What to look for in the morning and evening sky
May 19, 2025
Posted by Lake Erie Nature and Science Center
As the weather gets warmer and days grow longer, springtime continues to bring change in the Northern Hemisphere. Planetarium & Program Coordinator Katy Downing of Lake Erie Nature & Science Center shares the visible planets and constellations to observe in the morning and evening sky.
Morning Sky
Before sunrise, look for Venus and Saturn shining brightly in the east. Venus is the third brightest object in the sky after the Sun and the full moon. Venus is close to Earth and covered completely in highly reflective clouds which direct the sunlight back to us. Though not as bright, Saturn – the most distant planet in our solar system to be seen with the naked eye – will be brighter than the surrounding stars in the eastern sky just above Venus.
You can also observe the bright Summer Triangle towards the middle of the sky. It will resemble a large slice of pizza, pointing south. The Summer Triangle is an asterism, or a noticeable pattern of stars, that can help you spot a few constellations in the summer sky. The brightest star at the top of triangle, Vega, is part of Lyra the Harp. The southernmost star, Altair, is part of Aquila the Eagle. The northernmost star and dimmest of the three is Deneb, the tail feather of Cygnus the Swan.
Tip: Stars twinkle, planets usually don’t.
Evening Sky
This month, look west after sunset to observe Mars. The Red Planet will be due west, halfway above the horizon. As its nickname suggests, Mars will be red in color and stand out among the surrounding stars. Mars is our next target for humans to visit after the Artemis missions return astronauts to the Moon.
Look lower in the western sky towards the horizon for the largest planet in our Solar System, Jupiter. Jupiter will be bright along with the few remaining winter stars. The Europa Clipper is currently traveling through space on its way to study Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa. Even with a small telescope or binoculars, you can see the four largest moons of Jupiter: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
The Big Dipper will be high in the sky after sunset; look for the seven stars making the iconic dipper high and to the north. Follow the arc of the handle to the south and you will find Arcturus in the constellation Bootes the Herdsman. South of Arcturus is where you will find Spica, the jewel of Virgo the Maiden.
Tip: Light pollution, or excess light in the night sky, affects our natural world – from migrating birds to visibility of stars in the night sky. While it is difficult to observe many stars in Northeast Ohio, Arcturus and Spica are incredibly bright and visible despite light pollution.
New Moon
A new moon will occur on May 26. Look for a crescent moon in the daytime before May 26 and after sunset post May 26. The new moon is the start of moon phase cycle.
Join Lake Erie Nature & Science Center for upcoming astronomy programs including Skywatch Live! on Friday, May 30 at 7 p.m. and Telescope Night on Saturday, May 31 at 7 p.m. View schedule and purchase tickets at www.lensc.org/planetarium.
