Moon, Pollux, and Castor, May 28th

Starlog May 28th, 2017, 9:30 p.m. local time

The Memorial Day weekend provided a few good nights of clear or mostly clear skies.  On Sunday the crescent Moon was low in the West, complete with Earthshine.  Though my smartphone does not do justice to the shape or contrast you would have seen live, you still get the idea from the picture above.

The Moon was in proximity to the constellation Gemini.  In the same frame you can see its two brightest stars, Pollux and Castor, which are the heads of the twins within the constellation.  It is difficult to see the rest of Gemini in late May since it is near the horizon and hidden by light pollution.  But in the Winter, when Gemini is high overhead, it is possible to ascertain the general shape.

Paul

Paul

I write frequently about astrophotography, technology advice, and my other interests like science fiction. I have over 30 years of experience in computer programming, information technology, and project management.

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