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By Deane Morrison

In May Jupiter sinks into the sunset, ending a months-long guest starring role with the bright winter constellations. Those, too, are disappearing into the sun’s afterglow.

But Mars lingers, drifting on a course toward Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, the lion. Mars is getting pretty dim, but you can locate it close below the moon at nightfall on the 3rd. The moon revisits Mars on the 31st, when the planet is rather low in the west.

Brilliant Arcturus, the brightest star in the kite-shaped constellation Bootes, the herdsman—and also the brightest in the northern hemisphere of sky—shines in the southeast to south. In the northeast to east, Vega, which is almost as bright as Arcturus, gains prominence steadily throughout the month. Vega, in the small constellation Lyra, the lyre, is part of the large Summer Triangle of bright stars.

To find Arcturus, just follow the curve of the Big Dipper’s handle. Then continue that curve to Spica, the sole bright star in Virgo, the maiden. Just west of Spica you’ll see a somewhat dim, irregular, four-sided polygon of stars. This is the constellation Corvus, the crow.

In the morning sky, Venus and Saturn will be visible very low in the east at the start of twilight, especially after mid-month. Unfortunately, the sun is rising right behind them, so the window for seeing them is short. You may catch dim Saturn to the lower left of a waning moon on the 22nd. The next two mornings, the thinning moon will hover near Venus, which is bright but barely above the eastern horizon.

May’s full moon arrives near noon on the 12th. It won’t be up then, but be sure to enjoy it as it rises in evening twilight on the 11th, or about an hour later on the 12th.