The Moon meets Saturn: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher – Astronomy Magazine

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Saturn and its slender ring system make an appearance next to the Moon this week.

In this view at 4 a.m. EDT local time on May 31, Saturn lies just 0.4 from the Moon. Credit: Astronomy: Roen Kelly

This week, we have another beautiful conjunction in the morning sky as the Moon slides by Saturn and its magnificent ring system. Early on May 31, at 4 A.M. EDT, from the Northern Hemisphere, the just-past Last Quarter Moon will be about 0.4 from Saturn. (That separation is less than the half-degree width of a Full Moon.)

Observers in southern South America and parts of Africa will get an even more spectacular show as they will see the Moon occult Saturn. At the moment, the tilt of the saturnian system is decreasing as seen from our perspective, so its rings appear narrow and foreshortened, lining up beautifully with its moons.

For more on viewing Saturn, check out our May edition of Sky This Month.

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The Moon meets Saturn: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher - Astronomy Magazine