Full Flower Moon hingga Black Moon

KOMPAS.com – Every month it happens astronomical phenomenon various kinds, ranging from meteor showers, conjunctions, eclipses, and so on.

In early May there was the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower. This took place on Friday (6/5/2022) early in the morning.

Then what’s next?

Researcher from the BRIN Space Research Center, Andi Pangerang, explained that the closest astronomical phenomenon after that was Conjunction Moon-Pollux.

“This evening, the Moon will be in conjunction with Pollux, the main star in the constellation Gemini with an angle of separation between 6.75 to 5.5 degrees,” Andi said in a statement. Kompas.com, Friday (6/5/2022).

He explained that the phenomenon can be witnessed 25 minutes after sunset until 22.00 on May 6, 2022 local time from the Northwest.

Read also: 4 Eclipses Will Happen in 2022, One of them Greet Indonesia

2. The early neem phase moon

He further explained that after that the Moon would enter the initial neem phase, namely when the Sun-Moon-Earth formed an angle of 90 degrees before full moon.

This will happen on May 9 at 07.21 WIB/08.21 WITA/09.21 WIT.

“The moon can be seen from the northeast after noon, culminates in the north 45 minutes after sunset, and sets in the northwest after midnight,” said Andi.

Read also: There are 4 eclipses this year, save the date!

3. The last appearance of Mercury

Andi revealed that May 11 was Mercury’s last appearance in the evening. Mercury can be seen from the northwest since 25 minutes after sunset for 30 minutes.

Mercury’s brilliance/magnitude is +3.6 with a height of 6.7 degrees. Mercury will be visible again on June 2 in the morning.

4. Venus is at its farthest point

Then on May 15 at 22.00 WIB, Venus was at the farthest point of the Sun (aphelion) with a distance of 108,939,000 km.

However, it does not affect the brightness/magnitude of Venus from Earth because it is also influenced by the phase angle, namely the angle formed between the Sun-Venus-Earth.

“Venus’s current brightness is -4, which means it can look very bright without any optical aids (as long as the weather is clear and free of light pollution),” said Andi.

Venus can be seen the next morning from the east from 03.30 local time to 25 minutes before sunset.

Read also: Many Parallel Planet Phenomena Occur Once Every 100 Years, Really?

5. Total Lunar Eclipse

Andi said May 16 at 11.11.13 WIB / 12.11.13 WITA / 13.11.13 WIT was the peak of the first total lunar eclipse in 2022.

The eclipse was the 34th of 72 eclipses in the Saros 131 cycle. The width of the eclipse was 1.4137 times the diameter of the Moon for the umbra and 2.3725 times the diameter of the Moon for the penumbra.

He said the center of the Moon is 0.2532 times the diameter of the Earth’s Umbra south of the center of the Earth’s Umbra.

“This eclipse will take place in a penumbral phase for 5 hours 18 minutes 40 seconds (from 08.32.11 WIB to 13.50.52 WIB), a partial phase for 3 hours 27 minutes 14 seconds (from 09.27.57 WIB to 12.55.11 WIB) and a total phase of 84 minutes 53 seconds (from 10.29.07 WIB to 11.54.00 WIB),” said Andi.

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