The Sky This Week - Thursday May 16 to Thursday May 23

The Full Moon is Sunday May 19. Saturn climbs higher in the late evening skies and is visited by the Moon on the 22nd and 23rd. Mars is visible low in the evening twilight.  Jupiter is easily visible in the evening skies and is visited by the Moon on the 20th. The morning skies feature three bright planets Jupiter, Saturn and bright Venus. Venus is close to Uranus on Monday the 19th.

The Full Moon is Sunday May 19.

Morning  sky on Saturday, May 18 looking east as seen from Adelaide at 6:07 ACST (60 minutes before sunrise).  Three bright planets can be seen. Jupiter and Saturn are high above the north-western and northern horizon. Venus is low above the eastern horizon.

 Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise).

Morning sky on Sunday, May 19 looking east as seen from Adelaide at 6:07 ACST (60 minutes before sunrise).  Venus is low above the eastern horizon and at its closest to Mercury. The inset shows the binocular view of the pair at this time.

 Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise).

Sky at 22:00 ACST on Monday, May 20  looking east as seen from Adelaide. Jupiter is above the eastern horizon close to the Moon. The left upper insert inset shows the telescopic view of Jupiter at this time, the left lower insert that of Saturn. 

Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time.

Evening sky on Saturday, May 18  as seen looking north-west from Adelaide at 18:17 ACST (60 minutes after sunset). Mars is about the enter the constellation of Gemini.

Similar views will be seen throughout Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

Venus is still bright in the morning twilight. On the 19th it is one finger-width from Uranus, but you will need binoculars to see Uranus in the twilight.

Mercury  is now lost in the twilight.

Jupiter  Jupiter is now visible in the mid evening sky. Although is now a good telescope target it is still at its best in the morning. The Moon is close e to Jupiter on the 20th.

Mars continues leaves Taurus and enters Gemini. Mars sets around 7:30pm.

Saturn  climbs higher in the evening sky but it still best for telescopic viewing in the early morning. The Moon is close to Saturn on the 22nd and 23rd.

 Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEDST, Western sky at 10 pm AEDST. For further details and more information on what’s up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/