May 16-18, 2028: The morning gibbous moon is with the Teapot in the southern sky before sunrise.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Morning Moon, Teapot
The morning gibbous moon is with Sagittarius’ brighter stars, commonly named the Teapot. Nunki, also known as Sigma Sagittarii (σ Sgr), is the shape’s brightest star, though it is not on the brightest stars list. It is on the pot’s handle.
Step outside with a binocular an hour before sunrise and look southward. The moon is bright enough to cast shadows across the ground.
Highlights
Here’s what to see:
- May 16: The gibbous moon, 88% illuminated, is less than 20° up in the south. It is nearly in the middle of the Teapot, 6.4° to Nunki’s lower right. Use a binocular to trace the Teapot’s shape.
An occultation of Tau Sagittarii (τ Sgr on the chart) by the moon occurs on this date for sky watchers in central Africa, where the stars are high in the sky during long nighttime hours. South of the equator, the sun is in front of Sagittarius during the summer season’s extended daylight. In most of the Americas, the event takes place before sunset on May 16, while the moon and star are still below the horizon. By moonrise in eastern Brazil, the moon has already passed east of the star.
- May 17: The 80% illuminated moon is over 20° up in the south and 6.9° to Nunki’s lower left.
- May 18: The morning moon, 71% illuminated, is over 20° above the south-southeast horizon, in front of Capricornus, and about 25° east of the Teapot’s center.
Watch the morning gibbous moon move eastward from morning to morning, passing the Teapot of Sagittarius.
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