In Our Skies, May and June 2025

May 3-4 The Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower runs for a number of weeks between last of April through May. This year it peaks the morning of May 4. Sources vary on peak morning, some say morning of the 7th. There will be minimum moon interference in the dawn sky on the 4th. You may see 10-30 per hour. This is categorized as a strong shower. The source of these meteors traces back to the orbital path of Halley’s Comet. When Earth passes through the path, the ice and dust debris left behind produce these meteors for us to enjoy.
May 22 Saturn is a tad less than 3° south of the Moon.
May 23 Venus is 4° south of the Moon.
May 31 Venus is at greatest western elongation. Look for it in the early morning sky before sunrise, as it is leading the sun by about 45°.
June 1 Mars is 1.4° south of the Moon.
June 8 Mercury is 2° north of Jupiter.
June 21 June solstice—the first day of summer.
June 22-30 Neptune is about 1° NE of Saturn. Neptune can be hard to find, so this close proximity to Saturn should make searching easier.