Night sky, May 2023: What you can see tonight [maps]

Top telescope pick!

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Looking for a telescope for the next night sky event? We recommend the Celestron Astro Fi 102 (opens in new tab) as the top pick in our best beginner’s telescope guide. 

The night sky tonight and on any clear night offers an ever-changing display of fascinating objects you can see, from stars and constellations to bright planets, the moon, and sometimes special events like meteor showers.

Observing the night sky can be done with no special equipment, although a sky map can be very useful, and a good telescope or binoculars will enhance some experiences and bring some otherwise invisible objects into view. You can also use astronomy accessories to make your observing easier, and use our Satellite Tracker page powered by N2YO.com

to find out when and how to see the International Space Station and other satellites. You can also capture the night sky by using any of the best cameras for astrophotography, along with a selection of the best lenses for astrophotography. 

Read on to find out what’s up in the night sky tonight (planets visible now, moon phases, observing highlights this month) plus other resources (skywatching terms, night sky observing tips and further reading)

Related: The brightest planets in May’s night sky: How to see them (and when)

Monthly skywatching information is provided to Space.com by Chris Vaughan of Starry Night Education, the leader in space science curriculum solutions. Follow Starry Night on Twitter @StarryNightEdu and Chris at @Astrogeoguy

Editor’s note: If you have an amazing skywatching photo and would like to share them with Space.com’s readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to [email protected].

Calendar of observing highlights

Tuesday, May 2: Crater Copernicus (all night)

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The prominent crater Copernicus is located in eastern Oceanus Procellarum — due south of Mare Imbrium and slightly northwest of the moon’s center. This 800 million-year-old impact scar is visible with unaided eyes and binoculars — but telescope views will reveal many more interesting aspects of lunar geology. Starting several nights before the moon reaches its full phase, Copernicus exhibits heavily terraced edges (due to slumping), an extensive ejecta blanket outside the crater’s rim, a complex central peak, and both smooth and rough terrain on the crater’s floor. 

Around the full moon, Copernicus’ ray system, extending 500 miles (800 km) in all directions, becomes prominent. Use high magnification to look around Copernicus for small craters with bright floors and black haloes — impacts through Copernicus’ white ejecta that excavated dark Oceanus Procellarum basalt and even deeper highlands anorthosite.

Wednesday, May 3: Bright moon passes Spica (evening)

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On Wednesday night, May 3, the bright and nearly full, waxing gibbous moon will shine near Virgo’s brightest star, Spica. During the evening, binoculars (orange circle) will show the magnitude 0.95 star twinkling two finger widths to the moon’s lower right (or celestial south). As the night wears on, the easterly orbital motion of the moon will carry it closer and then farther from Spica. The duo will set in the west-southwest around 5 a.m. local time.

Friday, May 5: Full Milk Moon dips into Earth’s shadow (at 1:34 EDT)

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The moon will reach its full phase on Friday, May 5 at 1:34 p.m. EDT, 10:34 a.m. PDT, or 17:34 GMT. Full moons in May always shine in or near the stars of Libra or Scorpius. 

The indigenous Ojibwe groups of the Great Lakes region call the May full moon Zaagibagaa-giizis “Budding Moon” or Namebine-giizis, the “Sucker Moon”. For them, it signifies a time when Mother Earth again provides healing medicines. The Cree of North America call it Athikipisim, the “the Frog Moon” – the time when frogs become active in ponds and swamps. The Cherokee call it Ahnisguti, the “the Planting Moon”, when the fields are plowed and sown. Other common names are the Full Milk Moon, Full Flower Moon, or Full Corn Planting Moon. 

This full moon will pass through the Earth’s penumbral shadow, very slightly dimming the northern part of the moon’s disk. Observers in Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australia will see the moon begin to dip into the shadow at 15:13:39 GMT and move clear of it at 19:31:54 GMT. At greatest eclipse at 17:24:04 GMT, 97% of the moon’s diameter will sit within the shadow. For much of Africa the moon will rise while partially eclipsed. No part of this event will be visible in the Americas.

Saturday, May 6:  Eta-Aquariids meteor shower peak (pre-dawn)

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The annual Eta-Aquariids Meteor Shower is produced when Earth’s orbit carries us through a cloud of particles left behind by repeated passages of Halley’s Comet. The shower, which runs from April 19 to May 28, will peak in intensity on Saturday afternoon, May 6 in the Americas. Since viewing meteors requires a dark sky, watch for them before dawn on Saturday morning and then again on Saturday evening. Expect to see some fireball meteors — but less than the few dozen meteors per hour that are typical during the peak. 

