{"id":54615,"date":"2025-04-27T11:20:16","date_gmt":"2025-04-27T11:20:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/54615\/"},"modified":"2025-04-27T11:20:16","modified_gmt":"2025-04-27T11:20:16","slug":"visible-planets-and-night-sky-guide-for-april-and-may","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/54615\/","title":{"rendered":"Visible planets and night sky guide for April and May"},"content":{"rendered":"

April 27: Venus brightest in morning sky for all of 2025 this weekend<\/p>\n

Venus is the brightest planet, and it\u2019s now brightest in the morning sky for all of 2025. You can\u2019t miss it in the east before dawn. If you looked at Venus through a telescope now, you\u2019d see a waxing crescent world. How can a crescent Venus appear brighter than the full Venus we see at other times? EarthSky\u2019s Deborah Byrd<\/a> brings you the story. Watch in the player above or on YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more: Venus brightest in the morning sky on April 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

See more \u201csmiley face moon\u201d photos from the EarthSky community<\/a><\/p>\n

Our next livestream will be at 12:15 p.m. CDT (17:15 UTC) Monday, April 28: Will patterns of energy reveal alien life? Join us!<\/a><\/p>\n

Late April morning planets: Venus, Saturn, Mercury
\n\"SphereThere are 3 planets in the morning sky in late April 2025. They will lie along the path the sun travels in daytime (the green line on our chart). Look for them about 30-40 minutes before sunrise. Bright Venus will be the easiest to spot and rises early enough that you MIGHT catch it before dawn. Mercury is brighter than most stars, but it is hard to see in the bright morning twilight. Saturn is the dimmest of the 3 planets and might be challenging to spot. Venus and Saturn will be easier to spot next month. Mercury will slip away from the morning sky later this month. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view \u2013 and time \u2013 from your location, try Stellarium Online<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Late April evening planets: Jupiter and Mars
\n\"SphereYou can see 2 planets in the evening sky in April 2025. They will lie along the path the sun travels in daytime (the green line on our chart). As darkness falls, look for bright Jupiter high in the western sky and reddish Mars almost overhead. Jupiter will set before midnight by month\u2019s end and Mars will set a few hours later. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\nApril 27: New moon<\/p>\n

The moment of new moon<\/a> will fall at 19:31 UTC<\/a> (2:31 p.m. CDT) on April 27, 2025. New moons rise and set with the sun. It\u2019s the 3rd of 5 new supermoons<\/a> in a row for 2025. And it\u2019s the closest new moon of the year. Nights around the new moon are perfect for stargazing. See EarthSky\u2019s best places to stargaze<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Read more: What is a supermoon? Supermoons in 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

See the moon go through different phases \u2013 from new to full \u2013 in this EarthSky community photo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

April 27: Moon reaches perigee<\/p>\n

The moon will reach perigee<\/a> \u2013 its closest point to us in its elliptical orbit<\/a> around Earth \u2013 at 16 UTC<\/a> (11 a.m. CDT) on April 27, 2025, when it\u2019s 221,902 miles (357,118 km) away. Large tides possible. <\/p>\n

April moon phases and alignments<\/p>\n

Join EarthSky\u2019s Marcy Curran in a video preview of the moon phases for the month of April 2025. The moon will visit Venus, Jupiter and Mars in the morning and evening sky. And we\u2019ve got the most distant full moon of the year. Plus there\u2019s a lot more to see this month. Watch the video here or on YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n

April 28 and 29 evenings: Slender moon and Jupiter
\n\"AAbout 60 minutes after sunset on April 28, 2025, the thin waxing crescent<\/a> moon will lie low above the western horizon with Jupiter nearby. On the following evening, April 29, a thicker crescent moon will hang near Jupiter. They\u2019ll set a few hours after sunset. Look for lovely a glow of earthshine<\/a> on the unlit portion of the moon. That\u2019s light reflected off Earth. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more: Earthshine is a lovely glow on the unlit portion of the moon<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

April 30 evening: Moon and Jupiter
\n\"AAbout 90 minutes after sunset on April 30, 2025, the waxing crescent<\/a> moon will lie close to bright Jupiter in the western sky. Nearby is the fiery eye of Taurus<\/a> the Bull, Aldebaran<\/a>. They\u2019ll set around midnight. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view \u2013 and time \u2013 from your location, try Stellarium Online<\/a>.<\/p>\n

