🌌 Stargazing Guide for May 2025

🗺️ Circumpolar Constellations (Best viewed 10:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.)

These constellations never set from mid-northern latitudes and are visible all year, but some are best viewed in May due to positioning.

Ursa Major (The Great Bear)

  • Naked Eye: Easily visible and known for the Big Dipper asterism. Use it to find Polaris (North Star) by extending a line from the two “pointer” stars.

  • Binocular/Telescope: Mizar and Alcor in the Big Dipper’s handle make a famous double star. Nearby, Messier 81 and 82 (galaxies) can be glimpsed with a small telescope under dark skies.

Ursa Minor (The Little Bear)

  • Naked Eye: Polaris marks the end of the tail of the Little Dipper. The rest of the constellation is dimmer but traceable in dark skies.

  • Binocular/Telescope: Polaris itself is a binary star; a telescope will reveal its faint companion.

Draco (The Dragon)

  • Naked Eye: Winds between Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Its head is a loop of stars, and it snakes across the northern sky.

  • Binocular/Telescope: Look for the double star Nu Draconis. Also try to find the planetary nebula NGC 6543 (Cat’s Eye Nebula) with a small telescope.

Cassiopeia (The Queen)

  • Naked Eye: The “W” shape is easy to spot. Opposite Ursa Major across Polaris.

  • Binocular/Telescope: Scan the Milky Way through this area for open clusters like M52 and NGC 457 (Owl Cluster).

🌟 Seasonal Constellations for May (Facing East → South → West)

East: Lyra

  • Naked Eye: Look for bright Vega rising in the northeast.

  • Binocular/Telescope: Epsilon Lyrae is a double-double star near Vega. The Ring Nebula (M57) lies between two stars in Lyra’s parallelogram and is visible in small scopes.

Southeast: Hercules

  • Naked Eye: Faint constellation, best found using Vega and Arcturus as guides.

  • Binocular/Telescope: M13, the Great Hercules Globular Cluster, is a fantastic sight in binoculars and stunning through a small telescope.

South: Virgo

  • Naked Eye: Bright star Spica leads the way.

  • Binocular/Telescope: Virgo Cluster of galaxies (M84, M86, etc.) is centered in this area—best viewed under dark skies.

Southwest: Leo

  • Naked Eye: Resembles a lion in profile; bright star Regulus marks the heart.

  • Binocular/Telescope: Look for the “Leo Triplet” (M65, M66, NGC 3628) — galaxies visible in small scopes.

West: Gemini

  • Naked Eye: Castor and Pollux are the twin stars. Quickly sinking in the west as May progresses.

  • Binocular/Telescope: Castor is a multiple star system; binoculars show two components. M35 (open cluster) near the feet of the twins is beautiful.

🌙 The Moon in May 2025

  • New Moon: May 1

  • First Quarter: May 9

  • Full Moon: May 16 (also known as the Flower Moon)

  • Last Quarter: May 23

  • New Moon again: May 31

Noteworthy: The dark skies around the two new moons (May 1 and May 31) make for excellent deep-sky observation windows.

☄️ Meteor Showers & Special Events

Eta Aquariids

  • Peak: Night of May 5–6

  • Conditions: Excellent this year! The waning crescent moon rises late, offering dark skies for most of the night.

  • Details: Fast meteors (~60/hour at peak), best viewed from dark locations facing east pre-dawn.

Other Noteworthy Events

  • Conjunction: Jupiter and Uranus are close in the sky this month, though low in the dawn twilight.

  • Saturn: Rising in the early morning — a good time to start observing it through binoculars or telescopes.

🔭 Tips and Tricks

  • Dark Adaptation: Give your eyes 20–30 minutes to adjust to the dark. Avoid looking at phones or flashlights without red filters.

  • Star Hopping: Use well-known stars (like Vega or Arcturus) to “hop” to fainter stars or deep-sky objects.

  • Plan Ahead: Use a planetarium app like Stellarium or SkySafari to preview what’s up each night.

  • Stay Comfortable: Bring a reclining chair or blanket, bug spray, and warm clothing — May nights can still be chilly.

  • Keep a Log: Jot down what you see and your impressions. Tracking your progress sharpens your skills and memory.