April 21 and 22 evenings: Moon, Jupiter and twin stars
On the evenings of April 21 and 22, the waxing crescent moon will lie near bright Jupiter and the twin stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux. We often call these 2 stars “twins.” But Pollux is brighter and more golden in color. Castor is white. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
April 22 morning: Lyrid meteor shower
Want to see more meteors this year? In this video, EarthSky’s Deborah Byrd shares 5 easy tips to help you make the most of this beautiful annual sky show. When to watch, where to look, how to avoid light pollution and simple tricks to improve your chances of spotting more meteors – no telescope required! Watch in the player above, or on YouTube.
Lyrid meteors radiate from near the bright star Vega in the constellation Lyra the Harp. You don’t need to identify Vega or Lyra in order to watch the Lyrid meteor shower. But you do need to know when the radiant rises. It’ll rise in the northeast before midnight. The best time to watch is before dawn – in a moon-free sky – on the morning of April 22.
All-sky chart showing bright Jupiter and even-brighter Venus after sunset in April. Each day, Venus will ascend higher in the western twilight. Jupiter will move closer to the western horizon. They’ll have a spectacular close encounter in June. You can’t miss these 2 worlds. They outshine all the stars! Chart via EarthSky.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Marcy Curran submitted this image from their all-sky camera on April 18 of the two bright planets Venus, Jupiter, and the moon. Marcy wrote: “We finally had a clear night and caught Venus and Jupiter as they continue inching closer to each other every night. Tonight, they were joined by a thin crescent moon. The 2 planets are 57.5 degrees apart here. They’ll continue getting closer to each other through early June. On June 8 and 9, they’ll be about 3 full-moon-widths apart.” Thank you, Marcy!
April morning planets: Northern Hemisphere
All-sky chart showing 3 planets low in the east shortly before sunrise from mid-to-late April. The brightest will be Mercury. Saturn and Mars are much dimmer than Mercury. Mercury will descend and slip away by early next month. Meanwhile, Mars and Saturn will continue to ascend and be visible before dawn later this spring. Note that these planets lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Chart via EarthSky.
April moon phases and alignments
Join EarthSky’s Marcy Curran in a video preview of the constellations, planets and astronomical events to watch out for this month. Highlights include a meteor shower and, hopefully, a bright comet!
April 24: 1st quarter moon
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Lorraine Boyd captured this view from New York on November 9, 2024. She wrote: “Peeking through tree limbs at the first quarter moon (50% illumination), just after sunset.” Thank you, Lorraine. This month’s moment of 1st quarter moon will fall at 2:32 UTC on April 24, 2026. That’s 9:32 p.m. CDT on April 23. A 1st quarter moon rises around noon your local time and sets around midnight. Watch for a 1st quarter moon high in the sky at sundown.
April 24 and 25 evenings: Moon, Regulus and the Sickle
On the evenings of April 24 and 25, the waxing gibbous moon will be near Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion. Regulus is the bright dot at the bottom of a backward question-mark pattern of stars known as the Sickle. They’ll set several hours after midnight. Chart via EarthSky.
Late on the evenings of April 28, 29 and 30, the waxing gibbous moon will be near Spica, the brightest star in Virgo the Maiden. The star might be hard to see in the moon’s bright glow. You can also catch them before dawn. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
May 1: Full Flower Moon lies between Antares and Spica
On the evening of May 1, the full Flower Moon will lie between the bright star Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius the Scorpion, and Spica, the brightest star in Virgo the Maiden. The moon will also be close to the star Zubenelgenubi, which is the brightest star in the Libra the Scales. The crest of the full moon will be at 17:23 UTC on May 1. That’ll be 12:23 CDT. So the moon will look full and round when it’s setting that morning at sunrise and as it’s rising that evening at sunset. And this is the first of 2 full moons in May. There’s a full Blue Moon on May 31. And it’s also the first of 3 full micromoons – or most distant full moons – in a row in 2026. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
May evening planets
All-sky chart showing bright Jupiter and even-brighter Venus about an hour after sunset in the May evening sky. Each day, Venus will ascend higher while Jupiter moves closer to the western horizon. Venus and Jupiter will be 9 degrees apart at month’s end. And they’ll have a spectacular close encounter around June 8. You can’t miss these 2 worlds. They outshine all the stars! Note that these planets lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Chart via EarthSky.
May 2 evening: Moon near Antares
Late on the evening of May 2, the waning gibbous moon will be near the bright red star Antares. It’s the brightest star in the constellation of Scorpius the Scorpion. They’ll be visible until dawn. Chart via EarthSky.