May 1 and 2 evenings: Moon near Jupiter and pairs up with the twin stars
\n\"AAn hour after sunset on the evenings of May 1 and 2, 2025, the waxing crescent<\/a> moon will lie near Jupiter with the twin stars of Gemini<\/a>, Castor<\/a> and Pollux<\/a>, nearby. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\nMay 3 evening: The Moon and Mars buzz the Beehive
\n\"AOn the evening of May 3, 2025, the thick waxing crescent<\/a> moon will glow close to Mars and the Beehive<\/a> star cluster. The twin stars of Gemini<\/a>, Castor<\/a> and Pollux<\/a>, are nearby. They\u2019ll set after midnight. Mars will lie closest to the Beehive cluster at 0 UTC<\/a> on May 5. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more: Meet Gemini the Twins, home to 2 bright stars<\/a><\/p>\n

May 3 evening: Moon, Mars and the Beehive binocular view
\n\"ABinocular view of the crescent moon near Mars and the Beehive<\/a> on the evening of May 3.
\nMay 4: 1st quarter moon<\/p>\n

The moment of 1st quarter moon<\/a> will fall at 13:52 UTC<\/a> on May 4, 2025. That\u2019s 8:52 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.<\/a> <\/p>\n

Want more? Here are 4 keys to understanding the moon\u2019s phases<\/a>.<\/p>\n

May 4 and 5 evenings: Moon, Regulus and the Sickle
\n\"AIn the early evening hours of May 4, 2025, the 1st quarter moon<\/a> will lie between Mars and the Sickle<\/a> of Leo<\/a> the Lion. Then on May 5, the waxing gibbous<\/a> moon will glow near Regulus<\/a>, the brightest star in Leo. They\u2019ll set a few hours after midnight. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more: Leo the Lion and its backward question mark<\/a><\/p>\n

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view \u2013 and time \u2013 from your location, try Stellarium Online<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mornings of May 5 and 6: Eta Aquariid meteor shower<\/p>\n

The predicted peak of the Eta Aquariid<\/a> meteor shower is 15 UTC<\/a> on May 5. And the Eta Aquariid meteors you see are remnants of Halley\u2019s Comet<\/a>! The peak of this shower stretches out over several days. So you can expect elevated numbers of meteors a few days before and after the peak time. The mornings of both May 5 and May 6 are good times to watch!<\/p>\n

Read more: 2025 Eta Aquariid meteor shower: All you need to know<\/a><\/p>\n

A pair of planets in the evening sky
\n\"SphereYou can see 2 planets in the evening sky in May 2025. They will lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). As darkness falls, look for bright Jupiter high in the western sky and reddish Mars almost overhead. Jupiter will set before midnight at the beginning of the month, and by month\u2019s end it\u2019ll set after sunset, making it more difficult to spot in the bright evening twilight. And Mars will set a few hours later. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\nA trio of planets in the morning sky: Northern Hemisphere
\n\"SphereThere are 3 planets in the morning sky in early May 2025. They will lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Look for them about 30-40 minutes before sunrise. Bright Venus will be the easiest to spot. Mercury is brighter than most stars, but it\u2019s hard to see in the bright morning twilight and it\u2019s low on the horizon. Viewers in the Southern Hemisphere have a better chance of spotting it, because this is their best apparition of Mercury in the morning sky this year. Saturn is the dimmest of the 3 planets and might be challenging to spot. Venus will reach its greatest distance from the morning sun<\/a> on May 31-June 1. It\u2019ll remain visible in the morning sky through October. Mercury will slip away from the morning sky around mid-month. It\u2019ll emerge in the evening sky in June and reach its greatest distance from the evening sun<\/a> on July 4. Keep an eye on Venus and Saturn this month, they drift farther apart each day. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\nMay morning planets: Southern Hemisphere
\n\"SphereFor the Southern Hemisphere, the 3 planets in the morning sky in early May 2025 will be easier to see. They will lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Look for them about 40 minutes before sunrise. Bright Venus will be the easiest to spot and will rise first. Mercury is brighter than most stars, but it\u2019s low on the horizon. Viewers in the Southern Hemisphere have a better chance of spotting it since this is their best apparition of Mercury in the morning sky this year. Saturn is the dimmest of the 3 planets and might be a challenge. Mercury will slip away from the morning sky later in the month. Venus will reach its greatest distance from the morning sun<\/a> on May 31-June 1. It\u2019ll remain visible in the morning sky through October. Mercury will emerge in the evening sky in June and it\u2019ll reach its greatest distance from the evening sun<\/a> on July 4. Keep an eye on Venus and Saturn, they\u2019ll move apart all month. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\nMay 9 and 10 evenings: Moon pairs up with Spica
\n\"AIn the early evening hours of May 9 and 10, 2025, the bright waxing gibbous<\/a> moon will visit Spica<\/a>, the brightest star in Virgo<\/a> the Maiden. Spica might be difficult to see in the moon\u2019s bright glow. They\u2019ll set before dawn. What\u2019s more, a few lucky observers will see the moon occult \u2013 or pass in front of \u2013 Spica. If you look outside then and don\u2019t see Spica \u2026 that might be because it\u2019s behind the moon! Details on the occultation here<\/a>. They\u2019ll set before dawn the next morning. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more: Virgo the Maiden represents a harvest goddess<\/a><\/p>\n

