SKY REPORT | GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY | MAY 2025
Griffith Observatory
[{'start': '0.640', 'end': '6.480', 'text': "Hello everyone and welcome to the May 2025 Sky\xa0\nReport! My name is Vanessa and I'm joined today by"}, {'start': '6.480', 'end': '12.480', 'text': "Patrick. Hi everyone! Let's see what's happening\xa0\nin the skies this month. First up this month,"}, {'start': '12.480', 'end': '20.560', 'text': 'a comet! You may have heard about comet C/2025 F2\xa0\nSWAN discovered earlier this year. Astronomers and'}, {'start': '20.560', 'end': '26.800', 'text': 'enthusiasts captured images of the comet while\xa0\nit was in our morning sky in April. Generally as'}, {'start': '26.800', 'end': '32.560', 'text': 'comets approach the sun, they warm up and form a\xa0\nbright center as the ices of the comet turn into a'}, {'start': '32.560', 'end': '39.600', 'text': 'gas and sprout tails of ions and dust. This comet\xa0\nalready had a tail and bright center by April,'}, {'start': '39.600', 'end': '44.560', 'text': 'and it was predicted to continue to brighten\xa0\nas it approaches the sun and reaches its peak'}, {'start': '44.560', 'end': '51.360', 'text': 'on May 1st. However, comets are very difficult to\xa0\npredict and some observers reported that the comet'}, {'start': '51.360', 'end': '57.040', 'text': 'had likely disintegrated. This suspicion seems\xa0\nto be backed up by photos of the bright center'}, {'start': '57.040', 'end': '63.360', 'text': "or coma of the comet disappearing on April 18th.\xa0\nBut don't count it out just yet! Like I said,"}, {'start': '63.360', 'end': '68.720', 'text': 'comets are very difficult to predict. While it\xa0\ndoes not look good right now, their surfaces are'}, {'start': '68.720', 'end': '74.480', 'text': 'dynamic and each one is different. As it makes its\xa0\nway closer to the sun, it could still increase in'}, {'start': '74.480', 'end': '80.560', 'text': 'brightness, although it will likely be a challenge\xa0\nto see. The most likely scenario is that only the'}, {'start': '80.560', 'end': '87.520', 'text': 'comet tail is left, so you will absolutely need a\xa0\ntelescope or binoculars to see this. On May 1st,'}, {'start': '87.520', 'end': '93.280', 'text': 'in case you are up to the challenge, right after\xa0\nsunset look to the west next to the star cluster,'}, {'start': '93.280', 'end': '100.800', 'text': "the Pleiades, seen here. What's left of the comet\xa0\nwill appear as a fuzzy, slightly brighter spot."}, {'start': '100.800', 'end': '106.800', 'text': 'Last month, Mars moves swiftly away from Gemini to\xa0\ntwins and enter the faint constellation Cancer the'}, {'start': '106.800', 'end': '113.920', 'text': 'crab. On the first, Mars appears just to the west\xa0\nof the Beehive cluster, also known as Messier 44,'}, {'start': '113.920', 'end': '121.760', 'text': 'or M44. This open star cluster, located 577 light\xa0\nyears from Earth, is visible to the under aided'}, {'start': '121.760', 'end': '128.080', 'text': 'eye under clear dark skies. This long exposure\xa0\nimage shows the beehive cluster in Cancer the crab'}, {'start': '128.080', 'end': '134.560', 'text': 'between the constellations Leo the lion and Gemini\xa0\nthe twins. In the days that follow, watch as Mars'}, {'start': '134.560', 'end': '140.880', 'text': 'passes in front of the Beehive Cluster, an event\xa0\nbest seen with a pair of binoculars. On the 2nd,'}, {'start': '140.880', 'end': '147.520', 'text': 'Mars edges closer to M44, while the 6-day old\xa0\ncrescent moon appears to the south of Pollux,'}, {'start': '147.520', 'end': '153.120', 'text': 'one of the bright stars in Gemini the twins. On\xa0\nthe 3rd, the moon and