Must-See Astronomy events in May 2025

The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) has revealed a lineup of captivating celestial events throughout May 2025, including the potential appearance of a bright comet visible to the naked eye, meteor showers, and several planetary conjunctions.

According to NARIT, from May 1–14, skywatchers will have a chance to observe Comet C/2025 F2 (SWAN). The comet is expected to shine brightly enough to be seen without a telescope in the western sky just after sunset, between 7m and 8pm.

One of the month’s highlights is the Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower, expected to peak on the night of May 5–6, with an estimated rate of up to 50 meteors per hour, best viewed from around 2am until dawn.

In addition to the comet and meteor shower, several moon-planet conjunctions will also be visible:

May 2: A beautiful crescent moon appears near the stars Pollux and Castor in the northwestern sky from 7pm to 11pm.

May 4: Mars will appear close to the Beehive Cluster (Praesepe) in the western sky between 7pm and midnight.

May 5–6: Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, will align closely with the moon, visible in the western sky from 7pm until morning.

May 23: Saturn will appear beside the moon in the eastern sky starting from 2.30am until dawn.

May 24: Venus will be seen near the moon in the eastern sky from 3.20am until sunrise.

May 30: Pollux will once again appear close to the moon, visible in the northwestern sky from sunset until 10pm.

These phenomena offer excellent opportunities for both amateur astronomers and the general public to connect with the night sky and enjoy the wonders of astronomy.