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view \u2013 and time \u2013 from your location, try Stellarium Online<\/a>.<\/p>\n

May 11: Moon reaches apogee<\/p>\n

The moon will reach apogee<\/a> \u2013 its farthest distance from Earth in its elliptical orbit<\/a> \u2013 at 1 UTC<\/a> on May 11, 2025, when it\u2019s 252,427 miles (406,243 km) away.<\/p>\n

May 12-13 overnight: Full Flower Moon
\n\"ASoon after the sunset on May 12, 2025, the bright May full Flower Moon will lie near red Antares<\/a>, the brightest star in Scorpius<\/a> the Scorpion. The crest of the full moon occurs at 16:56 UTC<\/a> (11:56 a.m. CDT) on April 12. They\u2019ll be visible all night. It\u2019s the 3rd of 3 full micromoons<\/a> in a row for 2025. It\u2019ll be 251,828 miles (405,278 kilometers) away. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\nMay 13 evening: Moon cozies up to Antares
\n\"AIn the late evening hours of May 13, 2025, the waning gibbous<\/a> moon will hang close to Antares<\/a>, the brightest star in Scorpius<\/a> the Scorpion. The star might be difficult to see in the moon\u2019s bright glow. They\u2019ll be crossing the sky all night and visible through dawn. What\u2019s more, a few lucky observers will see the moon occult \u2013 or pass in front of \u2013 Antares. If you look outside then and don\u2019t see Antares \u2026 that might be because it\u2019s behind the moon! Details on the occultation here<\/a>. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more: Massive ruby red Antares is the Scorpion\u2019s Heart<\/a><\/p>\n

May 15 and 16 mornings: Moon visits the Teapot
\n\"AIn the early morning hours of May 15, 2025, the waning gibbous<\/a> moon will be near the Teapot<\/a> asterism of Sagittarius<\/a> the Archer. It will also be near the direction of the center of the Milky Way<\/a> galaxy. On the following morning, May 16, it\u2019ll float among the stars of the Teapot. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more: Teapot of Sagittarius points to Milky Way Center<\/a><\/p>\n

May 20: Watch for the last quarter moon<\/p>\n

The moment of last quarter<\/a> moon will fall at 11:59 UTC<\/a> on May 20, 2025. That\u2019s 6:59 a.m. CDT. It\u2019ll rise after midnight your local time and set around noon. Look for it high in the sky before dawn. <\/p>\n

Want more? Here are 4 keys to understanding the moon\u2019s phases<\/a>.<\/p>\n

May 22 to 24 mornings: Moon, Venus and Saturn
\n\"AAbout 30 minutes before sunrise on May 22 to 24, 2025, the waning crescent<\/a> moon will lie near \u2013 and pass by \u2013 bright Venus and Saturn. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view \u2013 and time \u2013 from your location, try Stellarium Online<\/a>.<\/p>\n

May 25 morning: Moon and Venus
\n\"AAbout 30 minutes before sunrise on May 25, 2025, the thin waning crescent<\/a> moon will lie close to the horizon with bright Venus nearby. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more: Venus will reach its greatest distance from the morning sun<\/a> on May 31-June 1. It\u2019ll remain visible in the morning sky through October.<\/p>\n

