Every month, WTOP’s Greg Redfern previews the best the sky has to offer stargazers regarding the moon, planets and stars in his “Eyes to the Skies” feature. Space-related events that might interest you taking place in the D.C. region will be included as well.
The Full Flower Moon will start May while a Full Blue Moon finishes it.(WTOP/Greg Redfern)
The Full Flower Moon will start May while a Full Blue Moon finishes it.(WTOP/Greg Redfern)
“Eyes to the Skies” is a recurring feature and publishes on the first of every month. You can find it on WTOP’s The Space Place. Email Greg your space questions and he might answer them in the next edition.
Each month WTOP’s “Eyes to the Skies” feature previews the best the sky has to offer stargazers regarding the moon, planets and stars. Space-related events that might interest you taking place in the D.C. region will be included as well.
Let’s get to the skies for May 2026!
Must-see sky sights for May
Venus dominates the west after sunset all month.
The moon will be very near some planets and stars.
The summer constellations and the Milky Way galaxy are visible after midnight, spanning the sky from the northeast to the southeast getting higher until morning twilight.
A blue moon month.
Star of the month
In May, be on the lookout for bright star Vega. It marks the onset of summer constellations when it appears above the horizon about 10 p.m.
Highlights of the month
May 1: The full flower moon occurs at 10:12 p.m. Get the particulars for your location by using this website.
May 4: Almost full moon and the star Antares rise very close together in the southeast after midnight.
May 5: The Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower peak takes place in the predawn hours but the bright moon really diminishes the shower. Maybe 10 meteors an hour.
May 13: Remember our star of the month in October, Algol? It is worth looking at it going to minimum brightness for two hours centered at 4:05 a.m., and then getting brighter. Try taking a smartphone/camera pic or maybe even a video. See the other dates this month below.
May 16: Algol again at 1:54 a.m.
May 18: If you have a clear view of the western horizon at dusk, look for a very slim crescent moon just to the right of Venus. Use Venus as a guide to find the moon. Definitely worth taking an astropic with your smartphone and/or digital camera.
May 18: Algol again at 9:43 p.m.
May 20: If you have a clear view of the western horizon at dusk, the crescent moon will be just above Jupiter. Venus will be below the pair. You will want an astropic with your smartphone and/or digital camera of this beautiful lineup.
May 23: Moon and Regulus are very close together after dark. They draw closer together until moonset.
May 31: The full blue moon is the second full moon of the month and the smallest full moon for 2026. It will rise very close to the star Antares in the southeast after midnight.
The moon
May 1: Full flower moon
May 9: Last quarter
May 16: New moon
May 23: First quarter
May 31: Full blue moon
Planets
Mercury is in the west at dusk starting to be visible May 22.
Venus is bright in the west.
Mars is low in the east before dawn early in the month.
Jupiter is visible after dark and bright, high in the west.
Saturn is low in the east before dawn early in the month.
Uranus is in the western sky after dark. You need a telescope to best observe the planet, although it is visible in binoculars.
Neptune is in the western sky after dark. You need a telescope to observe the planet.
Pluto is way out there in the solar system and requires taking images through a telescope spaced days apart to hunt it down.
D.C.-area events
Bonus section!
Use this useful tool to create a custom star chart for your location to help you find your way around the stars. While you are at it, check out these other very useful astronomical tools.
And if you want to plan ahead for 2026 sky events, here’s a nifty guide to help.
You can also send in any space related questions to my email address. Suggestions about this feature are also welcome.
Follow Greg Redfern’s daily blog to keep up with the latest news in astronomy and space exploration.
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