A nearly full moon will lessen the show this year, but it will sink low before dawn on Saturday. True Eta-Aquariids meteors will appear to be traveling away from a radiant point in Aquarius, which will rise above the southeastern horizon around 2:30 a.m. local time. It’s southerly radiant makes the Eta-Aquariids Shower better for observers located closer to the tropics.

Sunday, May 7: Bright moon in the Scorpion’s clutches (early hours)

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When the bright moon rises in the east in the late evening on Saturday, May 6, it will be shining just to the lower left (or celestial east) of the row of little white stars that form the claws of Scorpius, the Scorpion. After the grouping has cleared the rooftops around midnight, the moon and those stars will spend the hours of Sunday morning, May 7 crossing the lower part of the sky. Early risers can see them above the southwestern horizon before dawn. By then the easterly orbital motion of the moon will have carried it closer to the bright, reddish star Antares, the heart of the scorpion.

Tuesday, May 9: Venus nears the Shoe-Buckle Cluster (evening)

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For several nights surrounding Tuesday, May 9, the orbital motion of the very bright planet Venus will carry it past the large open star cluster in Gemini known as Messier 35 or the Shoe-Buckle Cluster. Starting on May 4 the planet and the cluster will become close enough to share the view in binoculars (orange circle), with M35 sparkling to Venus’ upper left (or celestial east-southeast). At their closest approach on May 9, the cluster will be positioned just a thumb’s width to the lower left (or 1.8 degrees south) of Venus. That will be close enough to see them together in a backyard telescope, but you may need to hide bright Venus just out of view to better see the patch of stars, which covers an area the size of the moon. After Tuesday, Venus will climb away from the cluster, but the pair will continue to share binoculars until May 13.

Friday, May 12 : Third Quarter Moon (at 14:28 GMT)

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The moon will officially reach its third quarter phase at 10:28 a.m. EDT, 7:28 a.m. PDT, or 14:28 GMT on Friday, May 12. At third (or last) quarter the moon appears half-illuminated, on its western, sunward side. It will rise in the middle of the night, and then remain visible until it sets in the western daytime sky during late morning. Third Quarter moons are positioned ahead of the Earth in our trip around the sun. About 3½ hours later, Earth will occupy that same location in space. The week of dark, moonless evening skies that follow this phase is the best one for observing deep sky targets.

Saturday, May 13: Saturn shines near the moon (pre-dawn)

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Early risers on Saturday morning, May 13 can see the waning crescent moon shining prettily in the southeastern sky. The prominent yellowish dot of Saturn will appear a slim palm’s width to the moon’s upper left (or 5 degrees to the celestial north) from the time they clear the treetops, at around 3 a.m. local time, until the brightening sky hides Saturn. For observers in more westerly time zones, the moon will have shifted a little closer to Saturn, allowing them to share the view in binoculars (orange circle). The following morning, the moon will hop east and shine to Saturn’s lower left.

Saturday, May 13: Ceres stands still (all night)

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On Saturday, May 13, the minor planet Ceres, the largest object in the main asteroid belt, will cease its motion across the background stars — completing a westerly retrograde loop that it began in February (red path with dates). Tonight the magnitude 7.9 object, which is visible in binoculars (orange circle) and backyard telescopes, will be located on the border between Coma Berenices and Leo, two finger widths to the left (or 2 degrees to the celestial east) of the bright star Denebola. After tonight Ceres will drop into Virgo and gradually resume its regular eastward motion.

Monday, May 15: Blue Neptune and the old moon (pre-dawn)

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After the slim crescent of the old waning moon rises in the east at about 3:40 a.m. local time on Monday morning, May 15, the distant blue planet Neptune will be located several finger-widths to its upper right (or 4 degrees to the celestial west). The magnitude 7.9 planet will be visible in large binoculars (orange circle) and backyard telescopes until the sky begins to brighten, about an hour before sunrise. Observers located in the tropics, where the ecliptic will be vertical instead of slanted (green line), will see Neptune much more easily and for a longer time. Neptune will climb higher throughout May and June.

