Planetary triangle seen on sky this morning

Another day, another alignment of planets. “This morning, May 14th, the ‘planetary triangle’ created by Venus, Jupiter and Mercury adorned the eastern sky behind my nearby mosque,” reports Shahrin Ahmad, who snapped this picture from his rooftop observatory of Sri Damansara, Malaysia:

This planetary triangle is part of the Great Morning Sky Show of May 2011. Every day this month begins with a shape-shifting arrangement of bright planets in the eastern sky. One day it’s a line, then a trapezoid, then a triangle. What will tomorrow’s geometry be? To find out, set your alarm for dawn. (SpaceWeather)

On May 13th, for instance, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter form a bright celestial triangle–almost equilateral. It’s a geometry lesson before breakfast. On May 20th, a new triangle will appear. This time the vertices are Mars, Venus, and Mercury. Observing tip: Mars is not as bright as the others. Binoculars may be required to help you find and fully appreciate the red planet in morning twilight.

The show comes to an end on May 30th when an exquisite crescent Moon joins the four planets for a Grand Finale–five heavenly lights dotting the eastern sky all at once. (Science.NASA)

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