Observers in the UK with a view low to the west about 1am BST on Saturday, 11 May 2019 (some 1½ hours before moonset for the centre of the British Isles) can see the 6-day-old waxing crescent Moon just 1½ degrees from the prominent open cluster Messier 44, otherwise known as Praesepe, or the Beehive Cluster. After the Moon has set in Western Europe its orbital motion brings it even closer to M44, actually occulting some of the cluster’s southernmost stars as seen from North America’s Eastern Seaboard just before local midnight on on 10 May. AN graphic by Ade Ashford.The Moon was new on 4 May, so the young lunar crescent soon makes its presence known at dusk, particularly in Northern Hemisphere skies where the ecliptic makes a steeper angle to the western horizon. If you own a pair of binoculars, you may wish to take a look at the Moon on the night of 10-11 May since it lies in the constellation of Cancer, the Crab, in the same field of view as the beautiful open star cluster known as Praesepe, the Beehive Cluster, or more prosaically as Messier 44.
For observers in Western Europe and the UK, the Moon’s orbital motion doesn’t bring it close to the Beehive Cluster until the calendar clicks onto 11 May, by which time the pair are well on their way to setting in the western sky. For anyone in the British Isles the last views will be around 1am BST on Saturday 11 May when the 6-day-old Moon lies just 1½ degrees from the heart of Praesepe and the duo will be just 10 degrees – about the span of a fist at arm’s length – above the west-northwest horizon.
This conjunction of Praesepe and the Moon favours the Eastern Seaboard of North America where, as night falls on Friday, 10 May the lunar crescent is poised to pass in front of the western edge of the star cluster. If you have a telescope, use your lowest magnification eyepiece and watch from 10pm local time until midnight as the Moon glides over the southern edge of the Beehive Cluster, occulting (passing in front of) a number of its stars.
On the morning of Saturday, 9 January — just two days after their photogenic conjunction with an old crescent Moon — planets Venus and Saturn reach the denouement of their pre-dawn show with a spectacular close conjunction. To observe this spectacle you need an unobstructed view low to the southeast around 7am GMT (central British Isles).
Observers in Western Europe with a clear sky around local midnight cannot fail to notice the conspicuous ‘star’ that is Jupiter low in the south. But look a span-and-a-half of an outstretched hand at arm’s length to Jupiter’s left and you’ll find another giant of the solar system – Saturn. The ringed planet is closest to Earth for 2019 on 9 July, so here is our quick observing guide.
If you have a clear sky to the southeast an hour before sunrise on the morning of Friday, 6 November you will be greeted by a pairing of the old, waning crescent Moon with largest planet Jupiter. Then, on Saturday, 7 November, a slimmer crescent Moon joins planets Mars and Venus for an even closer triple conjunction. Have your binoculars and cameras ready!
