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Emirates Night Sky Events

by Ilias M. Fernini

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CELESTIAL ALMANAC

May 2012

May 04	Moon 1.9^o South of Spica (20:55) - Alt.: 42^o - Azimuth: 139^o
May 05	Meteor shower Eta Aquarids - Parent body: Halley's Thatcher - Active dates: 24 Apr - 20 May
May 06	Full Moon (07:34) - Meridian passage: 00:59 - Alt.: 45^o
May 13	Last Quarter Moon (01:46) - Meridian passage: 05:51 - Alt.: 52^o
May 20	Annular Solar eclipse - Invisible from the Emirates
May 21	New Moon (03:46) - Meridian passage: 11:47 - Alt.: 85^o
May 22	Rajab 1433 AH
May 24	Mercury 4.3^o South of Pleiades (05:35) - Alt.: 3^o - Azimuth: 69^o
May 24	Mercury at superior conjunction (15:18)*
May 29	First Quarter Moon (00:15) - Meridian passage: 18:13 - Alt.: 70^o

All above times and dates local to Abu-Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)

Notes to the asterisks and the meaning of opposition, elongation, and conjunction:

*: Opposition - the position of a planet when it is exactly opposite the Sun as seen from Earth. A planet

at opposition is at its closest approach to the Earth and is best suitable for observing.

**: Elongation - the angular distance of a planetary body from the Sun as seen from Earth. A planet at

greatest eastern elongation is seen in the evening sky and a planet at greatest western

elongation will be seen in the morning sky.

***: Conjunction - an event that occurs when two or more celestial objects appear close together in

the sky.

Observations Schedule for Spring 2012: (6:45 - 8:30 pm)

Female Students (Maqqam Campus) :

March 04; April 24 (cancelled); May 27

Male Students (Falaj Campus):

February 27; April 23 (cancelled); May 28

Special Partial Solar Eclipse Observation of January 04, 2011 (In Front of Carrefour, Al-Ain, from 12:00 - 14:45) - (Check out some pictures)

(Please bring your family/friends and share with us the wonders of the sky)

1433 Hijra Months:

1. Muharam: Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011

2. Safar: Monday, Dec. 26 ,2011

3. Rabi I: Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012

4. Rabi II: Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

5. Jumada I: Saturday, Mar. 24, 2012

6. Jumada II: Monday, Apr. 23, 2012

7. Rajab: Tuesday, May 22, 2012

8. Shaaban: Thursday, Jun. 21, 2012

9. Ramadhan: Saturday, Jul. 21, 2012

10. Shawal: Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012

11. Dhu'l Qiddah: Tuesday, Sep. 18, 2012

12. Dhu'l Hijjah: Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012

Eclipses during 2012: Two lunar and two solar eclipses for 2012

May 20: Annular Solar Eclipse (not visible from the Emirates)
Jun 04: Partial Lunar Eclipse (not visible from the Emirates)
Nov 13: Total Solar Eclipse (not visible from the Emirates)
Nov 28: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse (visible from the Emirates)

Constellations of the Month

When to View Naked Eye Planets for May 2012:

[Times are for Abu-Dhabi (UAE): 24^o 28' N / 54^o 36' E]

Day

Sun

Mercury

Venus

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

May 01

5:49

18:51

4:43

17:04

8:02

21:59

13:52

2:37*

6:22

19:31

17:30

5:07*

May 10

5:44

18:56

4:49

17:33

7:42

21:36

13:25

2:07*

5:54

19:05

16:53

4:30*

May 20

5:38

19:00

5:09

18:22

7:05

20:54

13:00

1:36*

5:23

18:36

16:10

3:49*

May 30

5:36

19:05

5:46

19:25

6:15

19:54

12:36

1:07*

4:52

18:08

15:29

3:08*

Notes: (R): Rise / (S): Set / (*): Next Day

      Mercury


Early morning planet (look east) til end month, then early evening planet (look west).



      Venus


Early evening planet. Can be seen very bright above the W-SW horizon just after sunset.



      Mars


Visible til morning hours



      Jupiter


Early evening planet til mid-month (look west), then early morning planet (look east)



      Saturn


Visible from early evening hours til early morning hours

ENJOY THE NIGHT SKY