TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - On Wednesday, May 20, the waxing crescent Moon will drift past Jupiter while aligning with Castor and Pollux, the brightest stars in Gemini. At the same time, Venus will continue shining low along the western horizon after sunset.
Skywatchers looking west after dusk will be able to spot the crescent Moon glowing beside Jupiter for several hours before both slip below the horizon. According to Space.com, a 6-inch telescope can reveal Jupiter’s swirling cloud bands, including the famous Great Red Spot, along with its four largest moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
When pointed toward the Moon, the telescope may also reveal dramatic craters along the line between light and shadow, as well as the dark oval of Mare Crisium and the ancient lava plains of Mare Fecunditatis farther south.
Earlier this month, Jupiter and Venus appeared side by side above the western horizon, and the two planets are expected to move even closer together by late May. Toward the end of the month, Mercury will also rise higher in the evening sky, adding another bright point to the planetary display.
Closing out the month, a rare Blue Moon will rise on May 31 as the second full moon of the month. The event will also coincide with a micromoon, occurring as the Moon reaches its farthest distance from Earth while turning full.
Read: Why the Moon Looks Different Across the World
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