Abstract
BY the middle of May, the night (sunset to sunrise, London) is of 81 hours' duration. The moon is new on May 7 at 12h. and full on May 21 at 13h. Mars is in conjunction with the moon on May 10 and Venus on May 11. Jupiter and Saturn are now both morning stars but too close to the sun for observation. Venus is the brilliant evening star, setting less than one hour before midnight U.T. (that is, lh. summer time). Its greatest brightness is reached about May 20, when its magnitude is -4-2. Under favourable atmospheric conditions, it should be possible to see the planet in the daytime. Its time of meridian passage and altitude is given for May 5, 12, 19 and 26 -15h. 3m. (65-8°), 14h. 58m. (65-7°), 14h. 49m. (65-2°) and 14h. 35m. (64-5°). A telescopic view of Venus at this time will show the planet as a crescent, l full in the middle of May and l full at the end. Venus, with respect to size and mass, is almost the twin of the earth. A dense atmosphere evidently surrounds the planet and screens its surface from observation. Direct telescopic scrutiny shows almost a complete absence of markings, but ultra-violet
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The Night Sky in May. Nature 145, 666 (1940). https://doi.org/10.1038/145666b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/145666b0