May 26: Moon reaches perigee<\/p>\n

The moon will reach perigee<\/a> \u2013 its closest point to us in its elliptical orbit<\/a> around Earth \u2013 at 2 UTC<\/a> on May 26, 2025, when it\u2019s 223,085 miles (359,022 km) away.<\/p>\n

May 27: New moon<\/p>\n

The moment of new moon<\/a> will fall at 3:02 UTC<\/a> on May 27, 2025. That\u2019s 10:02 p.m. CDT on May 26. New moons rise and set with the sun. It\u2019s the 4th of 5 new supermoons<\/a> in a row for 2025. Nights around the new moon are perfect for stargazing. See EarthSky\u2019s best places to stargaze<\/a>. <\/p>\n

See the moon phases from new to full in this EarthSky community photo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more: What is a supermoon? Supermoons in 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

May 27 and 28 evenings: Young moon challenge and Jupiter
\n\"AOn May 27, look for a very young waxing crescent<\/a> moon \u2013 in some places less than 24 hours old \u2013 about 30 to 40 minutes after sunset. It\u2019ll be very thin and challenging to spot in the bright twilight. Binoculars might help spot it. Jupiter will be near the moon. Then look for a slightly thicker crescent moon the following evening. Also watch for the lovely glow of earthshine<\/a> on the unlit portion of the moon. That\u2019s light reflected off Earth. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\nMay 29: Moon and twin stars
\n\"AAbout 30 minutes after sunset on May 29, 2025, the waxing crescent<\/a> moon will float near the twin stars of Gemini<\/a>, Castor<\/a> and Pollux<\/a>. They\u2019ll set a few hours after sunset. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view \u2013 and time \u2013 from your location, try Stellarium Online<\/a>.<\/p>\n

May 30: Mercury in superior conjunction
\n\"ChartMercury will lie on the far side of the sun on May 30, 2025, reaching the point in its orbit known as superior conjunction at 4 UTC<\/a>. Since it is behind the sun, it can\u2019t be seen from Earth. It\u2019ll emerge in the evening sky in June. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\nMay 30 and 31: Moon, Mars and twin stars
\n\"AAbout 60 minutes after sunset on May 30 and 31, 2025, the waxing crescent<\/a> moon will float between Mars and the twin stars of Gemini<\/a>, Castor<\/a> and Pollux<\/a>. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\nMay 31-June 1: Venus greatest elongation from the sun
\n\"ChartVenus will appear farthest from the sun in the morning sky on May 31 or June 1, depending on your location on the globe. On these mornings, Venus will be about 46 degrees<\/a>, or 4 1\/2 fist widths, from the sun. This position in its orbit is known as greatest western elongation. Each morning after this, Venus will move slightly closer to the sun. And the planet Saturn is nearby. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more: Venus greatest distance from the morning sun on May 31-June 1<\/a><\/p>\n

April stars<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re out stargazing on any April evening, look for these stars and constellations overhead in the sky.<\/p>\n

\"PointerOn April evenings, the Big Dipper is high and almost overhead in the sky. The Big Dipper is an asterism<\/a> \u2013 a well know pattern of stars \u2013 in the constellation of Ursa Major<\/a> the Great Bear. It\u2019s handy to locate the North Star, Polaris<\/a>. And you can use the Big Dipper to locate Leo<\/a> the Lion. Draw an imaginary line southward from the pointer stars in the Big Dipper \u2013 the two outer stars in the Dipper\u2019s bowl \u2013 to point toward Leo the Lion. The brightest star in Leo is Regulus<\/a>.
\n\"StarOn April evenings, almost at zenith \u2013 overhead in the sky \u2013 you\u2019ll see Leo the Lion in the sky in 2 parts. First, the stars making up a backwards question mark represents Leo\u2019s head and it\u2019s also known as the Sickle<\/a>. And the triangle at the back represents the Lion\u2019s hindquarters. Also, the bright star Regulus<\/a> is the period at the bottom of the backward question mark. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\n\"StarOn April evenings, look overhead for the constellation Gemini<\/a> the Twins. The twin stars are Castor<\/a> and Pollux<\/a>. However, in April 2025, there\u2019s a trio of bright lights in Gemini. That\u2019s because the the planet Mars is near the twin stars. Image via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view \u2013 and time \u2013 from your location, try Stellarium Online<\/a>.<\/p>\n