Tuesday, May 16: Venus wanders the stars (evening)

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The English word planet comes from the ancient Greek word planetes, or “wanderer”. Since ancient times, humans have noted that bright planets move with respect to the background stars. On the evenings surrounding Tuesday, May 16, the motion of the bright planet Venus (red path) will be particularly apparent when it slides closely past the bright star Mebsuta, or Epsilon Geminorum. Tonight, Venus will shine less than a finger’s width to the upper right of the much fainter star. On the nights before and after, Venus will appear farther to the lower right and upper left of Mebsuta, respectively. Track Venus’ wandering with your unaided eyes, or through binoculars (orange circle) or a backyard telescope.

Wednesday, May 17: The crescent moon approaches Jupiter (before sunrise) 

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Look above the eastern horizon just before sunrise on Wednesday, May 17 to see the very slim crescent of the old moon shining very closely to the right (or celestial southwest) of Jupiter’s bright dot. Observers viewing them from southerly latitudes will see them, and nearby Mercury, more easily. 

Starting around 7:40 a.m. EDT or 4:40 a.m. PDT and 11:40 GMT, the orbital motion of the moon (green line) will cause the bright, leading edge of the moon to pass in front of, or occult, Jupiter for skywatchers located in northern Central America, the northern Caribbean, most of North America, Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, the northern British Isles, Scandinavia, and northwest Russia. Jupiter will emerge from behind the dark edge of the moon about 70 minutes later. 

The times vary by location, so use an app like Starry Night to look up your own circumstances. For all but the most westerly locations, the event will occur in daylight, making finding the moon and Jupiter a challenge. Binoculars and backyard telescopes will show the event, but extra caution must be taken to avoid pointing optics anywhere near the sun.

Thursday, May 18: Razor-thin moon with Mercury and Jupiter (before sunrise)

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A day after the moon’s close encounter with Jupiter, its razor-thin crescent will hop east to form a bent line with Jupiter and the much fainter dot of Mercury. The trio will appear in the brightening sky above the east-northeastern horizon just before sunrise. 

The moon will shine a fist’s diameter to the lower left of Jupiter. Mercury will be positioned below the midway point between them. Binoculars (orange circle) will assist in your search, but turn all optical aids away before the sun rises. Skywatchers viewing the trio from tropical latitudes and the Southern Hemisphere will see them more easily, but their line will be rotated up-down.

Friday, May 19: The New Moon (at 15:53 GMT)

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On Friday, May 19 at 11:53 a.m. EDT, 8:53 a.m. PDT, or 15:53 GMT, the moon will officially reach its new moon phase. At that time our natural satellite will be located in Taurus and less than 2 degrees north of the sun. While at its new phase, the moon is traveling between Earth and the sun. Since sunlight can only shine on the far side of the moon, and the moon is in the same region of the sky as the sun, it becomes completely hidden from view from anywhere on Earth for about a day. After the new moon phase, Earth’s natural satellite will return to shine as a very thin crescent in the western evening sky.

Monday, May 22: Crescent moon poses with planets (evening)

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In the western sky on Monday evening, May 22, the pretty waxing crescent moon will pose for a photo opportunity to the lower right (or celestial northwest of) the very bright planet Venus. The brightest stars of Gemini, Pollux and Castor, and reddish Mars, will sparkle above them. The moon’s easterly orbital motion will swing it somewhat closer to Venus before the grouping sets around 11:30 p.m. local time. Skywatchers viewing from more westerly time zones will see the moon and Venus even closer together.

Tuesday, May 23: Crescent moon between Venus and Mars (evening)

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After 24 hours of easterly motion, on the evening of Tuesday, May 23 the moon’s slightly fuller crescent will move to sit between the bright white planet Venus and much fainter, reddish Mars. Gemini’s bright star Pollux will shine two finger widths above (or 2 degrees to the celestial NNE of) the moon. As the hours pass, the moon will noticeably slide a little closer to Mars and farther from Venus. Viewers in westerly time zones will see the moon lining up with Pollux and Castor.

Wednesday, May 24: Waxing moon near Mars and the Beehive (evening)

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The waxing moon’s trip past the bright evening planets will continue on Wednesday evening, May 24. Tonight, the 5-day-old moon’s crescent will shine several finger widths above (or 4 degrees to the celestial northeast of) Mars’ reddish dot. The large open star cluster known as the Beehive, Messier 44, and NGC 2632 will form an equilateral triangle to the left of the moon and Mars. All three objects will share the view in binoculars (orange circle), but to see the “bees”, which cover an area more than twice the moon’s diameter, hide the bright moon just beyond the right edge of your field of view.