The moon’s orbit around Earth isn’t a circle. But it’s nearly circular, as the above diagram shows. The moon will reach apogee – its farthest distance from Earth in its elliptical orbit – at 23 UTC on May 4, 2026, when it’s 252,176 miles (405,839 km) away. Diagram by Brian Koberlein. Used with permission.
May 4 and 5 mornings: Moon near Antares and Scorpius
On the morning of May 4 and 5, the waning gibbous moon will be near the bright red star Antares. Antares is the brightest star in the constellation of Scorpius the Scorpion. Look for them before dawn. Chart via EarthSky.
May 5 before dawn: Eta Aquariid meteor shower
The radiant point of the Eta Aquariid meteor shower will be near the star Eta Aquarii in the constellation Aquarius the Water Bearer. The radiant will rise in the wee hours after midnight and will continue climbing toward its highest point at dawn. That highest point will be in the south as viewed from the Northern Hemisphere, closer to overhead for the Southern Hemisphere. That’s why the Southern Hemisphere will see more meteors (the radiant will be higher up), and it’s why – for all of us around the globe – the hours before dawn on May 5, 2026, will be best for this shower. The 2026 Eta Aquariids will compete with a bright waning gibbous moon, reducing how many meteors you might see. Chart via EarthSky.
On the morning of May 6, the waning gibbous moon will hang among the stars of the asterism of Sagittarius called the Teapot. Then on May 7, the moon will hang beside the Teapot. Look for them a few hours before dawn. Chart via EarthSky.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Mohamed Mohamed in Tripoli, Libya, captured the last quarter moon on December 23, 2024. Thank you, Mohamed! The moment of the 3rd quarter moon will fall at 21:10 UTC on May 9, 2026. That’s 4:10 p.m. CDT. It’ll rise after midnight your local time and set around noon. Look for it high in the sky before dawn.
On the mornings of May 8, 9 and 10, the moon will shine in front of the stars of the constellation Capricornus the Sea Goat. The moon will reach the 3rd quarter phase on May 9. The stars of Capricornus form a pattern that resembles an arrowhead. Look for them before dawn. However, the constellation is faint. Therefore, you’ll need a dark sky to spot it. Chart via EarthSky.
On the mornings of May 13 and 14, a thin waning crescent moon will shine near Saturn and Mars. Look for them about 45 minutes before sunrise. Saturn will rise first in the eastern morning twilight. Below it in the bright twilight will be the fainter planet Mars. Chart via EarthSky.
May 15 morning: Moon near Mars and Saturn
On the morning of May 15, about 30 minutes before sunrise, the very thin waning crescent moon will lie above the horizon and near Saturn and Mars. Chart via EarthSky.
May 16: New supermoon
This GOES-19 CORR1 coronagraph from November 18-19, 2025 (designed to show coronal mass ejections from the sun), captured a fun view of the new moon, which would normally not be visible from Earth during this phase. The moment of new moon will fall at 20:01 UTC on May 16, 2026. That’s 3:01 p.m. CDT. In fact, this is the 2nd of 5 new supermoons in a row. It’ll be 222,819 miles (358,594 km) away. Compare that with the average moon distance of 238,900 miles (384,472 km). New moons rise and set with the sun. Nights around the new moon are perfect for stargazing. See EarthSky’s best places to stargaze. Images via NOAA/GOES.
The all-sky chart shows Mars and Saturn are low in the east shortly before sunrise in mid-May. As the month proceeds, Saturn will rise more quickly than the slowly ascending Mars. This will create a greater distance between them in the morning sky. Note that these planets lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Chart via EarthSky.
May 17: Moon reaches perigee
The moon’s orbit around Earth isn’t a circle. But it’s nearly circular, as the above diagram shows. The moon will reach perigee – its closest point to us in its elliptical orbit around Earth – at 14 UTC on May 17, 2026. Then it’ll be 222,497 miles (358,075 km) away from Earth. Diagram by Brian Koberlein. Used with permission.
May 17 after sunset: Moon, Venus and Jupiter
On the evening of May 17, shortly after sunset, check out the pretty waxing crescent moon. It’ll hang low in the western sky after sunset. And it’ll be near the brilliant planet Venus. Look for them about an hour after sunset. Higher in the sky is the bright planet Jupiter. They’ll set a couple hours after sunset. Keep any eye on the 2 bright planets. They will be only 3-moon-widths apart around June 8. Spectacular! Also, look for the delicate glow of earthshine on the unlit side of the moon. That’s light reflected off the Earth. Chart via EarthSky.
