Man Stargazing

Moon Phases

Eye on the Night Sky, May 23, 2025

Friday, May 23, 2025

Today:
The star Spica, due south at 10 o’clock this evening, will help guide you to the stars of Corvus, the Crow. Well to the lower right of Spica, look for an odd shaped “box” of stars. The lower left star is the tail of the Crow, while the three other stars form his head, flanked by out-stretched wings.

Saturday:
The Memorial Day weekend serves as an unofficial kick-off to summer, and the stars are doing their part. One of summer’s quintessential constellations is Scorpio, the Scorpion. The star Antares, regarded as the heart of the Scorpion, is rising in the twilight, and is due south at 1:10 AM EDT.

Sunday:
Gemini, the Twins, are standing on the horizon between west and northwest this evening, Castor on the right and Pollux on the left. It was near the feet of Castor, the name of the brother as well as the star, that in 1781 Sir William Herschel discovered a new planet – the one we now call Uranus.

Start Chart:

Mars is on the move through the month, passing the “twin” stars of Gemini, perfectly aligned on the evening of the 10th.

January Start Chart

This program is a partnership between the Fairbanks Museum and Vermont Public.