Sky this Month

August Sky Chart

Sky Chart for 1st of August 2002

The chart shows the sky as it will appear for London at 23:00 UT at the beginning, 22:00 UT for the middle and 21:00 UT for the end of the month.  The planets and the moon, are shown only as they will be for the beginning of the month, although the chart will still maintain a high degree of accuracy for the planets.  The Moon however is only accurate for the 1st of each month.  
The more south you are of London, the more stars you will see in the southern sky that are not marked on the chart, and less in the north, the chart itself will appear to move further north.  For those further north, fewer stars will be visible in the south, and more stars will be visible in the northern sky, and again the chart will appear to move further south.  
Also note: the size of the planets and moon are not to scale, they've been increased to help show the phase of the moon and to identify each planet.

The Moon in May

First Quarter Moon
First Quarter: 19th of May at 19:43 UT

Full Moon
Full Moon: 26th of May at 11:52 UT

Last Quarter Moon
Last Quarter: 4th of May at 07:17 UT

New Moon
New Moon: 12th of May at 10:47 UT

The Planets in May

Mercury
 
Mercury

Begins May at 0.0 magnitude in the north west sky after Sunset, reaching greatest eastern elongation (21° from the Sun) on the 4th.  By the end of the month it would of moved into inferior conjunction, becoming a morning object in June.

Venus
 Venus

Is at -3.9 magnitude in the north west evening sky during May, setting just before 23:00 UT by the end of the month.

Mars
 Mars

Is at magnitude 1.7, passing into Gemini from Taurus, setting at around 22:00 UT by the 31st, passing north of Saturn on the 4th.

Jupiter
 Jupiter

Is at -1.9 magnitude and is in Gemini, setting before 23:00 UT by the 31st.  Still an easy naked eye object.

Saturn
 Saturn

Is at 0.1 magnitude in Taurus, setting soon after the Sun by the end of the month, as it nears conjunction on the 9th of June.

But where's Uranus, Neptune and Pluto?  Well there not there for the reason of them being faint, and needed a large telescope to see them with any detail, while the other planets can easily be seen just with the naked eye.  They are however still marked on the monthly chart.