May 18, 19 and 20 evenings: Moon near Venus and Jupiter
On May 18, about 60 minutes after sunset, the waxing crescent moon will lie close to Venus. It’ll be glowing with earthshine. That’s light reflected off the Earth. On May 19, as darkness falls, the moon will lie between Venus and Jupiter. Then, on May 20, the moon will float close to Jupiter and the twin stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux. They’ll set before midnight. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
May 22 and 23 evenings: Moon, Regulus and the Sickle
On the evening of May 22, the waxing crescent moon will be near Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion. Regulus is the bright dot at the bottom of a backward question-mark pattern of stars known as the Sickle. Then on May 23, the 1st quarter moon will lie beside the Sickle. They’ll set after midnight. Chart via EarthSky.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Lorraine Boyd captured this view from New York on November 9, 2024. She wrote: “Peeking through tree limbs at the first quarter moon (50% illumination), just after sunset.” Thank you, Lorraine. This month’s moment of 1st quarter moon will fall at 11:11 UTC on May 23, 2026. That’s 6:11 a.m. CDT. A 1st quarter moon rises around noon your local time and sets around midnight. Watch for a 1st quarter moon high in the sky at sundown.
Late on the evenings of May 26 and 27, the waxing gibbous moon will be close to Spica, the brightest star in Virgo the Maiden. The star might be hard to see in the moon’s bright glow. They’ll set several hours after midnight. Chart via EarthSky.
May 28 and 29 evenings: Moon near Antares and Zubenelgenubi
In the late evening hours of May 28 and 29, the bright waxing gibbous moon will shine near Antares and the star with the strange sounding name, Zubenelgenubi. Antares is the brightest star in Scorpius the Scorpion. And Zubenelgenubi is the brightest star in Libra the Scales. Chart via EarthSky.
May 30-31 overnight: Full Blue Moon and smallest full moon of 2026
At sunset on May 30, the full Blue Moon will rise in the east close to the bright red star Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius the Scorpion. The crest of the full moon falls at 8:45 UTC on May 31. That’s 3:45 a.m. CDT. So, it’s almost as full when it rises in the east after sunset on May 30 and May 31. Plus it’s the second of three full micromoons – or most distant full moons – in a row in 2026. In fact, it’ll be the smallest full moon of 2026. It’ll be 252,360 miles (406,135 km) away. The average moon distance is 238,900 miles (384,472 km) away. Chart via EarthSky.
April stars and constellations
If you’re out stargazing on any April evening, look for these stars and constellations high overhead in the evening sky. Give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness. And consider heading to a dark-sky site for the best views of the stars.
You can use the Big Dipper to locate Leo the Lion. Draw an imaginary line southward from the pointer stars in the Big Dipper – the 2 outer stars in the Dipper’s bowl – to point toward Leo the Lion. The brightest star in Leo is Regulus. Under darker skies, you’ll see Regulus marks the bright dot at the bottom of the backward question mark that forms Leo’s Sickle. It’s also an asterism and part of Leo the Lion.The Spring Triangle is an asterism with 3 bright stars at its corners: Arcturus, Spica, and Regulus. All 3 stars are in different constellations. And some stargazers speak of the Spring Triangle as including Denebola instead of Regulus. Image via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
May stars
If you’re out stargazing on any May evening, look for these stars and constellations overhead in the sky.
On May evenings, the Big Dipper is high overhead in the sky. The Big Dipper is an asterism – a well know pattern of stars – in the constellation of Ursa Major the Great Bear. It’s handy to locate the North Star, Polaris. And you can use the Big Dipper to locate Leo the Lion. Draw an imaginary line southward from the pointer stars in the Big Dipper – the 2 outer stars in the Dipper’s bowl – to point toward Leo the Lion. The brightest star in Leo is Regulus.On May evenings, near your zenith – overhead in the sky – you’ll see Leo the Lion. There are 2 main shapes that make up Leo. First are the stars that form a backward question mark representing Leo’s head. This is also known as the Sickle. The bright star Regulus is the period at the bottom of the backward question mark. The second shape is the triangle that represents the Lion’s hindquarters. Scan Leo with even a medium-sized telescope and you’ll spy some of the dozens of galaxies in this region of the sky. Chart via EarthSky.The Spring Triangle is an asterism with 3 bright stars at its corners: Arcturus, Spica and Regulus. All 3 stars are in different constellations. Regulus is in Leo the Lion. Arcturus is in Boötes the Herdsman. And Spica is in Virgo the Maiden. But some stargazers see a smaller triangle of stars. This trio of stars consists of Arcturus, Spica and Denebola, a star in Leo. Image via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
April evening planets
In the first half of April, brilliant Venus will be low in the west, near the Pleiades star cluster and the orange star Aldebaran. By month’s end, Venus has climbed higher, moving between the Pleiades and Aldebaran. It’ll set about 90 minutes after sunset on April 1. And it’ll set about 2 hours after sunset on April 30. The waxing crescent moon will be near Venus on April 19. Chart via EarthSky.As darkness falls, Jupiter will shine brightly high in the sky. And it’ll be near the twin stars of Gemini, Castor (the slightly dimmer one) and Pollux (the slightly brighter one). The moon and Jupiter make a lovely pair on April 22. Jupiter will set about 3 hours after midnight on April 1. And it’ll set about an hour after midnight by month’s end. Chart via EarthSky.
