Actual Astronomy - The Observer’s Calendar for May 2026
Release Date: 05/07/2026
Actual Astronomy - The Observer’s Calendar for May 2026
The 365 Days of Astronomy
Hosted by Chris Beckett & Shane Ludtke, two amateur astronomers in Saskatchewan who enjoy teaching astronomy classes and showing the public views through their telescopes. 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...
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Awesome Astronomy - AstroCamp Live Show
The 365 Days of Astronomy
Paul Hill & Dr. Jenifer “Dr. Dust” Millard host. Damien Phillips, John Wildridge and Dustin Ruoff produce. May Part 1. A show recorded with the happy campers of Cwmdu. We talk smart scopes, late nights, planetary formation, news on Comet 3I and more on the Hubble tension. We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs. Just visit: and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too! Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do...
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Ask A Spaceman Ep. 271: What Happens When Light Goes Boom?
The 365 Days of Astronomy
Cherenkov Radiation! Hosted by Dr. Paul M. Sutter. How can matter ever go faster than light? What happens when it does? Who discovered this, and what is it good for? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: All episodes: Watch on YouTube: Read a book: Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF TIME AND SPACE! Big thanks to my top Patreon supporters this month: Justin G, Chris L, Alberto M, Duncan M, Corey D, Michael P, Naila, Sam R,...
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Astronomy Cast Ep. 792: Star Wars Science
The 365 Days of Astronomy
Hosted by: Fraser Cain () and Dr. Pamela L. Gay () Streamed live April 29, 2026. May the fourth be with you! Isn’t that what people say on the international holiday known as Star Wars Day? Today we’re gonna talk about the science in everyone’s favorite sci-fi fantasy stories. Which of it is real, and which is essentially magic? Let’s find out! Let's look at the science of a galaxy long ago and far away. (Did you just hear the theme music in your head? We heard it start in our head!) This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this...
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Travelers in the Night Eps. 877 & 878: Close Grazer & Comet Fragment
The 365 Days of Astronomy
Dr. Al Grauer hosts. Dr. Albert D. Grauer ( ) is an observational asteroid hunting astronomer. Dr. Grauer retired from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2006. From November & December 2025. Today's 2 topics: - On a busy night of asteroid hunting with the 90 inch, University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory Bok telescope on Kitt Peak in Arizona, my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Vivian Carvajal discovered 13 new Earth approaching objects. One of them now known as 2025 TF immediately got her attention as it streaked through the constellation of Pegasus. Another space rock 2020...
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Equatorial Sky Guide - May 2026
The 365 Days of Astronomy
Hosted by Avivah Yamani, our Director. It's time for a Blue Moon this year! And observers also have the chance to enjoy planetary dances with the Moon and meteor showers! We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs. Just visit: and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too! Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! This show is made...
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EVSN - After Hours: Launching The Small(er) Things With Exolaunch CEO Robert Sproles
The 365 Days of Astronomy
From April 30, 2026. As commercial space becomes a more and more mature industry, we're seeing new needs emerge. Front and the center is the need for someone - or some company - to make it easy for folks in need of a launch to find the right ride share for their satellite, no matter how small. Enter ExoLaunch. In this episode we talk with ExoLaunch CEO Robert Sproles about what their company is accomplishing as the shipping company to the stars (or at least Earth Orbit). We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs. ...
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Guide To Space - First Ever Picture of a Baby Planet!
The 365 Days of Astronomy
Hosted by Fraser Cain. From Jul 4, 2018. For the first time ever, astronomers have captured a direct image of a newly forming planet orbiting around a newly forming star. It’s a stunning photograph, not only for the science and what was observed, but what it means the future of exoplanetary astronomy. We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs. Just visit: and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too! Every bit helps! Thank you!...
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Awesome Astronomy - Artemis Chat
The 365 Days of Astronomy
April Part II. Paul Hill & Dr. Jenifer “Dr. Dust” Millard host. Damien Phillips, John Wildridge and Dustin Ruoff produce. This month what else can we chat about? Paul and Jeni talk Artemis II. In this chatty news episode we chat about more Artemis mission shenanigans. We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs. Just visit: and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too! Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go...
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Cheap Astronomy - Dear CA #134: Testing Asumptions
The 365 Days of Astronomy
Taking nothing for granted. Hosted by Steve Nerlich. Dear Cheap Astronomy – Is space really empty? Well, the universe is filled with stars, planets and galaxies, but sure all the big gaps between those things are mostly empty. Although, let’s not forget dark matter. It’s likely to have a wider and denser distribution than visible matter, since we think there’s four times more of it than there is of light matter - but all we can really say is ‘we think’ since we can’t see dark matter and we don’t actually know what it is. Dear Cheap Astronomy – Just how strange is...
info_outlineHosted 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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