Please set your alarm clock This is the 9 must-see astronomical events in the May night sky

As the weather warms up in the Northern Hemisphere, there are few things like spending an entire evening gazing up at the stars. While many of us can't come from thousands of miles away for an astronomy meetup or star party, we can still enjoy the May night sky from our backyards or local parks.

This month, we'll enjoy an array of astronomical feasts: a visible moon near the planets, frequent small meteor showers, and a total lunar eclipse that will bathe parts of the world in red light. Not to mention that as the month changes, the center of the Milky Way will slowly rise, a phenomenon that can of course be seen by us. May's new moon occurs on the 11th, and that evening will be a wonderful night to admire the sky - with a view of what may be the darkest night sky of the month.

Without further ado, here are the astronomical phenomena in May that deserve to be marked on your astronomical calendar.

May 3-4: Close Encounter of the Moon with Saturn/Jupiter

May is kicked off by the visual approach of several planets. And if you've been following the night sky observing guides for the last few months, there's a good chance you'll guess! Yes, it's Saturn and Jupiter, close to the Moon in quick succession.

The first is Saturn, and the last Saturn-Jupiter conjunction occurred in December. On the morning of May 3, the Moon and Saturn will be very close to each other, only 4°9' apart. Although not as close as the Saturn conjunction, it is still a good opportunity to see the deficient bulge moon approaching Saturn.

The next morning, it's Jupiter's turn to approach the Moon. This time the angle is 4°36'. And this angle is still too large for those viewing with a telescope. The Moon will become more viewable and will still shine brightly to guide us, although it will be closer to the time of the New Moon.

May 6 η Meteor Shower in Aquarius Maximum Period

Meteorites always amaze us, and in May we'll have two decent chances to enjoy such a meteor shower. The first is the η Meteor Shower in Aquarius, which will peak this year on May 6. Those who are near the equator can have a better view because the emission point of the Aquarius meteor shower is very low in the southern sky.

You can observe this meteor shower show from late April to May each year, but it peaks around May 6. The η Aquarius meteor shower usually produces 40 meteors per hour, a nice way to start May. Most importantly, the Moon is fading to a new moon, so it is unlikely to be too disruptive to observations.

May 8 - Peak of the Lyrae Meteor Shower

The Lyrae η meteor shower hits each year from May 3 to 14, but in 2021, the peak of activity is likely to be on May 8. On this night, you look in the general direction of the radiant of the Lyrae meteor shower and try to spot the meteor shower crossing the night sky.

Although the Lyrae η meteor shower is not particularly active (an average of 3 meteors per hour at its peak), you can try to see these meteors before dawn on the 8th and that night.

Mercury reaches its highest position on 05/17

Ah, little Mercury... so hard to spot! Mercury has several points in the year where it appears high enough on the horizon around the Sun; the next opportunity is around May 17, when Mercury will reach its highest point in the evening sky.

To find Mercury, you'll need a clear, unobstructed western view. Mercury will only appear at 19:00° on the horizon, just after sunset. You don't need a telescope to spot Mercury, but remember to protect your eyes; even at sunset, it can cause damage in seconds if you look directly at the sun.

May 26 - Total Lunar Eclipse Across the Pacific

It's been a while since the last total lunar eclipse; the last one occurred on the night of January 20, 2019! But for many in western North America and the Far East, the opportunity presents itself once again this time with a total lunar eclipse early in the morning on May 26 (or possibly later on the 26th if you're in the Far East).

The best views of the eclipse will be in the center of the Pacific Ocean - think Hawaii. But for those on the West Coast, a brief phase of totality will occur at 4 a.m. Time and date. We have a complete lunar eclipse viewing guide if you're going to be in the total eclipse zone and want to try to see this one.

May 28 - Venus conjunct Mercury

Being third isn't all bad - our planet's third position among the planets is climatically a "prime area" for life to thrive and for you to read this article. But there are two more special planets within the orbit of our planet, closer to the Sun. If you want a chance to see them both up close and personal, try the night of May 28.

After sunset on the evening of the 28th, tiny Mercury and bright Venus will be in close contact, just 0°25′ apart in the sky. It's the perfect opportunity to get out your telescope and point it at our two distant neighbors for observation, especially if you haven't seen Mercury before!

May 30 - Saturn Conjunct Moon

Just like earlier this month, we will also have another Saturn conjunction at the end of the month. As expected, this phenomenon occurs about once every 28 days based on the Moon's orbit, and on the 30th, when Saturn's conjunction occurs at dawn, the two will be just 4°10′ apart in the sky. This is close enough for them to appear in the field of view of a monocular at the same time, so if you missed the early part of the month due to weather or not being able to stay up late, this is a good opportunity to remedy the situation.

Have any questions about the above astronomical events in the May night sky? Please ask in the comments!