April morning planets
By late April, for the Southern Hemisphere, Mercury will lie close to the horizon shortly before sunrise and will slip away in early May. However, Saturn and Mars will be climbing higher each day, becoming more visible in the morning sky. Chart via EarthSky.
May evening planets
Brilliant Venus lies above the western horizon as darkness falls. Bright Jupiter shines higher in the sky. Throughout the month, the 2 planets will move closer to each other. They will have a spectacular close encounter around June 8. They’ll be about 9 degrees apart at the end of May. And both of them will set before midnight by month’s end. Chart via EarthSky.As darkness falls, Jupiter will shine brightly high in the western sky. And it’ll be near the twin stars of Gemini, Castor (the slightly dimmer one) and Pollux (the slightly brighter one). The moon and Jupiter will make a lovely pair on May 20. Jupiter and Venus will be inching closer to each other all month and will make a spectacular pair in the evening sky around June 8. Jupiter will set around midnight by month’s end. Chart via EarthSky.For viewers in the Northern Hemisphere, on the last few days of May, little Mercury will appear in the bright evening twilight low above the western horizon. Brilliant Venus and bright Jupiter will shine nearby. Mercury will reach its greatest distance from the sun on June 15. Chart via EarthSky.For viewers in the Southern Hemisphere, on the last few days of May, little Mercury will appear in the bright evening twilight low above the western horizon. Brilliant Venus and bright Jupiter will shine nearby. Mercury will reach its greatest distance from the sun on June 15. Chart via EarthSky.
May morning planets
In the first half of May, Saturn will sit low in the bright eastern twilight shortly before sunrise. And, nearby and closer to the horizon, look for the dimmer planet Mars. In the second half of May, Saturn will pull away from Mars, and Mars will slowly climb higher behind it. Chart via EarthSky.
Sky dome map for visible planets and night sky
Here is the sky dome view for April 2026. It shows what is above the horizon at mid-evening for mid-northern latitudes. The view may vary depending on your location. Image via Guy Ottewell’s 2026 Astronomical Calendar.Here is the sky dome view for May 2026. It shows what is above the horizon at mid-evening for mid-northern latitudes. The view may vary depending on your location. Image via Guy Ottewell’s 2026 Astronomical Calendar.
Bottom line: This evening, look for the moon near bright Jupiter and the twin stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux. And don’t miss the Lyrid meteor shower!
Meet Marcy Curran, our voice of the night sky on EarthSky YouTube. Check out her popular short videos in the Sky category on our YouTube channel. When she's not making videos, Marcy is an EarthSky editor, helping to keep our night sky guide up-to-date and just generally helping to keep the wheels turning around here. Marcy has enjoyed stargazing since she was a child, going on family camping trips under the dark skies of Wyoming. She bought her first telescope in time to see Halley’s Comet when it visited the inner solar system in 1986. She co-founded her local astronomy club and remains an active board member. Marcy taught astronomy at her local community college for over 20 years. She and her husband live in Wyoming, in a rural location, with an all-sky camera and super-good horizon views! And, their observatory will soon be ready to photograph the night sky.
“I can sometimes see the moon in the daytime” was a cosmic revelation that John Jardine Goss first discovered through personal observations at age 6. It shook his young concept of the universe and launched his interest in astronomy and stargazing, a fascination he still holds today. John is past president of the Astronomical League, the largest U.S. federation of astronomical societies, with over 24,000 members. He's earned the title of Master Observer and is a regular contributor to the video series, “Global Star Party.” He has authored the celestial observing guides “Exploring the Starry Realm,” and “Carpe Lunam,” and “Take Your First Steps, an Introduction to Amateur Astronomy.” John also wrote for twenty years the monthly stargazing column, Roanoke Skies, for the Roanoke Times, and currently writes a bimonthly column, Skywatch, for Blue Ridge Country magazine. He has contributed to Sky and Telescope magazine, the IDA Nightscape, the Astronomical League’s Reflector magazine, and the RASC Observer’s Handbook.
Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.
Kelly Kizer Whitt - EarthSky’s nature and travel vlogger on YouTube - writes and edits some of the most fascinating stories at EarthSky.org. She's been writing about science, with a focus on astronomy, for decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and made regular contributions to other outlets, including AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club. She has nine published books, including a children's picture book, Solar System Forecast, and a young adult dystopian novel, A Different Sky.
Like what you read? Subscribe and receive daily news delivered to your inbox.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
