Skywatching in May 2022 – Mars-Jupiter conjunction, lunar eclipse and more

• Skywatchers will have many events lined up in May 2022.
• These include a lunar eclipse, the conjunction of Mars and Jupiter and spotting a few planets.
• In this post, we look at all the skywatching events for May 2022.

Skywatchers are in for a treat in May 2022 as you will get to experience many events such as a conjunction between Mars and Jupiter, a total lunar eclipse, spotting planets and more.

For those unaware, skywatching is the practice of watching the sky for planets, comets, stars and other interesting events such as solar and lunar eclipses. While some of the events can be observed with your naked eye or a pair of binoculars, some of these can be observed only with a telescope.

Skywatching events for May 2022

Mercury and Aldebaran

Mercury will be visible after sunset in the first week of the month around 45 minutes after sunset. It will be visible around 10 degrees off the horizon, just below the moon.

In addition to this, Aldebaran, a giant red star which is around the same brightness of mercury will also be visible to the south of the moon.

Lunar eclipse

The first lunar eclipse of the year will begin on May 16 at 7:02 am and go on till 12:20 pm. This will only be visible in the western hemisphere across Americas, Europe and Africa. Skywatchers in India will not be able to witness the event.


During the eclipse, the moon will be visible with a dim reddish hue. While the moon will be immersed in the earth’s shadow, the red wavelengths of sunlight filter through Earth's atmosphere, falling on the moon’s surface.

Coma star cluster

Skywatchers will be able to watch the coma star cluster which includes 40 to 50 stars spread over a region. The brightest stars in this cluster form a Y-shape. To find this cluster, you will need a pair of binoculars. All you need to do is look for the Leo constellation and then go southwards.

Jupiter and Mars

Jupiter and Mars will be visible in the last week of May from 28 to 30 during the early hours of the day. The two planets will be visible in the pre-dawn sky and will be barely separated by the width of the moon.

Meteor shower

During the end of the month, there is a possibility of witnessing a meteor shower. Keep your eyes peeled on the sky on the nights of May 30 and May 31 to get a chance to witness the meteor shower.
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