Thursday, May 25: Two shadows and the Great Red Spot on Jupiter (13:46 to 15:36 GMT on May 24)

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From time to time, observers with good telescopes can watch the small, round, black shadows of the Galilean moons cross Jupiter’s disk. On Thursday morning, May 25, sky-watchers in the Pacific Ocean region can see a rare treat when two shadows cross the southern hemisphere of Jupiter, together with the Great Red Spot! West of Hawaii the two shadows will already be mid-planet when Jupiter rises. At 3:36 a.m. Tahiti Time (or 15:36 GMT) Europa’s shadow will move off Jupiter, leaving the red spot and Io’s shadow to complete their crossings by 3:57 a.m. THAT (or 15:57 GMT). By then the sky will be brightening.

Saturday, May 27: First Quarter Moon (at 11:22 a.m. EDT)

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When the moon completes the first quarter of its orbit around Earth at 11:22 a.m. EDT, 8:22 a.m. PDT, or 15:22 GMT on Saturday, May 27, the 90-degree angle formed by the Earth, sun, and moon will cause us to see our natural satellite half-illuminated – on its eastern side. While at First Quarter, the moon always rises around noon and sets around midnight, allowing it to be seen in the afternoon daytime sky, too. The evenings surrounding the first quarter phase are the best ones for viewing the lunar terrain when it is dramatically lit by low-angled sunlight. Observers in parts of Asia and Oceana will be able to see the Lunar X and V features for several hours centered on 6:30 GMT.

Sunday, May 28:  Double Shadows Cross Jupiter (10:45 p.m. EDT on May 27 to 12:05 a.m. EDT on May 28)

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From time to time, observers with good telescopes can watch the small, round, black shadows of the Galilean moons traverse Jupiter’s disk. On Sunday morning, May 28, sky-watchers in the central Africa region can see the shadows of Io and Europa cross the southern hemisphere of Jupiter. At westerly longitudes the two shadows will already be crossing when Jupiter rises. At 5:55 a.m. West Africa Time (or 04:55 GMT) the shadows will move off Jupiter together. By then the sky will be brightening.

Monday, May 29:  Mercury at greatest western elongation (before sunrise)

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On Monday, May 29, Mercury (orbit shown in red) will reach its greatest angle from the morning sun, 25 degrees, and maximum visibility for its current evening apparition. With Mercury positioned well below the tilted morning ecliptic (green line) in the eastern sky, this appearance of the planet will be a poor one for Northern Hemisphere observers, but an excellent one for those in the tropics and the Southern Hemisphere. The optimal viewing times at mid-northern latitudes will start around 4:45 a.m. local time. Viewed in a telescope (inset) the planet will exhibit a waxing, almost half-illuminated phase. Watch for the very bright planet Jupiter shining a fist’s diameter to Mercury’s upper right (or celestial west).

Monday, May 29: Mare Imbrium’s Golden Handle (overnight)

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On Monday night, May 29, the terminator on the waxing gibbous moon will bisect Sinus Iridum, the Bay of Rainbows. That semi-circular feature, 155 miles (249 km) in diameter, is a large impact crater that has been flooded by the same basalts that filled the much larger Mare Imbrium to its east — forming a round bay on the western edge of the mare. A clair-obscur effect named the Golden Handle will be visible. It’s produced when the low-angled sunlight along the terminator brightens the peaks of the prominent Montes Jura mountain range surrounding Sinus Iridum on the north and west. Sinus Iridum is almost craterless but hosts a set of northeasterly-oriented wrinkle ridges that are revealed at this phase. In a backyard telescope, you can see where the mountains, actually the original crater’s rim, submerge below the basalts, forming the promontories named Laplace (the northern tip) and Heraclides (the southern tip).

Tuesday, May 30: Two shadows lead the Great Red Spot across Jupiter (5:42 p.m. to 6:22 p.m. EDT, 21:42 to 22:22 GMT)

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From time to time, observers with good telescopes can watch the small, round, black shadow of Galilean moons transit Jupiter’s disk. On Tuesday morning, May 30, sky-watchers at western Asian longitudes can see a rare treat when two of those shadows lead the Great Red Spot across the southern hemisphere of Jupiter! Because Jupiter will be in the pre-dawn sky, there won’t be time to watch much of their trip before sunrise. When Jupiter rises around 3:30 a.m. Indian Standard Time (or 22:00 GMT on May 29), the large shadow of Ganymede and the smaller shadow of Io will already be crossing the big planet, with the GRS following the shadows. The shadows will move off Jupiter at 4:51 a.m. and 5:10 a.m. IST, respectively.