May stars<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re out stargazing on any May evening, look for these stars and constellations overhead in the sky.<\/p>\n

\"PointerOn May evenings, the Big Dipper is high overhead in the sky. The Big Dipper is an asterism<\/a> \u2013 a well know pattern of stars \u2013 in the constellation of Ursa Major<\/a> the Great Bear. It\u2019s handy to locate the North Star, Polaris<\/a>. And you can use the Big Dipper to locate Leo<\/a> the Lion. Draw an imaginary line southward from the pointer stars in the Big Dipper \u2013 the two outer stars in the Dipper\u2019s bowl \u2013 to point toward Leo the Lion. The brightest star in Leo is Regulus<\/a>.
\n\"StarOn May evenings, near your zenith \u2013 overhead in the sky \u2013 you\u2019ll see Leo the Lion in the sky in 2 parts. First, the stars making up a backward question mark represent Leo\u2019s head, and it\u2019s also known as the Sickle<\/a>. And the triangle at the back represents the Lion\u2019s hindquarters. Also, the bright star Regulus<\/a> is the period at the bottom of the backward question mark. Even a medium-sized telescope can zoom in on the some of the dozens of galaxies visible in that region of the sky. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\n\"AThe Spring Triangle<\/a> is an asterism<\/a> with 3 bright stars at its corners: Arcturus<\/a>, Spica<\/a> and Regulus<\/a>. All 3 stars are in different constellations. Regulus<\/a> is in Leo<\/a> the Lion. Arcturus<\/a> is in Bo\u00f6tes<\/a> the Herdsman. And Spica<\/a> is in Virgo<\/a> the Maiden. Some stargazers see a smaller triangle of stars, this trio of the stars is made of Arcturus, Spica and Denebola<\/a>, a star in Leo. Image via EarthSky.<\/p>\n

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view \u2013 and time \u2013 from your location, try Stellarium Online<\/a>.<\/p>\n

April evening planets
\n\"AIn April 2025, Jupiter<\/strong> will lie in the west all month after sunset. Nearby is the bright orange star, Aldebaran<\/a>, the fiery eye of Taurus<\/a> the Bull. Also nearby is the delicate Pleiades<\/a> star cluster and the looser Hyades<\/a> star cluster. Jupiter\u2019s evening appearance is coming to an end soon, it\u2019ll be setting about 3 hours after the sun by month\u2019s end. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\n\"ThreeIn April 2025, the red planet Mars<\/strong> will lie near the twin stars of Gemini: Castor and Pollux. Mars will move into Cancer<\/a> the Crab this month and close to the Beehive<\/a> star cluster. Mars will remain visible in the evening sky through November but continue to fade the rest of the year as it recedes from Earth. However, this month Mars will continue to shine a bit brighter than the twin stars. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\nApril morning planets
\n\"ThereIn the first half of April 2025, Venus<\/strong> will rise in the east about an hour before the sun. By month\u2019s end, it\u2019ll rise a few hours before sunrise. Venus will reach its greatest brilliancy in the morning sky on April 21, 2025. In the second half of April, Venus will grow brighter and will be joined by the much dimmer Mercury<\/strong> and Saturn<\/strong>. Mercury and Saturn will be challenging to spot in the morning twilight. Venus will reach its greatest distance<\/a> from the sun on May 31-June 1, 2025. Mercury will reach its greatest elongation<\/a> from the sun at 19 UTC<\/a> on April 21. However, this will be the best morning apparition of Mercury for the Southern Hemisphere, and challenging to spot from the Northern Hemisphere. Saturn is just emerging from its superior conjunction<\/a>, and it\u2019ll lie close to Venus on April 23. Saturn is now showing the southern face of its rings, but the planet will be challenging to spot in the morning twilight. Venus and Saturn will be closest to each other on the morning of April 29 when they are 4 degrees<\/a> apart. That\u2019s 8 full moons lined up side-by-side. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view \u2013 and time \u2013 from your location, try Stellarium Online<\/a>.<\/p>\n

