Monthly Night Sky Report: May 2025

          Introduction

    The weather has remained mostly pleasant, if not a little bit unpredictable, during the last part of April. Even with the wild weather, I was still able to spot the ISS, see Jupiter and Mars in the night sky with Orion and Gemini, and Venus in the morning sky. As always, the Moon was enjoyable to watch as it changed phases. 

    The current weather forecast for Northern Utah claims more rain with a slight chance of snow while the temperatures increase. May brings the last chance to view Jupiter in the evening sky as it transitions to a morning planet. The Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower will peak during the first week. Mars will pass through the Beehive Cluster, and Neptune will join the morning planets.          

                      

Mercury

    Mercury will be a challenge for Northern Hemisphere observers to view this month. It can be found in the morning sky but will hug the eastern horizon until the 29th, when Mercury reaches superior conjunction with the Sun. The best chance to view Mercury will come during the first few days of the month when it is highest in the sky before sunrise.  

  

Venus

    Venus will be easy to spot before sunrise above the eastern horizon. The views will improve as this planet gains altitude throughout the month. By the 31st, Venus will have reached its greatest western elongation, resting 46° away from the Sun from our Earthly vantage point. Saturn can be found less than 4° away during the first morning of May, but it will quickly increase that distance. On the 23rd, the Moon can be found less than 4° away from Venus. Neptune can be found close to Venus throughout May, but its closest approach will occur on the 3rd. A telescope and a clear view of the eastern horizon will be required to view this conjunction. Saturn can also be found nearby.    

    

Mars

    Mars is spectacular to observe with the unaided eye due to its red color. In early May, Mars will pass through the Beehive Cluster. On May 3rd, observers can see Mars enter the Beehive. May 4th and 5th will be the best time for viewing this pair, weather permitting. The Red Planet will leave the Beehive on the 6th. I recommend using a pair of binoculars or a low-power eyepiece in a telescope for the interested observers. This will allow the scene to be viewed in its entirety. The Moon can be found just 2° from Mars on the 3rd. The Red Planet will spend most of May in Cancer the Crab, but crosses into Leo the Lion on the 25th. 

Jupiter

Saturn

      Observers should catch Jupiter during May before it transitions to the morning sky. This gas giant will be visible about three hours after sunset during the first portion of May. However, by the end of the month, Jupiter will only be above the western horizon for about an hour after the Sun sets. Even though this planet is not in the best position in the sky for fantastic observations, interested observers can still catch the Galilean Moons transiting the planet, the Great Red Spot, and the distant cloud bands. Check out the Moons of Jupiter & Saturn app for Android or JupiterMoons for Apple devices to find the best times to view the transits and the Great Red Spot for a specific location. An observer will need a four-inch (100 mm) or larger telescope to view the transits and the Great Red Spot. The Earth's moon will pass close to this gas giant on the 28th.

    Saturn is pulling away from the Sun from our vantage point, rising about an hour before our closest star on the first morning of May and about 90 minutes earlier by the end of the month. An observer should be able to spot Saturn in the morning sky as it glows at magnitude 1.2. Venus is just 4° away on the first, aiding in finding the Ringed World. During the first week of May, observers should try to view Saturn through a telescope to catch the shadow of its rings on its surface. On May 6th, the rings will be edge-on from our vantage point. The following morning, the ring system will again be tilted from our point of view, making it visible again. The Moon will pass nearby on the 22nd.  

       

Neptune

Uranus

    

    The ice giant, Uranus, lies too close to the Sun from our Earthly perspective and will be lost from view during May. 

   Neptune can be seen in the eastern sky before sunrise. For the best views, observers should wait until the end of the month, when this most distant world rises earlier. In addition to rising earlier, Neptune will be found close to Saturn, less than 2° of separation on the last day of the month. The Moon will also pass within 2° of Neptune on the 22nd.

Aquariid Meteor Shower

   The Aquariid Meteor Shower peaks during May. While this isn't the most active meteor shower of the year, it does give observers something to do while enjoying the warm spring temperatures. The Aquariids will peak during the evening of the 5th and morning of the 6th. The meteors will appear to radiate from Aquarius, which rises close to 4:30 AM. This means the radiant won't be visible all night, but some meteors should still streak across the sky. If Aquarius could climb overhead before sunrise, observers could expect to see up to 50 meteors per hour. Alas, this constellation won't get that chance, so a more realistic rate is about 10-15 meteors per hour. The Aquariids are known to travel at high speeds, leaving long meteor trails in the night sky.

