Better Than Coffee: Planets Align in the Morning Sky   
       
   May 9, 2011: Have you ever woken up at the crack of dawn, shuffled to the   
   kitchen counter for your first cup of joe, only to discover that you're out of   
   coffee beans?   
       
   Cruel.   
       
   This week it's not a problem, because there's something to open your eyes even   
   better than coffee. Four bright planets are aligning in the morning sky. [...]   
   Click on the coffee to watch a video about the Great Morning Planet Show of   
   May 2011.   
       
   Look out any east-facing window about a half hour before sunrise. If you have   
   a clear view of the horizon, you'll see Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter   
   clustered together in a patch of sky less than 10o wide. If you wanted to, you   
   could hide them all behind your outstretched hand-but don't. The view is too   
   good.   
       
   The best morning is May 11th, when Venus and Jupiter converge to form a tight   
   pair only 1/2o apart. (Now you can hide them using no more than one finger.)   
   Venus and Jupiter are so bright you might think you've witnessed a double   
   supernova beaming through the morning twilight. But, no, it's just the two   
   brightest planets in our own solar system.   
   [...]   
   A ScienceCast video about this event contains an animated sky map. Keep an eye   
   on Venus in particular. As the sun rises and the sky fills with morning blue,   
   the Goddess of Love does not fade away. You can actually see Venus in broad   
   daylight if you know where to look.   
       
   May 11th is just the beginning. Throughout the month, the quartet of worlds   
   will rearrange themselves on a daily basis, forming different shapes in the   
   pre-dawn sky.   
       
   On May 13th, for instance, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter form a bright celestial   
   triangle--almost equilateral. It's a geometry lesson before breakfast. On May   
   20th, a new triangle will appear. This time the vertices are Mars, Venus, and   
   Mercury. Observing tip: Mars is not as bright as the others. Binoculars may be   
   required to help you find and fully appreciate the red planet in morning   
   twilight.   
       
   The show comes to an end on May 30th when an exquisite crescent Moon joins the   
   four planets for a Grand Finale--five heavenly lights dotting the eastern sky   
   all at once.   
       
   What a way to begin the day.   
       
       
   Author: Dr. Tony Phillips | Credit: Science@NASA   
       
   More Information   
   Video: The Great Morning Planet Show of May 2011 -- from Science@NASA   
       
       
   Regards,   
       
   Roger   
      
   --- D'Bridge 3.61   
    * Origin: NCS BBS (1:3828/7)