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May Sky Guide: Southern Hemisphere Highlights Planetary Alignments and Constellations

Key celestial events include Saturn's rare ring-plane crossing, Venus nearing greatest elongation, and Mars near the Beehive Cluster.

Mars (upper right) skims through the Beehive open cluster (M44). Credit: horstm42 (Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Mars stands near the Beehive Cluster (M44) at upper left in this 2010 astrophoto. The Red Planet again visits the Beehive this month. Credit: Alan Dyer
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Overview

  • Mars begins May in Cancer, passing near the Beehive Cluster (M44) before moving to Leo on May 26, fading slightly but remaining visible to the naked eye.
  • Jupiter, at magnitude –1.9, dominates the northwest evening sky early in May, passing near the Crab Nebula (M1) midmonth before setting earlier by month's end.
  • Venus, shining brilliantly at magnitude –4.7, is a predawn beacon in Pisces, clipping Cetus on May 12 and approaching its greatest elongation on June 1.
  • Saturn, visible in Pisces, undergoes its rare ring-plane crossing on May 6, offering improved telescopic views and a glimpse of its brightest moon, Titan.
  • Southern hemisphere observers can spot prominent constellations like Crux, Scorpius, and Triangulum Australe, with optimal viewing conditions throughout May evenings.