Hosted by Chris Beckett & Shane
Ludtke, two amateur astronomers in Saskatchewan who
enjoy teaching astronomy classes and showing the public views
through their telescopes. actualastronomy@gmail.com
Observer’s Calendar for May 2026 on Episode 533 of the Actual
Astronomy podcast. I’m Chris and joining me is Shane. We are
amateur astronomers who love looking up at the night sky and this
podcast is for everyone who enjoys going out under the stars.
— David Nagler Question show reminder.
2 Full Moons!
May 1 - Full Moon — Carbon Star RY Mon best in evening
May 2 - Alpha CVn Colourful Double
May 3 - Antares 0.5-degrees N of Moon
May 4 - Carbon Star X CnC best in evening
May 6 - Eta Aquaria Meteors best in predawn skies but 3/4 Moon
interferes
May 7 - Markarian’s Chain well placed
Key Details of Markarian's Chain:
Location: Situated in the constellation Virgo, between the
stars Denebola and Vindemiatrix, part of the larger Virgo
Cluster.
Key Members: The chain is anchored by the large elliptical
galaxies M84 and M86. Other notable members include NGC 4477, NGC
4473, NGC 4461, NGC 4458, and NGC 4438.
Observation: The brightest members are visible in small
telescopes, but it is a popular target for astrophotography in
the spring, often requiring a wide field of view to capture the
entire string.
Interaction: While some galaxies are randomly aligned, at
least seven members share a common physical motion. The pair NGC
4438 and NGC 4435, known as "The Eyes," are actively interacting
and distorting one another.
May 8 - 2 Shadows on Jupiter Ganymede & Europa 8:44pm EDT
Eastern North America
May 9 - Last Quarter Moon — NGC 4147 well placed
May 10 - Lunar Curtis X visible
May 11 - NGC 4038/4039 well placed
Key Facts About NGC 4038/4039:
Location: Constellation Corvus, the Crow.
Distance: Generally estimated between and million
light-years.
Other Names: Caldwell 60/Caldwell 61, the Antennae Galaxies,
NGC 4038/4039.
Discovery: Found by William Herschel in 1785.
Interaction Type: Colliding/Merging galaxies.
Appearance: The collision produces long tidal tails of stars,
gas, and dust resembling insect antennae
May 12 - Mare Orientale
May 13 - NGC 5634 well placed
May 15 - Ganymede & Europa shadows visible on Jupiter 11:19
pm EDT
May 16 - New Moon but Old crescent in east before Sunrise today.
May 18 - Venus 3-degrees S of Moon
May 19 - Long period star X Oph at max 11:30pm
May 20 - Jupiter 3-degrees S of Moon - Not here
May 22 - Ganymede & Europa shadows visible on Jupiter 11:54
PM EDT WEST Fav.
May 23 - Callisto & Io discs visible on Jupiter 10:15pm
May 25 - Lunar Straight Wall visible also Longomontanus Ray
May 26 - Jewelled Handle
This is a monthly lunar phenomenon occurring around the first
quarter moon (approx. 10–11 days after new moon). It appears as a
bright, illuminated arc formed by sunlight hitting the peaks of
the Montes Jura mountain range, which separates the dark night
side from the bright day side, making it look like a handle
attached to the moon
May 29 - Asteroid Amphitrite at opposition Mag. 9.5
29 Amphitrite is one of the largest S-type asteroids in the Main
Belt, orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. Discovered on
March 1, 1854, by Albert Marth, it was the only asteroid he ever
found and is named after the Greek sea goddess Amphitrite, wife
of Poseidon.
May 30 - Asteroid Lutetia at Opposition Mag. 9.8
21 Lutetia is a large, irregularly shaped asteroid in the main
asteroid belt, measuring approximately 120 kilometers along its
longest axis. It is highly significant to astronomers as a
"survivor" or planetesimal from the early formation of the Solar
System, roughly 4.5 billion years ago.
May 31 - 2nd Full Moon for May
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