May evening planets
\n\"AJupiter will lie in the west after sunset all month, and it will drop a little lower toward the western horizon each night. By the end of May, Jupiter will appear very low on the horizon as darkness falls. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\n\"TwoIn early May, Mars will lie in the southwest as darkness falls. It will be near the Beehive<\/a> star cluster (M44) in Cancer<\/a> the Crab. As the month progress, Mars moves away from the Beehive and toward Regulus<\/a>, the brightest star in Leo<\/a> the Lion. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view \u2013 and time \u2013 from your location, try Stellarium Online<\/a>.<\/p>\n

May morning planets
\n\"StarFor Northern Hemisphere viewers, during the first half of May, Venus will help guide you to Mercury low in the bright morning twilight. Saturn will be near the much brighter Venus. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\n\"ChartFor Southern Hemisphere viewers, look for bright Venus in the morning sky. Mercury will shine in the bright morning twilight about 30 minutes before sunrise. And Saturn will be near the much brighter Venus. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\n\"ChartIn late May, Venus will shine brilliantly in the east about 60 minutes before sunrise. And you\u2019ll notice Venus and Saturn have moved apart. Chart via EarthSky<\/a>.
\nSky dome map for visible planets and night sky
\n\"CircleHere is the sky dome view for April 2025. 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\u2019s 2025 Astronomical Calendar<\/a>.
\n\"CircleHere is the sky dome view for May 2025. 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\u2019s 2025 Astronomical Calendar<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more: Guy Ottewell explains sky dome maps<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Heliocentric solar system visible planets and more
\n\"CircleHeliocentric view of solar system, April 2025. Chart via Guy Ottewell\u2019s 2025 Astronomical Calendar<\/a>. Used with permission.
\n\"CircleHeliocentric view of solar system, May 2025. Chart via Guy Ottewell\u2019s 2025 Astronomical Calendar<\/a>. Used with permission.<\/p>\n

Read more: Guy Ottewell explains heliocentric charts<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Some resources to enjoy<\/p>\n

For more videos of great night sky events, visit EarthSky\u2019s YouTube page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t miss anything. Subscribe to daily emails from EarthSky. It\u2019s free!<\/a><\/p>\n

Visit EarthSky\u2019s Best Places to Stargaze to find a dark-sky location near you.<\/a><\/p>\n

Post your own night sky photos at EarthSky Community Photos<\/a>.<\/p>\n

See the indispensable Observer\u2019s Handbook, from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.<\/a><\/p>\n

Visit Stellarium-Web.org for precise views from your location. <\/a><\/p>\n

Almanac: Bright visible planets (rise and set times for your location).<\/a><\/p>\n

Visit TheSkyLive for precise views from your location.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"VisibleAttention amateur astronomers! Guy Ottewell\u2019s popular and informative Astronomical Calendar for 2025<\/a> is available in both electronic and printed versions.<\/p>\n

Bottom line: Visible planets and night sky guide. Watch for Venus\u2019 greatest brilliancy tomorrow morning, and see \u201cmoon smiley face\u201d photos from the EarthSky community. <\/p>\n

Marcy Curran
\n View Articles<\/a><\/p>\n

About the Author:<\/p>\n

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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

John Jardine Goss
\n View Articles<\/a><\/p>\n

About the Author:<\/p>\n

\u201cI can sometimes see the moon in the daytime\u201d 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, \u201cGlobal Star Party.\u201d He has authored the celestial observing guides \u201cExploring the Starry Realm,\u201d and \u201cCarpe Lunam,\u201d and \u201cTake Your First Steps, an Introduction to Amateur Astronomy.\u201d 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\u2019s Reflector magazine, and the RASC Observer\u2019s Handbook.<\/p>\n

Deborah Byrd
\n View Articles<\/a><\/p>\n

About the Author:<\/p>\n

Our Editor-in-Chief Deborah Byrd works to keep all the astronomy balls in the air between EarthSky’s website, YouTube page and social media platforms. She’s the primary editor of our popular daily newsletter and a frequent host of EarthSky livestreams. 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 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. 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.<\/p>\n

Kelly Kizer Whitt
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Kelly Kizer Whitt – EarthSky\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"April 27: Venus brightest in morning sky for all of 2025 this weekend Venus is the brightest planet,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":54616,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3844],"tags":[29017,29016,29015,70,413,21423,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-54615","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-space","8":"tag-astronomy-essentials","9":"tag-featured-tonight-top","10":"tag-may-2021-guide-to-the-bright-planets","11":"tag-science","12":"tag-space","13":"tag-tonight","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54615"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54615\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}