Sun, Moon, and Stars: May 2001

Updated August 5, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Movement of the heavenly bodies: May 2001

 

May Calendar

Moon Phase Day Phenomenon Hour
(UT)
Hour
(EST)
2 The Moon is at its perigee, or closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit. 0400 12 am
(midnight)
4 Venus is at its greatest brilliancy. 1800 2 pm
7 FULL MOON 1400 10 am
7 Mercury is 4 degrees north of Saturn. 1700 1 pm
10 Mars is 1 degree 9 minutes south of the Moon 1900 3 pm
11 Neptune appears to be motionless in the sky as its apparent direct motion changes to backward, or retrograde, motion. 0200 10 pm
(May 10)
11 Mars appears to be motionless in the sky as its apparent direct motion changes to backward, or retrograde, motion. 1500 11 am
12 Mercury is 8 degrees north of Aldebaran, the brightest star in the constellation Taurus. 1000 6 am
14 Neptune is 3 degrees north of the Moon. 0000 8 pm
(May 13)
15 The Moon is at its apogee, or farthest point from Earth in its monthly orbit. 0100 9 pm
(May 14)
15 Uranus is 3 degrees north of the Moon. 0800 4 am
15 LAST QUARTER 1000 6 am
16 Mercury is 3 degrees north of Jupiter. 1700 1 pm
18 Ceres, the largest asteroid, appears to be motionless in the sky as its apparent direct motion changes to backward, or retrograde, motion. 2100 5 pm
19 Venus is 4 degrees north of the Moon. 0900 5 am
20 Vesta, the third-largest asteroid, is 0 degrees 6 minutes north of Moon. The asteroid is occulted, or hidden from view, by the Moon. 2100 5 pm
22 Mercury is at its greatest elongation, or angular distance from the Sun, at 22 degrees east of the Sun. 0400 12 am
(midnight)
23 NEW MOON 0300 11 pm
(May 22)
24 Jupiter is 1 degree 3 minutes north of the Moon. 0700 3 am
24 Mercury is 3 degrees north of the Moon. 1900 3 pm
25 Saturn is in conjunction with the Sun, that is, Saturn and Earth are aligned on opposite sides of the Sun. 1300 9 am
27 The Moon is at its perigee, or closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit. 1700 3 am
27 Pallas, the second-largest asteroid, is at opposition, that is Pallas and the Sun are aligned on opposite sides of Earth. 1800 2 pm
29 FIRST QUARTER 2200 6 pm
29 Uranus appears to be motionless in the sky as its apparent direct motion changes to backward, or retrograde, motion. 2200 6 pm
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