Who will be the first to spot the May New Moon with naked eyes after sunset? A combination of circumstances might make it possible for North Americans to spot the Moon aged a little more than half a day. Nevertheless, it will be a challenge and quite worthy of praise for anyone who is successful. Most folks will have better luck the next day when the Moon appears to pass near Mercury.

The Dark Moon will be in geocentric longitudinal conjunction with the Sun on 2008 MAY 05 at 12:18 UT. We’re in the months of the year surrounding the vernal equinox during which New Moon spotting is ideal for northern hemisphere observers. The current point in the Moon’s 18.6-year nodal cycle is also helpful. And being near perigee helps the Moon to separate from the Sun more quickly. For those at mid-northern latitudes the crescent on the 5th will appear in an unusual U-shape like the smiling Cheshire Cat.

I’ve created graphics previewing the western sky as viewed from Chicagoland 25 minutes after sunset for both MAY 05 and 06, although they should well serve most North Americans. They can be seen by clicking: http://www.curtrenz.com/astronomical.html

Photos or descriptions of the May New Moon would be welcome additions to this thread. Please include the date, time, time zone and location. Good Luck!

Below is a photo I took on 2007 MAY 17 of the Moon aged 30:42 hours while appearing to pass near Mercury.

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Curt Renz - "Centaur"
For monthly astronomical calendar visit:
www.CurtRenz.com/astronomical.html

Sounds like an interesting activity. I hate to put a damper on your idea BUT what about locations in longitude; would people from ME have an edge on all the others? Someone could spot the new Moon crescent along the eastern seaboard up to 4 hours before someone on the west coast could, assuming all were looking for it at/after sunset. For what it's worth, I'll be looking for it anyways, as I usually do, just for the fun of it Mr Q

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What goes around, comes around, eventually.

Meade DS-10 (10" newt)
10x50, 10x70 binos

In April observers on the east coast of Canada reported the earliest naked eye sightings in my New Moon threads placed in several message boards. But it seems that more frequently it is folks in the southwest who are the first North Americans to be able to detect the Moon after it has emerged from the glare of the Sun, and I suspect that will be the case in May unless no one reports until the 6th. If any on the east coast spot the Moon by naked eye on the 5th, they may beat the all time record of 11:40 hrs. The previous record was 14:45 hrs. I wish you well in your attempt, but let’s allow the easterners the first shot at glory.

__________________
Curt Renz - "Centaur"
For monthly astronomical calendar visit:
www.CurtRenz.com/astronomical.html

The Dark Moon will be in geocentric longitudinal conjunction with the Sun on 2008 MAY 05 at 12:18 UT. We’re in the months of the year surrounding the vernal equinox during which New Moon spotting is ideal for northern hemisphere observers. The current point in the Moon’s 18.6-year nodal cycle is also helpful. And being near perigee helps the Moon to separate from the Sun more quickly. For those at mid-northern latitudes the crescent on the 5th will appear in an unusual U-shape like the smiling Cheshire Cat.

for us BAUTers in the UK.....
i wonder / doubt, there will be enough separation...sunset here may 05 at 19:29 gmt...that makes approx seven hours....moon set at 21:29...approx nine-hours old Moon

anyway, clear skies to all. happy hunting across the pond!

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clear skies

Indeed, Mahesh, you can forget spotting the Moon by naked eye on the 5th from the UK. But it would not surprise me if we get no positive reports from Americans that evening, and you end up seeing it before any of us on the 6th.

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Curt Renz - "Centaur"
For monthly astronomical calendar visit:
www.CurtRenz.com/astronomical.html

Mahesh, you provided your coordinates in your profile, and I will assume you actually meant the “.” to be a decimal point rather than a sexagesimal mark “:” (I realize the practice is different in some countries). At W 0.05°, N 51.50° on May 5th the Sun will set at 19:31 UT at azimuth 298.5°, and the Moon will set at 20:16 UT at azimuth 308.1°. For your location at 20:00 UT, when the Moon will be aged 7.7 hrs, the separation between the centers of the Sun and Moon will be 5.8° with 0.3% of the lunar disk illuminated.

The current world record for spotting the Moon by naked eye is 11:40 hrs with the previous record at 14:45 hrs. It would be miraculous if you sight the Moon on the 5th.

__________________
Curt Renz - "Centaur"
For monthly astronomical calendar visit:
www.CurtRenz.com/astronomical.html

Taken on May 6th about 20:40 from 52.5N, 1.2W (middle of UK). Composite of 3 stacks of 30 frames each. Celestron Omni 150mm f/5 Newtonian with Philips 900 webcam at prime focus.

Attached Images

composite_medium.jpg (24.3 KB, 10 views)

Thanks for the fine composite picture, dmr81.

Here’s my photo of the Old Moon in the New Moon’s Arms taken from Arlington Heights, Illinois on 2008 MAY 06 at 20:49 CDT. Mercury is seen beneath a Moon that is aged 37:31 hrs.

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Curt Renz - "Centaur"
For monthly astronomical calendar visit:
www.CurtRenz.com/astronomical.html

Bravo! dmr81
(would you post it on 'astrophotography' thread too, please, for ease of access to your super composition?)

Mr Renz, your photographs are always beautiful....and thank you for sharing...

yes, I tried yesterday, for a naked-eye visual (was careful) for an hour around 19:00 UT .... no sight....

my apologies or the incorrect time for Moonset, the other day! forgot to convert to UT, compounding error. You are right, of course.
and about the '.' too. i mean it as a decimal)

thank you for the succinct info.

best regards

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clear skies