    The Northern Lights were visible in Utah on the 10th of last year due to the active Sun. The Sun is still highly active, and the opportunity to see the lights again still exists. Individuals should keep their eyes on the sky and the news to see if there is a chance to view the Northern Lights in their area.    

Monthly Breakdown

May 03: Moon passes within 2° of Mars
May 03: Venus and Neptune within 2°
May 04: First Quarter Moon 🌓
May 05: Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower Peak
May 12: Full Moon 🌕
May 20: Last Quarter Moon🌗
May 22: Moon passes within 3° of Saturn 
May 22: Moon passes within 2° of Neptune 
May 23: Moon passes within 4° of Venus
May 26: New Moon 🌑

May 28: Moon passes within 5° of Jupiter

May 29: Mercury reaches superior conjunction

May 31: Venus reaches greatest western elongation 

 

         

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos image was taken by Jeff Greenland.

The Milky Way and Trees image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

Orion, Taurus, and Pleiades image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

                

                

Midmonth Check-In: April 2025 and Star Parties

              

  Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    April was off to an excellent start for astronomers. I could easily view and image the Moon and the Sun, with many sunspots. Watching Mars form a line with the bright stars Castor and Pollux in Gemini was a joy. I could even watch the ISS pass by overhead, a sight I hadn't seen in a while. Venus was easy to find in the morning sky before sunrise, but I have yet to see Mercury and Saturn.

    On the 22nd, observers can still catch the peak of the Lyrid Meteor Shower. Venus and Saturn can be seen close by shortly before sunrise on the 28th. Venus will reach its greatest brilliance on the 27th, shining at magnitude -4.8. For the remainder of the month, the Moon and five of the planets will experience conjunctions. 

Star Parties  

       Astronomers are (usually) some of the nicest individuals I've ever met, and I've met quite a few. From university professors, potential employers, planetarium workers, and even amateur astronomers at national parks, star parties, and those stargazing near me. The best place to meet an astronomer is at a star party!

    I've hosted several star parties, but I am typically the only person there supplying the telescope, my 12-inch Dobsonian. On occasion, I will bring along my giant astronomy binoculars and, more recently, my new digital telescope, which is capable of taking images of the Sun, Moon, and deep sky objects. With only one visual telescope, I can only target one object at a time, with my guests waiting in a queue to observe the target. At larger star parties, such as the ones hosted by the Salt Lake Astronomical Society and the Ogden Astronomical Society, several astronomers bring their telescopes of all shapes and sizes, allowing many individuals to view the same or different targets simultaneously. And it's free! Oftentimes, these astronomers will slew their telescope to whatever object an individual requests or direct them to another telescope that already has the requested target in its field of view. These larger star parties can have several guests, which may limit how long an individual can view the object. The star parties hosted by these astronomical societies can last all night if those providing the telescopes choose to stay and if enough guests remain.   

    Conversely, I like to create an itinerary of the best objects to view during a particular evening. Since my star parties are invite-only, they are more intimate, and I can allow each attendee to view the target for a couple of minutes before letting the next in line take their turn. Before proceeding to the next object, I ask if anyone wants to view the target again. Most individuals request the more popular targets, usually the Moon and planets, so I have designed my stargazing itineraries to include these and star clusters, nebula, galaxies, and double-star systems. My star parties are designed to last a few hours, but I am more than willing to stay as long as my guests are eager to enjoy the wonders of the night sky!

    National Parks often have stargazing events. I am most familiar with Cedar Breaks National Monument outside Cedar City, Utah. This national park offers guided night sky tours and hiking by moonlight. I am also familiar with Stargazing Zion near Zion's National Park and Dark Ranger Telescope Tours near Bryce Canyon, both independently owned. For a fee, guests can get a guided telescope tour using large, state-of-the-art telescopes and equipment to view deep-sky objects. Both businesses staff highly skilled and knowledgeable astronomers who can easily guide an individual around the night sky and answer nearly any question.      

    

Now get outside and look up!