Huestls: Some Astronomical Events in May
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Monday, May 01, 2017
David Huestis, GoLocalProv Astronomy Expert
Every year at this time I’m talking more about weather than astronomy. “It’s déjà vu all over again.” Just when we say the weather can’t get any worse—it does. Last winter into spring was absolutely horrible. So far 2017 has been downright depressing. Ladd Observatory is open every clear Tuesday night. Since mid-December until now (April 8) the facility has been open just once! Many Saturday nights at Seagrave Observatory have also been cancelled. My public outreach responsibilities there are on the first Saturday of each month. I haven’t operated the Clark refractor since November! We can only hope we will be able to observe more clear skies than cloudy ones as we progress further into spring.
Here’s a brief sampling of astronomical events we can expect to observe during May.
Jupiter will continue to be well-placed in the sky. Drag your telescopes out of the garage or basement and focus in on this giant planet. There is much detail to be seen here. For more details reference my April column. You can find it on the Skyscrapers web site. If the skies are clear for the open nights at the local observatories, Jupiter will be one of the featured objects for a few more months. On May 1 it can be found about 35 degrees above the southeast horizon in the constellation of Virgo, above the bright star Spica. Jupiter will be the brightest object in this area of the sky. You can’t miss it.
It’s been a while since we’ve experienced a decent meteor shower. That bad weather is once again to blame. On the night of May 5-6 we can observe a shower of particles shed by Halley’s Comet long ago. They enter the Earth’s upper atmosphere head-on at 41 miles per second. Unfortunately we can expect no more than 10-15 swift and yellow shooting stars from this shooting star display per hour. Why? This meteor shower, called the Eta Aquarids, is best seen from the southern hemisphere. And this year a bright waxing gibbous Moon will be in the sky until about 3:45am, reducing the peak number of meteors even more. Because the Eta Aquarids come in so fast, you can still expect a few bright ones to be seen despite the Moon’s presence.
This shower is best observed after midnight. Aquarius, the constellation from where the meteors appear to emanate, is not very prominent. For many casual stargazers it can be a little difficult to recognize even without bright moonlight. Aquarius will be about 12 degrees above the east-southeast horizon at the 4:00am hour. The shower’s radiant point is in the Water Urn asterism (looks like a Y-shaped group of stars). While the meteors appear to radiate from this region of the sky they can be seen anywhere. Once the Moon sets dawn’s early light will not be far behind, so you will not have a dark sky for a long duration to see the most meteors.
Also at the beginning of May practically everybody’s favorite planet will be rising after midnight. Soon it will be visible at a more convenient time for the casual stargazer. I’m talking about magnificent Saturn. Saturn’s rings are opened almost to their maximum extent soon, so the view will be stunning. The planet currently resides on the Sagittarius/Ophiuchus border, just to the right of the teapot shape that forms Sagittarius and to the right of the Milky Way that seems to pour from the spout of the teacup. Saturn will be at its closest to the Earth for 2017 on June 15 at approximately 840,571,000 miles. I’ll provide more details about Saturn in next month’s column.
Perhaps you are aware that there are many names given to a Full Moon. Many of these we have adapted from Native American cultures. Others have come from the early American settlers who brought them over from Europe. There does not seem to be any rhyme or reason for favoring the use of one over the other.
The Full Moon of May is on the 10th. Because spring flowers were heralding a new season, Native Americans called that moon the Full Flower Moon. Other names used were Full Corn Planting Moon and the Milk Moon. Perhaps I should write a column about Full Moon names and their origin for a future column.
And finally, for you early morning risers, on May 17 you can catch a glimpse of Mercury, our solar system’s innermost planet. Just before sunrise look towards the east and about ten degrees (a fist held out at arm’s length provides this measurement) above the horizon. You may also try a few days before and after, but on this day it will be at its highest. Good luck.
Southern New Englanders, and especially Rhode Islanders, are very fortunate to have so many observatories that provide wonderful views of the heavens. As long as the skies are clear these facilities are happy to offer free public observing of the universe. Seagrave Memorial Observatory in North Scituate is open to the public every clear Saturday night. Ladd Observatory in Providence is open every clear Tuesday night. The Margaret M. Jacoby Observatory at the CCRI Knight Campus in Warwick is open every clear Wednesday night. Frosty Drew Observatory in Charlestown is open every clear Friday night year-round. Be sure to check all the websites for the public night schedules and opening times before visiting these facilities.
Cross your fingers, your legs or your eyes for good luck. Just remember to uncross your eyes when you get to the telescope eyepiece!
Great American Total Solar Eclipse on August 21, 2017. Countdown: 113 days as of May 1, 2017.
Related Slideshow: 24 Things to Look Forward to This Spring in New England - 2019
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Boston Calling 2019
Boston Calling, the first New England music festival of the season kicks off in downtown Boston on the weekend of May 24 to the 26.
The festival features performances from Twenty One Pilots, Travis Scott, Hozier and much more.
PHOTO: Adam Elmakias/Wikipedia
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Providence Waterfire
One of the best parts of Spring and Summer is the return of Waterfire.
Providence WaterFire has grown to be an iconic Rhode Island event.
Starting out in 1994 to celebrate it has grown to run continuously, once a month, from May-November and boasts over 80 blazing fires in the middle of the Providence River.
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Playing Golf at Harbor Lights
Tee it up at Harbor Lights Country Club and dive right into golf season.