Wednesday, May 31: Mars approaches the Beehive (evening)

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As May comes to an end, the easterly orbital path of the red planet Mars (red path) will be carrying it towards the large open star cluster in Cancer known as the Beehive, Messier 44, and NGC 2632. The planet will approach the cluster’s stars from the lower right (celestial west). Mars and the cluster will be close enough to share the field of view in binoculars from May 24, when the moon shines nearby, until May 11, when Venus will be joining them. Tonight, look for the “bees”, which cover an area twice as wide as the full moon, just a finger’s width to Mars’ upper left — close enough to appear together in a backyard telescope (orange circle).

Planets

Mercury

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At the beginning of May, Mercury will be out of sight while it passes the sun. The planet will gradually emerge from the predawn twilight towards mid-May – a few days earlier than that for those viewing it from tropical latitudes. 

Due to the planet’s position well below a tilted ecliptic, this morning appearance of Mercury will be very poor for Northern Hemisphere observers, but it will be the first of two back-to-back excellent apparitions for those in the Southern Hemisphere. Once the planet becomes visible just above the eastern horizon, it will shine at a weak magnitude +1.7. While it swings farther from the morning sun each morning it will brighten continuously, reaching a maximum angle of 24.9 degrees west of the sun, and a magnitude of 0.43, on May 29. From mid-northern latitudes Mercury will not rise early enough to see the stars of southern Aries that surround it. 

Far brighter Jupiter will shine to Mercury’s upper right during this appearance. On May 17, Mercury will approach to within a palm’s width (or 6 degrees to the celestial east) of Jupiter and the old crescent moon will shine a finger’s width to Jupiter’s right. Viewed in a telescope during May, Mercury’s illuminated phase will wax from a very thin crescent to half-illuminated. Its apparent disk size will shrink to 7.9 arc seconds.

Venus

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During the month of May Venus will continue to brighten in the western evening sky while it gradually widens its angle from the sun from 40.5 to 45 degrees. That generous elongation will allow our sister planet to shine in a dark sky until it sets just before midnight local time. 

Venus will begin May shining between the horn stars of Taurus. After May 7 its easterly motion will carry it into Gemini. It will share a binoculars’ field of view with the bright open star cluster Messier 35 from May 5 to 12, approaching M35 from the lower right (celestial northwest), passing 2 degrees to the north on May 8-9, and then climbing higher above it to the celestial northeast. On May 16, Venus will shine 0.7 degrees north of the bright star Mebsuta (Epsilon Geminorum), and on May 29-30, Venus will shine half a degree to the south of Kappa Geminorum, with Pollux to their upper right. 

Under magnification, Venus will exhibit a half-illuminated phase that will wane from 66% to 52% during May. Over the month its disk will grow in size from 17.1 to 22.6 arc-seconds. The waxing crescent moon will climb past Venus and towards Mars and Pollux-Castor on May 22-23, setting up a set of lovely photo opportunities in the Americas. Observers in the Eastern Hemisphere will be able to see the moon pass within 2 degrees of Venus on May 23.

Mars

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The small reddish dot of Mars will appear about one-third of the way up the western sky after dusk throughout May. As Earth’s distance from Mars continues to increase over the course of the month, the planet will fade from magnitude 1.34 to 1.58, a range that falls between the brightness of the nearby bright stars Castor and Pollux. Mars will begin May positioned a palm’s width below (or 6 degrees to the celestial southwest of) Pollux. 

Pursued by Venus, Mars’ easterly motion will carry it into Cancer on May 17, and towards that constellation’s large open star cluster Messier 44, the Beehive. Mars will approach close enough to share binoculars with the “bees” starting on May 25. It will end May telescope-close to the cluster, on its lower right (northwestern) side. Venus will approach within a fist’s diameter west of Mars at month’s end. Telescope views of Mars in May will show a 92%-illuminated disk that shrinks in size from 5.4 to 4.7 arc seconds. The waxing crescent moon will shine a few fingers widths above (or 4 degrees to the celestial northeast) of Mars on May 24.

