What’s Up in the Sky – May 2024 – Amateur Astronomers Association

AAA Observers’ May Guide

May’s Evening Planets:

Bright Jupiter will be in Taurus the Bull until 8 PM in the first week of May.

May’s Evening Stars:

The Summer Triangle of Vega in Lyra the Harp, Deneb in Cygnus the Swan, and Altair in Aquila the Eagle will be up as of midnight and rising earlier every night until 10 PM by the end of the month. Spica in Virgo the Virgin, Arcturus in Boötes the Herdsman, Capella in Auriga the Charioteer, and Castor and Pollux in Gemini the Twins will be up. Also find the stars of constellations Cassiopeia, Virgo, Leo, Hercules, Draco, Ophiuchus, Libra, Cepheus, Hydra, and Ursa Major and Ursa Minor (the Big and Little Dippers).

May’s Morning Planets:

Find Mercury as of 5 AM moving between Pisces the Fish and Taurus the Bull through May. Red Mars will be in Pisces the Fish as of 4 AM. Saturn will be in Aquarius the Water bearer as of 4 AM and rising earlier every morning. Neptune will be in Pisces the Fish as of 4 AM and rising earlier every morning. Pluto will be in Sagittarius the Archer as of 3 AM and lingering until the morning.

May’s Morning Stars:

The Summer Triangle of Vega in Lyra the Harp, Deneb in Cygnus the Swan, and Altair in Aquila the Eagle will be up until sunrise. This month, look for reddish Antares in Scorpius and Arcturus in Boötes, along with the stars of constellations Hercules, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Pegasus, Perseus, Andromeda, Capricornus, Cepheus, Ophiuchus, Cassiopeia, Draco, Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor (the Big and Little Dippers).

May Skylights:

May 1 Last quarter Moon at 7:25 AM
May 4 Moon is ¼° north of Mars
May 5 Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower peaks, predawn
May 5 Mercury, Moon, Mars, Saturn line up, predawn
May 5 Moon at perigee (225,700 miles away)
May 7 New Moon at 11:20 PM
May 15 First Quarter Moon at 7:50 AM
May 17 Moon at apogee (251,400 miles away)
May 23 Full Moon at 9:50 AM
May 23 Moon is ½° north of Antares
May 30 Last quarter Moon at 1:15 PM
May 31 Saturn is ½° north of the Moon

Times given in EDT.