01-05-2025
From Comet SWAN To Halley's Meteors: May 2025's Stargazing Highlights
May will feature a rare comet brushing past the Pleiades.
May 2025 will be packed with spectacular sights for stargazers — and the action gets underway immediately. The final month before dark skies become scarce close to the solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, May will feature a rare comet brushing past the Pleiades, Mars close to the sparkling Beehive Cluster, 'shooting stars' from Halley's Comet, and the rise of the Flower Moon. All some planetary alignments and even a celestial 'smiley face' and the warmer nights and longer twilights are set to stun. Here's everything you need to know about stargazing in May 2025.
When: 45 minutes after sunset on Thursday, May 1, 2025
Where: west
Following the memorable appearance of NEOWISE in 2020 and A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS late last year, enter C/2025 F2 (SWAN). First spotted in late March, it's now set to put on a brief but spectacular show. Reaching its closest point to the Sun on May 1, this 5th-magnitude comet will glow low in the western sky just after sunset. Adding to the spectacle, it will appear near the Pleiades star cluster that same evening. But hurry because by May 7, this comet will have dipped below the horizon for Northern Hemisphere observers.
Saturn in the Beehive Star Cluster, also known as Messier 44 or NGC 2632.
When: after dark on Saturday, May 3, 2025
Where: south
Although the Moon is just about half-illuminated tonight and not in its most photogenic phase, it's worth finding tonight. Look to the southern sky to find it near both Mars and the Beehive Cluster (M44), one of the closest open star clusters to the solar system. The exact lineup varies by location, but skywatchers across the globe will see this trio impress.
When: early hours of Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Where: all-sky
Tonight's meteor shower traces its origin to Halley's Comet, which left behind a trail of debris that turns to 'shooting stars' each May. The Eta Aquariids peak in the pre-dawn hours of May 6, with rates of 10 to 20 meteors per hour possible under clear skies. Peaks are broad, so the show could start as early as Monday night, and be patient — meteor watching rewards those who wait.
The Flower Moon rises one day after being full above the skyline of lower Manhattan and One World ... More Trade Center in New York City on May 27, 2021 as seen from Verona, New Jersey. (Photo by)
When: during dusk on Monday, May 12, 2025
Where: east
May's full moon, the 'Flower Moon,' will be best seen this evening as it rises. As dusk settles in, look to the southeastern horizon for a warm orange orb climbing into view. That orange tint, caused by Earth's atmosphere (the physics is just like a sunset), will last only about 15 minutes before becoming too bright to look at as it rises into the sky to shine all night long, setting at sunrise.
When: Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Where: west-northwest
As the crescent moon waxes, it inches eastward in the twilight sky, tonight joining Jupiter. Just 5%-lit, the moon will appear just above the gas giant planet in the west-northwest shortly after sunset. Earthshine may be visible, subtly lighting up the moon's shadowed half.
Thursday, May 29: 'Smiley Face' Moon In Gemini
When: Thursday, May 29, 2025
Where: west
Look west about 45 minutes after sunset for a smiley face in the sky. A slim crescent moon, just 12% lit, forms a curved 'mouth' beneath the twin stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini, creating a nice arrangement that will be very easy to spot.
The times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums like Stellarium.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