The Spring is a great time to get warmed up and get some swings in before the heart of the season hits in the summer.
Enjoy being back out on the course. Save the super serious golf for the summer.
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Going For Walks/Runs Outside Without Shivering on East Bay Bike Path
You can go outside and go for a walk or a run without shivering the entire time.
Spring is a great time to exercise and the East Bay Bike Path is a great place to do it.
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Hiking at Purgatory Chasm in Massachusetts
The chasm is ¼ mile long and runs between giant granite rock, sometimes standing at 70 feet high.
You do have to pay to park ($5 MA residents, $10 for you out-of-staters), but exploring the reservation is completely free.
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Boston Marathon
The 123rd running of the Boston Marathon takes place on Patriots' Day.
Catch the annual Red Sox early Patriots Day game, then head down to Boylston St to cheer on the runners.
It's a Boston and New England tradition.
The 2018 marathon will take place on April 15.
PHOTO: Peter Farlow/Wikipedia
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Bicycling on the Central Mass Rail Trail
Once the streets are clear of ice and snow and the temperatures rise, one of the most fun things to do in New England is to jump on a bike and go for a nice long ride. There are plenty of bike paths to explore at your leisure, and many cities like Providence, Boston, and Worcester are beginning to make city streets much more bike friendly.
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Boston Red Sox Return
The arrival of spring means the return of the world champion Boston Red Sox.
The Red Sox begin their season on March 28 when they visit the Seattle Mariners.
Boston's home opener is set for Tuesday, April 9 when they host the Toronto Blue Jays.
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Walking the Newport Cliff Walk
The Cliff Walk is one of Newport’s most famous attractions is its gilded age mansions lining the coast. Entry to the mansions will cost a fee, but with the Cliff Walk, you can enjoy views of the mansions with amazing views of the water all for free.
The 3.5 mile long path runs behind the mansions on the eastern shore of Newport. It is a National Recreation Trail – the first in New England! The majority of the walk is easy, but be sure to wear good shoes; the sand can make the path slippery.
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Outdoor Dining at Boat House Restaurant in Newport
Newport Restaurant Group made this a must-visit spot several years ago and now the expected accolades have followed.
The views of Mount Hope Bay are unparalleled.
Enjoy a nice glass of wine with some lobster fritters that had sweet corn and a chipotle mayo and followed that with pan-roasted George’s Bank scallops with a delightful spring pea risotto, pea greens from Allen Farm and a citrus emulsion.
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Spring Vacation on Block Island
Get away from the hustle and bustle of the world and take a spring vacation to Block Island and enjoy all they have to offer.
Maybe a spa? a swim? Some shopping? there are plenty of options.
If Block Island doesn't do it for you, Newport is also a great place to take a break.
Or maybe do both.
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Visiting Arcadia National Park in Maine
People have been drawn to the rugged coast of Maine throughout history. Awed by its beauty and diversity, early 20th-century visionaries donated the land that became Acadia National Park.
The park is home to many plants and animals, and the tallest mountain on the U.S. Atlantic coast.
Visit Acadia and hike granite peaks, bike historic carriage roads, or relax and enjoy the scenery.
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No More Winter Coats
It is time to shed those big bulky winter coats.
Instead, grab a vest or a sweater and put those coats deep in a closet.
Good riddance.
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Summer is Next
A reason to look forward to Spring?
Because summer is next and soon we will all be sitting by the pool with a summer cocktail.
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Road Trip!
Say goodbye to the black ice, the five foot snow drifts, and (hopefully) the potholes. As the ice melts and we reclaim our streets from the snow, we're looking forward to rolling down our windows and going for a cruise.
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Goodbye Snow
While this winter was not all that bad as far as snow is concerned, it will be nice to know it is gone for awhile and there is no need to worry about it.
Well... we can only hope.
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Sun Dresses
Sun dresses. Sun Dresses. Sun Dresses. With the approach of spring, it means that sundresses are almost back! Sundresses are a fun way to show off how hard you've been working to keep the weight off all winter long.
photo credit: jessejamesjake vintage
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Fishing Season
Get your rods and reels ready because with the approach of warmer weather comes the return of fishing seasons. While some New England states allow for fishing year round, many New England states have opening days for trout fishing that begin in early April. Although there is still a plentiful amount of snow on the ground, fishing season is right around the corner.
photo credit: Grand River Conservation Authority/Flickr
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Lower Heating Bills
As winter will come to a close New Englanders could look forward to spending less money on heating bills.
Although the bitter cold is hitting New England hard, and also therefore hitting their wallets hard, this brutal cold streak will soon come to an end and we'll be able to turn down our thermostats save some cash.
photo credit: Images Money/Flickr
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Planting Flowers
Get the gardening tools ready because gardening season is just about here.
Head to your local garden shop, find the best flowers you can and plant away.
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Playing Tennis
Time to break those rackets out and hit outdoor courts because Tennis season is here.
No need to go hard right away, ease into the season.
Have a great Tennis season.
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April Fools Day
Time to start planning out what pranks and tricks you are going to pull off on April 1.
April Fools Day is always an exciting day because you never know what is going to happen.
While you are planning your pranks, beware of any that may be played on you.
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Easter Egg Hunts
Easter is a great holiday. It is always great to spend time with friends and family and of course for those with kids, it's a great day for Easter egg hunts in the backyard or around the neighborhood.
PHOTO: Ross Mayfield/flickr
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