Mars are close together,'}, {'start': '153.120', 'end': '158.720', 'text': 'appearing less than 2° apart in the night\xa0\nsky above the Beehive cluster. By the 4th,'}, {'start': '158.720', 'end': '164.880', 'text': "Mars sits just one moon's diameter north of the\xa0\ncentral region of the Beehive cluster. This marks"}, {'start': '164.880', 'end': '170.960', 'text': 'its closest approach to the cluster and offers the\xa0\nbest viewing opportunity to see them together. On'}, {'start': '170.960', 'end': '177.440', 'text': 'the 5th, Mars has drifted just east of the Beehive\xa0\ncluster, gradually moving away. The event ends on'}, {'start': '177.440', 'end': '183.760', 'text': 'the 6th, with Mars positioned to the east of the\xa0\nBeehive cluster. The Eta Aquarid meteor shower'}, {'start': '183.760', 'end': '188.480', 'text': 'peaks on the morning of the 6th. This meteor\xa0\nshower is much more prominent in the southern'}, {'start': '188.480', 'end': '194.480', 'text': 'hemisphere, but you may catch a few in the early\xa0\nmorning. Around 4:00 a.m until sunrise, you can'}, {'start': '194.480', 'end': '201.120', 'text': "expect around 25 per hour and perfect viewing\xa0\nconditions, but you may see fewer because it's so"}, {'start': '201.120', 'end': '208.400', 'text': 'low on our horizon. The waxing gibbous moon will\xa0\nset before the best viewing times. On May 14th,'}, {'start': '208.400', 'end': '213.920', 'text': 'the moon will rise as far south as we will ever\xa0\nsee it. This extreme southern moonrise can only'}, {'start': '213.920', 'end': '218.960', 'text': "happen during what is called the major lunar\xa0\nstandstill. We've mentioned an event like this in"}, {'start': '218.960', 'end': '224.400', 'text': 'other sky reports, but this one is of particular\xa0\ninterest because it falls on the 90th birthday of'}, {'start': '224.400', 'end': '232.720', 'text': 'Griffith Observatory! The major lunar standstill\xa0\nseason happens every 18.6 years and sticks around'}, {'start': '232.720', 'end': '239.040', 'text': 'for a couple of years. This season began in 2023\xa0\nand will will last until the end of this year.'}, {'start': '239.040', 'end': '244.640', 'text': 'We will broadcast this moonrise and celebrate our\xa0\n90th anniversary live on YouTube on the evening'}, {'start': '244.640', 'end': '251.520', 'text': 'of May 14th! To the east, the bright orange star\xa0\nArcturus in Bootes the Herdsman shines high above'}, {'start': '251.520', 'end': '257.760', 'text': 'the horizon. Just below Bootes we start to see\xa0\nthe early summer constellations. Hercules the'}, {'start': '257.760', 'end': '263.680', 'text': 'Hero rises with mostly faint stars, while the\xa0\nbrilliant star Vega in Lyra the harp appears'}, {'start': '263.680', 'end': '270.480', 'text': 'just above the horizon. To the south, we see\xa0\nVirgo and Leo high in the sky. We can also see'}, {'start': '270.480', 'end': '275.840', 'text': 'the head of Scorpius rising in the southeast.\xa0\nThe rest of the constellations visible here'}, {'start': '275.840', 'end': '282.480', 'text': 'are more difficult to see in the light-polluted\xa0\nLos Angeles night sky: Hydra, Corvus, Crater,'}, {'start': '282.480', 'end': '289.200', 'text': 'and Libra. Looking towards the west, we can see\xa0\nthe fading winter constellations as they dip below'}, {'start': '289.200', 'end': '295.920', 'text': 'the horizon. Gemini the twins stands tall as it\xa0\nbegins to set. Just to the northwest, the bright'}, {'start': '295.920', 'end': '302.160', 'text': 'star Capella in Auriga the chariot driver is also\xa0\nsinking lower into the horizon, while Mars sets'}, {'start': '302.160', 'end': '309.760', 'text': 'after 1:00 