planets, but your best bet for planetary observing could well be Saturn.<\/p>

None of the major planets is even moderately well placed this month, a rather unusual situation overall.<\/p>

The best is Saturn, but even this is a bit of a challenge!<\/p>

Although not ideal during May, things will improve soon, and the second half of 2024 is set to be planet heaven.<\/p>

Get weekly stargazing tips by signing up to receive the BBC Sky at Night Magazine e-newsletter<\/a> and listening to our Star Diary podcast<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Saturn\u2019s rings as they\u2019ll appear through a telescope in late May 2024. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Observing Saturn in May 2024<\/strong><\/h2>

Saturn is currently in the morning sky but not well positioned. It\u2019s located in eastern Aquarius, rising around 04:20 BST (03:20 UT) on 1 May.<\/p>

On this date the planet has a magnitude of +0.8 and is only ever located in the brightening dawn twilight, so it will take a bit of finding.<\/p>

As May progresses, Saturn\u2019s position improves marginally and it\u2019s able to reach an altitude of around 10\u00b0 under reasonably deep twilight.<\/p>

This is still too low for serious telescopic observation, low altitude causing all sorts of distortions through the eyepiece of a telescope.<\/p>

Read our guide for tips on how to observe Saturn with a telescope<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>

\"Chat
Chat showing the location of Saturn and Mars on 4 and 5 May, when both will be next to a thin crescent Moon. Click on the chart to expand. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Saturn meets the Moon<\/strong><\/h2>

With the naked eye or binoculars, look out for a 20%-lit waning crescent Moon 3.3\u00b0 east of Saturn on the morning of 4 May.<\/p>

They should be visible in the same binocular field of view, very low above a flat east-southeast horizon around 04:40 BST (03:40 UT).<\/p>

The Moon pays a second visit on 31 May, this time as a 45%-lit waning crescent, 3.2\u00b0 to the southwest of the planet.<\/p>

Catch both objects together after 03:30 BST (02:30 UT) on this date.\u00a0<\/p>

Saturn\u2019s overall position won\u2019t improve much this side of the summer solstice, but the improvement afterwards will be rapid.<\/p>

If you do manage to grab a view of the planet through a telescope, its rings are now showing a very shallow tilt angle.<\/p>

This guide appeared in the May 2024 issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine<\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n

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