May 1999

MAY - Watch for Mars and Venus in the western sky after sundown; Mars will be a ruddy orange spot near the horizon, while Venus is brilliant white and continues out-of-bounds all month. 1 - Watch for Mercury and Jupiter close together 30 minutes before sunrise. Mars is a perigee -- closest to the Earth -- retrograde and at its most visible now. 12 - Waning crescent Moon conjunct Jupiter in the Eastern pre-dawn sky. 15 - New Moon 5:05 A.M. PDT, 25 degrees of Taurus. The Moon is also at perigee, making higher than normal tides. 17, 18 - Waxing crescent Moon near Venus. 22 - Moon occults (blocks) Regulus. 24 - 26 Moon near Spica. 29 -- Moon conjunct Antares. 30 -- Full Moon 11:40 P.M. PDT, 8 degrees Sagittarius. Venus is near Pollux and Castor -- the heads of the Gemini Twins