May 28-31, 2025: The evening crescent moon waxes each evening, passing bright stars in the western sky after sunset.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
New Moon in West
The moon is New on the 27th at 4:02 a.m. Central Time, beginning lunation 1267, the number of lunar cycles since the count began in 1923.
The moon is visible briefly after sunset on the 27th, though the view is easier beginning the next evening.
The perspective that we see the solar system on May evenings is very favorable. The ecliptic, the solar system’s plane makes a high angle with the western horizon, so that from night-to-night, the moon is noticeably higher in the sky. It passes brighter stars and the Beehive star cluster, and approaches Mars.
As the moon waxes, earthshine, a gentle glow on the moon’s night portions, is easily observed and photographed until the phase is nearly 30% illuminated.
Additionally, Jupiter is slowly sliding into brighter evening twilight, appearing lower in the west-northwest each evening. Unlike nearly all other celestial bodies other than the sun, moon, and Venus, the Jovian Giant can be seen near horizon where the thicker atmosphere dims and blurs celestial bodies.
Waxing Moon Highlights
Here’s what to see an hour after sundown:
- May 28: Jupiter is less than 5° above the west-northwest horizon. The crescent moon, 5% illuminated, is 8.5° to Jupiter’s upper left. The moon is near Castor’s foot. The heel, Tejat Posterior, is 5.2° to the moon’s lower left.
- May 29: The moon, 12% illuminated, is over 20° above the horizon and over 20° to Jupiter’s upper left. The lunar orb is 5.3° to Pollux’s lower right and 6.4° to Castor’s lower left. This is a good evening to photograph the moon with earthshine near the Gemini Twins.
- May 30: In front of Cancer, the lunar crescent, 20% illuminated, is nearly 30° above the west horizon and almost 10° to Pollux’s upper left. The Beehive star cluster is 4.6° to the upper left of the crescent and in the same binocular field. Wait until the sky is darker to look for the moon and the cluster. Twilight ends about two hours after nightfall, but the cluster is lower where the atmosphere begins to dim it. Look an hour after nightfall and every 15 minutes until the view degrades. Mars is nearly 18° to the moon’s upper left.
- May 31: The crescent moon, 29% illuminated, is nearly 40° up in the west and over 20° to Pollux’s upper left. Mars is 4.9° to the moon’s upper left and 9.1° to Regulus’ lower left, Leo’s brightest star. Moon, Mars, and Regulus span 14.0°.
Look for the moon each clear evening in the western sky. The pretty crescent waxes as it passes celestial milestones near its path.
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