Naked Eye Astronomy – May 2025

📝 Steven Burr

The Moon

On the 3rd of May, we are treated with a waxing crescent moon adjacent to Mars and the Beehive cluster in the constellation of Cancer. Look towards the southwest around 9 pm to enjoy this event. The first quarter moon arrives on the 4th of May followed by Full Flower Moon on the 12th. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the name Flower Moon refers to the appearance of flowers during this month. On the 20th of the month, we have the last quarter Moon followed by a new Moon on the 27th.

The Planets

M44 Beehive Cluster (Photo: Robert Bates)

Venus is rising higher in the eastern sky prior to sunrise. On the 24th, the waning crescent moon will pass close to Venus. Mars is still visible in the evening sky in the constellation of Cancer but it is receding from us and thus getting smaller. On the 5th of May, Mars is within 0.4° of the Beehive cluster. Get your binoculars out and look to the west shortly after sunset! Jupiter is still visible in the evening sky just after sunset. However, by the end of the month it will become more difficult to view as its elongation reduces (separation between planet and sun) throughout the month. Saturn has now become a morning planet and can be spotted close to Venus prior to sunrise.

The Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower

Although the Eta Aquariids are visible from April 15^th to May 27, the best time to enjoy this celestial display is May 5^th just before dawn.  Look to the southeastern horizon to spot Aquarius the radiant point of this meteor shower.  The Eta Aquariids owes its origins to the debris left by Halley’s Comet.

Constellation Cancer

Cancer (From: Urania's Mirror 1825)

The crab sits just to the east of Gemini and to the west of Leo on the ecliptic. It is a hard to spot constellation due to its faintness and size. Although Latin for crab, Cancer has its origins in 1st millennium Babylonian astrology texts. This constellation is also part of the Zodiac as described by Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. According to Greek mythology, the crab was placed in the heavens by Hera for biting Heracles. An object of interest located within this constellation is M44 the Beehive cluster.

References (April and May blog post):

2025 Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower [online]. EarthSky, [cited 4 January 2025].

Available from: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-eta-aquarid-meteor-shower/

2025 Lyrid Meteor Shower [online], EarthSky, [cited 4 January 2025].

Available from: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-lyrid-meteor-shower/

Boeckmann, Catherine, Full Moon Names 2025 [online]. Almanac, updated January 2025 [cited 3 January 2025].

Available from: https://www.almanac.com/full-moon-names

Edgar, James S. ed., RASC Observer’s Handbook 2025, ed. by James S. Edgar (Marquis Book Printing, 2024)

Hard, Robin, Eratosthenes & Hyginus: Constellation Myths (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015)

Mortillaro, Nicole, RASC 2025 Night Sky Almanac (Richmond Hill: Firefly Books, 2024)

White, Gavin, Babylonian Star-Lore: An Illustrated Guide to the Star-Lore & Constellations of Ancient Babylonia (London: Solaria Publications, 2014)