Jupiter

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After passing the sun in mid-April, Jupiter will return to visibility above the eastern horizon before sunrise during May. Observers in the tropics may be able to see Jupiter’s magnitude -2.1 dot early in the month, while mid-northern latitude observers will need to wait beyond the first third of the month. After that, Jupiter will be increasingly more visible, especially around 5:30 a.m. local time. Jupiter will pass from Pisces into Aries on May 19, but it will not begin to shine in a dark sky or climb high enough for clear telescope views, until the last week of May. 

Observers at tropical latitudes in various parts of the world can see dual transits of Galilean moons across Jupiter’s disk on May 17, 20-22, 24, 28, and 31. On the morning of May 17 in the Americas, the old, waning crescent moon will shine to Jupiter’s right or celestial southwest. Observers located in northern Central America, the northern Caribbean, most of North America, Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, the northern British Isles, Scandinavia, and northwest Russia can see that moon occult Jupiter in daylight starting around 11:40 GMT.

Saturn

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Saturn will be well placed for observation during May — if you don’t mind setting the alarm! The magnitude -1.0, yellow-tinted planet will rise during the wee hours and climb to a reasonable height in the southeastern sky before dawn, where it will be creeping eastward through the stars of central Aquarius. 

A backyard telescope will show some of Saturn’s moons and its rings, which will be only 9 degrees from edge-on this year. The planet’s disk and rings will be 16.5 and 39 arc-seconds wide, respectively in May. The last quarter moon will pass several finger widths below (or 4 degrees to the south of) Saturn on May 13-14.

Uranus

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Magnitude 5.85 Uranus will be too close to the sun to observe during May. It will pass solar conjunction while in Aries on May 9, and then enter the bright, eastern pre-dawn sky.

Neptune

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Neptune will spend the month of May in the eastern pre-dawn sky among the stars of southwestern Pisces. It will increase its distance west of the sun from 44 degrees to 72 degrees — but the shallow slope of the morning ecliptic will prevent the blue, magnitude 7.9 planet from shining in a dark sky until after the middle of May. Even then, it will be too low in the sky for clear telescope views.

Skywatching terms

Gibbous: Used to describe a planet or moon that is more than 50% illuminated.

Asterism: A noteworthy or striking pattern of stars within a larger constellation.

Degrees (measuring the sky): The sky is 360 degrees all the way around, which means roughly 180 degrees from horizon to horizon. It’s easy to measure distances between objects: Your fist on an outstretched arm covers about 10 degrees of sky, while a finger covers about one degree.

Visual Magnitude: This is the astronomer’s scale for measuring the brightness of objects in the sky. The dimmest object visible in the night sky under perfectly dark conditions is about magnitude 6.5. Brighter stars are magnitude 2 or 1. The brightest objects get negative numbers. Venus can be as bright as magnitude minus 4.9. The full moon is minus 12.7 and the sun is minus 26.8.

Terminator: The boundary on the moon between sunlight and shadow.

Zenith: The point in the sky directly overhead.

Night sky observing tips

Adjust to the dark: If you wish to observe fainter objects, such as meteors, dim stars, nebulas, and galaxies, give your eyes at least 15 minutes to adjust to the darkness. Avoid looking at your phone’s bright screen by keeping it tucked away. If you must use it, set the brightness to minimum — or cover it with clingy red film. 

Light Pollution: Even from a big city, one can see the moon, a handful of bright stars, and the brightest planets – if they are above the horizon. But to fully enjoy the heavens — especially a meteor shower, the fainter constellations, or to see the amazing swath across the sky that is the disk of our home galaxy, the Milky Way — rural areas are best for night sky viewing. If you’re stuck in a city or suburban area, use a tree or dark building to block ambient light (or moonlight) and help reveal fainter sky objects. If you’re in the suburbs, simply turning off outdoor lights can help.

Prepare for skywatching: If you plan to be outside for more than a few minutes, and it’s not a warm summer evening, dress more warmly than you think is necessary. An hour of winter observing can chill you to the bone. For meteor showers, a blanket or lounge chair will prove to be much more comfortable than standing, or sitting in a chair and craning your neck to see overhead.

Daytime skywatching: On the days surrounding first quarter, the moon is visible in the afternoon daytime sky. At last quarter, the moon rises before sunrise and lingers into the morning daytime sky. When Venus is at a significant angle away from the sun it can often be spotted during the day as a brilliant point of light – but you’ll need to consult an astronomy app to know when and where to look for it. When large sunspots develop on the sun, they can be seen without a telescope — as long as you use proper solar filters, such as eclipse glasses. Permanent eye damage can occur if you look at the sun for any length of time without protective eyewear.