a.m. The planets Mars and Jupiter are\xa0\nboth in the west, seen here. Throughout the month,'}, {'start': '309.760', 'end': '316.320', 'text': "Mars appears to climb against the sky's motion\xa0\nup to Leo the Lion. In total it climbs about"}, {'start': '316.320', 'end': '322.640', 'text': '15 degrees in the sky compared to the background\xa0\nstars, allowing us a longer viewing season. This'}, {'start': '322.640', 'end': '327.760', 'text': 'is the last month for a while to view the planet\xa0\nJupiter. By the end of the month, it will set on'}, {'start': '327.760', 'end': '334.080', 'text': 'our horizon just after 9:00 p.m If you want to get\xa0\na close look with a telescope at the cloud bands'}, {'start': '334.080', 'end': '339.120', 'text': 'and the moons of the planet, make sure you start\xa0\nlooking at it right after sunset to maximize your'}, {'start': '339.120', 'end': '344.240', 'text': 'time with the planet. Visit Griffith Observatory\xa0\non a clear evening and look through our telescopes'}, {'start': '344.240', 'end': '351.600', 'text': 'Tuesday through Sunday from 7:00 p.m to 9:30 p.m.\xa0\nWhile Mars is on the move this month, on April 8th'}, {'start': '351.600', 'end': '356.880', 'text': 'I had a chance to photograph a rare alignment of\xa0\nMars alongside the bright stars Castor and Pollux'}, {'start': '356.880', 'end': '363.280', 'text': 'in Gemini the twins. The arrangement resembled the\xa0\nbelt stars in Orion the Hunter. The planets and'}, {'start': '363.280', 'end': '368.880', 'text': 'the moon constantly drift by the constellations of\xa0\nthe zodiac, providing opportunities for observers'}, {'start': '368.880', 'end': '375.680', 'text': 'to photograph interesting celestial alignments.\xa0\nThe planets Venus and Saturn are visible on the'}, {'start': '375.680', 'end': '381.920', 'text': 'eastern horizon very early in the morning seen\xa0\nhere at 4:30 a.m. On the first of the month,'}, {'start': '381.920', 'end': '387.360', 'text': 'they will appear to rise together. As the month\xa0\nprogresses, Saturn will continue climbing higher'}, {'start': '387.360', 'end': '393.280', 'text': "in the sky, leaving Venus behind. There's one\xa0\nmore interesting observation opportunity this"}, {'start': '393.280', 'end': '398.640', 'text': 'month. If you like to wake up before sunrise\xa0\nand enjoy camping, this month is a great chance'}, {'start': '398.640', 'end': '403.600', 'text': 'to see the return of the summer Milky Way.\xa0\nWhen we look at our own galaxy in the sky,'}, {'start': '403.600', 'end': '409.200', 'text': 'we notice that half of it appears very bright and\xa0\nrich in detail while the other half is dimmer and'}, {'start': '409.200', 'end': '414.800', 'text': 'more sparse. Right now in the evening sky, the\xa0\nMilky Way we see is looking outward towards the'}, {'start': '414.800', 'end': '420.480', 'text': "arms. Early in the morning we're beginning to\xa0\nsee the other, brighter side. You'll need to be"}, {'start': '420.480', 'end': '426.480', 'text': 'in dark skies to see it and preferably on a night\xa0\nwith a new moon. And here is your lunar calendar'}, {'start': '426.480', 'end': '435.440', 'text': 'for May. First quarter is on the 4th, full moon\xa0\nis on the 12th, last quarter is on the 20th,'}, {'start': '435.440', 'end': '441.200', 'text': 'and the new moon is on the 26th. Thank you\xa0\nfor joining us this month and for celebrating'}, {'start': '441.200', 'end': '446.160', 'text': "Griffith Observatory's 90th anniversary!\xa0\nDon't forget to watch our lunar standstill"}, {'start': '446.160', 'end': '457.280', 'text': "southern moonrise broadcast on the evening of\xa0\nthe 14th. We'll see you again next month. Bye!"}]