OBSERVING May 2024 3 DAWN: Face east-southeast to see the waning crescent Moon, Saturn, and Mars strung out in a line a bit more than 20° long. Go to page 46 for more information on this event and others listed here. 4 DAWN: The lunar crescent hangs some 7° below left of Saturn in the eastsoutheast before sunrise. Mars is at lower left. 5 MORNING: The Eta Aquariids are expected to peak. Although this shower favors the Southern Hemisphere, viewers in the southern U.S. may catch a few meteors. The waning crescent Moon won't interfere. Turn to page 48 for details. 5 DAWN: The thin lunar sliver trails Mars by around 4½° as they rise in tandem above the eastern horizon. 12 EVENING: High in the west, the waxing crescent Moon is in Gemini, a little more than 2° left of Pollux. Watch as the pair sinks toward the westnorthwestern horizon. 15 EVENING: Face southwest to see the first-quarter Moon 3° upper left of Regulus, in Leo. 19-20 ALL NIGHT: The waxing gibbous Moon is in Virgo. Watch as the gap between it and Spica shrinks from around 4° to a bit less than 2° as they arc above the southwestern horizon. sk yand tele scope .o r g * MAY 2024 41 23 EVENING: The just-past-full Moon gleams in the southeast less than ½° lower left of Antares, the Scorpion's smoldering heart. The Moon eclipses the star for viewers in the southeastern U.S. (see page 51). 31 MORNING: Turn toward the eastsoutheast to see the waning crescent Moon less than 1° below Saturn. -DIANA HANNIKAINEN pAn Eta Aquariid meteor streaks across the Arizona sky in May 2014. Debris from Comet 1P/Halley is responsible for this springtime meteor shower. ALAN DYERhttp://skyandtelescoper.org