May’s night sky is filled with entertainment for stargazers, whether you’re interested in observing planets, meteors, the moon, or even globular clusters. Grab your binoculars, set up your telescope, and get outside—here’s what to look for in the cosmos throughout the month.
Moon, Mars, and the Beehive Cluster—May 3
Just after sunset, look to the west to spot a celestial “swarm.” The stars of the Beehive Cluster (Messier 44) will appear to buzz just below the crescent moon. Take a closer look, and you might notice one of the “bees” has a reddish hue—that’s Mars joining the fun.
(Here are five famous constellations that (almost) anyone can find.)
The Beehive cluster, located about 577 light-years away, contains more than a thousand stars. While some can be seen with the naked eye, the cluster’s dazzling display is best seen through binoculars or a telescope.
Eta Aquariid meteor shower peak—May 5
A meteor streaks through the night during the Eta Aquarid shower. Peaking in early May, the shower is fueled by debris left behind by Halley’s Comet.
Photograph by Diana Robinson Photography, Getty Images
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower, active from April 20 to May 21, peaks on the night of May 5 into the morning of May 6. The shower is linked to Halley’s Comet, and observers can expect around 10 meteors per hour— potentially more if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere.
Though it might not be the most prolific show of the year, the Eta Aquarids are known for their super-fast meteors that leave glowing streaks across the night sky. These incandescent debris trails can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.
Saturn’s equinox—May 6
Captured by NASA’s Cassini orbiter, this view shows Saturn during an equinox—an event that happens only twice each Saturn year—when the planet’s rings cast a razor-thin shadow across its cloud tops.
Photograph by NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
On May 6, Saturn experiences its equinox—an event that happens only once every 15 Earth years. The sun shines directly over Saturn’s equator during this time, causing the planet’s famous rings to appear edge-on and nearly vanish from view.
The phenomenon offers a rare chance to see Saturn with its rings strikingly thin and faint, as sunlight hits them at a dramatic angle.
A “well-placed” globular cluster—May 11
If you’ve never seen a globular cluster, you’ll soon have a good chance to look at one. Globular Cluster Messier 5 (M5) will be “well-placed” for observation on May 11, meaning it’s reached its highest point in the night sky.
Globular clusters are densely packed groups of gravitationally bound stars—tens of thousands to millions of them—that form a glittering spheroid shape. Located about 25,000 light-years away, M5 offers a glittering glimpse into the Milky Way’s early history. A telescope will reveal its dense core and halo of faint stars.
(Explore the galactic map that could guide aliens to Earth.)
The “Flower Moon”—May 12
See May’s “flower moon” reach full bloom on May 12. Per the Farmer’s Almanac, each month’s full moon often reflects natural events; in May, spring flowers are typically in bloom across North America.
As with April’s full moon, May’s full moon will be a micromoon that appears slightly smaller and dimmer than “normal” full moons. Micromoons occur when the moon reaches apogee, the point in its orbit farthest from Earth.
Moon and Saturn’s close encounter—May 22
The full moon, known as the “Super Flower Moon” rises over the Temple of Poseidon in Cape Sounion, near Athens, Greece, May 26, 2021.
Photograph by Alkis Konstantinidis, Reuters/Redux
Looking for Saturn? On the night of May 22, the planet will be just 2°28’—or the distance of about 2.5 pinky fingers at arm’s length—away from the waning crescent moon. If you observe Saturn through a telescope, its rings will appear quite thin, thanks to the recent equinox.
That said, you won’t be able to fit both Saturn and the moon into the field of view of a telescope. If you want to see both simultaneously, you’ll have to do so with binoculars, though Saturn might not be well magnified.
Prime stargazing conditions—May 26
Clear skies permitting, May 26 will offer some of the best stargazing conditions of the month. The new moon means no lunar light interfering with dark skies, providing optimal viewing for faint stars, galaxies, and nebulae.
If you don’t have your own optical gear, see if you can borrow binoculars from your local library or sync up with a local astronomy club for a stargazing session with telescopes.
(These are the world’s best stargazing spots.)
Another “well-placed” globular cluster—May 28
Don’t worry if you missed M5 on May 11—you have another chance to see a “well-placed” globular cluster on May 28. Messier 4 (M4) is the closest globular cluster to Earth at just 5,500 light-years away.
M4 has more than 100,000 stars, including an estimated 40,000 white dwarfs. White dwarfs are ancient stars, or rather, the ultra-dense cores of ancient stars that have burned up all their fuel. They’re quite dim, so you won’t be able to see them without a reasonably high-powered telescope.
Venus at greatest western elongation—May 31
On May 31, Venus will reach its greatest western elongation—the maximum distance west of the sun in our sky. This places the bright “morning star” prominently in the pre-dawn hours.
Venus, the third-brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon, is easy to spot—and during greatest elongations, it’s especially striking.
English