Pocket Sky-Atlas Challenges for May

May Sky

We find ourselves beneath the Great Bear. She has woken from winter’s long sleep and slowly makes her steady journey to summer’s feeding grounds; as do so many amateur astronomers, finding themselves empty, needing as many full meals of starlight as possible.

May skies do not leave us starving or even wanting. Twilight and cloudlessness cause us to strain our eyes, looking for those first flecks of distant light. Even the moon seems more attractive. We start to look for those familiar sign posts that have guided us in these hunting grounds. The patterns are recognized, and our minds find images start to form from past experience, of treasures we have seen. And we are beckoned, drawn into the night, with just a little euphoria, knowing that sensations await.

I’ve indexed the object to its star chart page.

Naked Eye

 

Castor and Pollux Page25 ;

Izar, Page 53;

Zubeneschamali, Zubenelgenubi Page 56;

Eltanin, Page 63.

Larger Scopes

 

NGC 5363, NGC 5364 Page 44;

NGC 4612, UGC 6887, M60, M59, M58, NGC 4435, NGC 4435, Page 45;

NGC 4038, NGC 4039, Page 47.

 

Late May

 

Alphecca, Page 53;

Antares, Page 56;

Sulafat and Sheliak, Page 63.

Bonus Objects

 

NGC 5694, NGC 5850, NGC 5846, Page 46;

NGC 6760, IC 4756, Page 65.

 

Small Scopes and Binoculars

 

Mebsuta Page25 ;

M71, Page 64;Brocchi’s Cluster, Page 65;

NGC 6814, M72, M73, Page 66;

M11, M26, M18, Page 67;

NGC 7662, M103, M52, Page 72;

NGC 7039, M39, M29, Page 73.

 

 

Happy Hunting!

Published with permission of John Kulczycki, 2012 all rights reserved.

About the Author

I’ve been a freelance writer for more than 20 years, but I’ve been an amateur astronomer for longer than that. Astronomy is the one science that everyone can try and make significant contributions. All you need to do is take the first step and go outside to enjoy then night sky.

I’ll see you there!