Planets on parade: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher

The Moon will slide past a line of planets in the morning sky in the coming week. This chart captures the view on May 6, 40 minutes before sunrise, looking east. Neptune is not visible with the naked eye, and may be a challenge in binoculars due to the brightening sky. Credit: Astronomy: Roen Kelly

This week sees the return of Mercury, joining Mars and Saturn in the predawn sky. And on May 4, you’ll find a thin crescent moon below and to the left of Saturn, in between Mars and Saturn. Over the next couple of days, the Moon will move down the parade, appearing on May 6 just above and to the left of Mercury, anchoring the lineup.

For all of the action in May’s skies, check out Sky this Month from our May issue, written by Martin Ratcliffe and Alister Ling.

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