What's Up For May? A Guide Celestial Events

In the month of May, an amazing showcase of the Sky encompasses the Moon, planets, and a celestial shower from Comet Halley. We're peering closer at what's unfolding in the celestial sky this month.

Moon & Planet Highlights

May 3rd and 4th: Moon, Saturn, and Mars

In the early hours before the dawn on the 3rd of May, look towards east to witness the crescent Moon rising alongside Saturn in the twilight of the morning. Aproximately 45 minutes after Saturn rises, Mars chases closely. This group creates a beautiful line up in the east sky, giving an astounding sight to those waking up early. Following morning on the 4th of May, the Moon appears slimmer, located between Saturn and Mars. Both planets are moving apart steadily after a close conjunction in early April, when they seemed unusually close up in the sky. Beware of Mercury rising just before the sunrise, likely needing a clear view of the horizon to spot it.

Moon Occults Antares - May 23rd

On May 23rd, the full Moon will be near the bright red star Anteros in the constellation Scorpius as they both ascend. However, for observers on the east coast of the U.S., south of Delaware and through Florida, the Moon will really come in front of Anteros, an event named as an occultation. Over a few hours, as the Moon and Anteros ascend into the night sky, the Moon will slightly alter in its orbit, briefly concealing and then exposing Anteros.

Saturn and the Crescent Moon - May 31st

As May nears its end, wake up early on the morning of the 31st to spot Saturn rising in the dawn hours with the crescent Moon tagging along. Look to the southeast, and if you have binoculars, both Saturn and the Moon should be seen in the same field of view.

Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower

May brings one of the annual showers of meteors, associated with Halley's comet - the eta Aquariid meteor shower. Planet Earth crosses through the orbit of comet Halley two times every year, once in May and again in October. As Earth brushes Halley's path, it intercepts a stream of meteors made up of tiny bits of rock and dust thrown off by the comet. These bits collide with our atmosphere and burn up as meteors.

Peak: Overnight on May 5th and into the morning of the 6th

The eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks overnight on May 5th and into the morning of the 6th. Though, meteors from this shower can be spotted throughout the week concentrated around the peak night. The radiant point in the sky, from where the meteors seem to originate, is in the Aquarius constellation. So, you'll have a better shot at witnessing meteors when the radiant is above the horizon, more meteors are visible the higher the radiant climbs in the sky.

Ideal Viewing Time

This period of the year, Aquarius surges after midnight, thus the ideal time to watch this shower is in the hours before daybreak. For observers in the Southern Hemisphere, this is a great shower to view as the radiant elevates significantly higher in the sky before the break of dawn. Individuals in pristine dark sky conditions may view up to 40 meteors per hour, while Northern Hemisphere observers may anticipate around 10 to 20 meteors per hour.

Tips for Viewing

For an enriched experience, locate a safe, dark location far from potent lights. Permit your eyes a little time to adjust to the dark, then lay down with your feet pointing towards the east and glance straight upward. Think about bringing a warm beverage and a buddy or two to enjoy the spectacle together.

May Moon Phases

Here are the phases of the Moon for May:

May 3rd: First Quarter

May 11th: Full Moon

May 19th: Last Quarter

May 26th: New Moon

Keep yourself updated on NASA's missions exploring the solar system and beyond at science.nasa.gov.

Embrace the celestial wonders of May, and have a happy stargazing!

By Preston Dyches from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.