SkyEye

The Calendar

The Solar System

The word planet is derived from the Greek word for 'wanderer'. Unlike the background stars, planets seem to move around the sky, keeping mostly to a narrow track called the ecliptic, the path of the Sun across the stars. Dwarf planets and small solar-system bodies, including comets, are not so constrained, often moving far above or below the ecliptic.

Sun Aries → Taurus

The equation of time reaches a local maximum of over three and a half minutes on 14 May.

Mercury Aries → Taurus → Gemini

Reappearing in the evening sky this month, the smallest planet in the solar system sets shortly after the Sun and is best viewed from northern latitudes.

Venus Pisces → Cetus → Pisces

The morning star is still very high in the eastern sky for southern hemisphere observers but is sinking towards the horizon ever so slightly. It appears lower down from those viewing from the north but maintains altitude throughout the month.

Mars Virgo

Mars is high and bright, and sets well after midnight.

Jupiter Gemini

Now setting mid-evening, you will have to look for this gas giant as soon as it gets dark.

Saturn Libra

The ringed wonder is at opposition on 10 May, leaving it available for observing the entire night this month. Residents of Australia and New Zealand will be in the position to see it vanish behind the Full Moon four days later.

Uranus Pisces

The green ice giant is a morning sky object, rising about 90 minutes after its neighbour Neptune

Neptune Aquarius

A small telescope is necessary to view the most distant planet in the solar system. At quadrature on 28 May, it rises around midnight by the end of the month.