UK Night Sky This Week: What to See (10–17 May…

🌙 This Week's Highlight: Moon, Venus & Jupiter — The Evening Trio

This is one of those weeks you'll want to step outside every clear evening. After a New Moon on Saturday, a slim crescent reappears in the western twilight on Sunday 17 May, hanging near brilliant Venus just above the horizon. On Monday 18 May, the crescent sits almost directly alongside Venus — BBC Sky at Night calls this pairing one of the prettiest sights of the planet's entire 2026 apparition. And on Tuesday 19 May, the Moon glides between Venus and Jupiter, all three strung out in a perfect line across the darkening sky.

No equipment needed — just look west about an hour after sunset (from around 22:00 BST) and you'll see the show for yourself. This is exactly the kind of sight that turns a casual glance skyward into a lifelong love of stargazing.

🌟 Planets This Week

Venus — magnitude −4.3

The unmissable jewel in the western sky from about 21:30 BST. Venus is in Taurus this week, blazing far brighter than any star. Sets around midnight. On 18–19 May it forms a stunning pairing with the crescent Moon.

Jupiter — magnitude −1.9

Still prominent in the west-northwest in Gemini, around 20–25° above Venus. Sets roughly 23:00 BST. The gap between Jupiter and Venus narrows by about 1° per night — they'll meet in a spectacular conjunction on 9 June.

Saturn — magnitude +0.9

Rising in the east before dawn, but still very low — binoculars and a clear horizon needed from ~03:45 BST. Wednesday 13 May is your best chance: a waning crescent Moon points the way. Saturn climbs higher each week from now.

Mercury — not visible

Mercury reaches superior conjunction on Thursday 14 May — it's directly behind the Sun and not observable this week. It will emerge into the evening sky by the end of May.

🌛 The Moon This Week

The Moon plays a starring role both as a pre-dawn guide and an evening showpiece. We begin Wednesday with a slender waning crescent (just 13% lit) rising in the east around 03:30 BST — ideally placed near Saturn if you're up early enough. By Thursday the crescent is thinner still, with beautiful earthshine (the ghostly blue-grey glow on the Moon's dark side) visible to the naked eye. New Moon arrives on Saturday 16 May at 21:01 BST, delivering the month's darkest skies.

Then the waxing crescent returns to the evening sky — and what a return. On Sunday 17 May it appears low in the west near Venus. Monday 18 May brings the pair even closer. And by Tuesday 19 May, the crescent Moon sits gracefully between Venus and Jupiter, completing one of the finest naked-eye sights of the year.

🌌 Deep Sky Under Dark Skies

Wednesday through Friday offer some of the best deep-sky observing of the month — moonless skies, galaxy season still in its final act, and the spring constellations high overhead. It's also worth getting out after New Moon on Saturday even if it's late; any clear window is precious.

Virgo Cluster — the richest patch of deep sky visible from Earth. Between Virgo and Coma Berenices, dozens of galaxies including M84, M86, and the famous M87 (home to the first black hole ever imaged) lie within binocular sweeping distance.
Black Eye Galaxy (M64) in Coma Berenices — its distinctive dark dust lane is visible in a 4-inch telescope. One of the most photogenic targets in the spring sky.
Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) in Canes Venatici — a face-on spiral paired with a smaller companion. Easy in binoculars; stunning in any telescope.
M13 Globular Cluster in Hercules — rising in the east from around midnight, this is the showpiece globular of the northern sky, visible as a fuzzy star to the naked eye and dazzling through any telescope.
Coma Star Cluster (Melotte 111) — a scattered open cluster best swept with binoculars, showing dozens of blue-white stars in Coma Berenices.

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📅 Night-by-Night Planner

Sunset ~21:00 BST · Full darkness ~23:00 BST · All times BST

Sun 10 May ⭐

Pre-dawn highlight: Waning crescent Moon (25%) rising in the east around 03:00 BST — a fine guide to Saturn low on the horizon. Evening: Venus blazes in the west after sunset, with Jupiter visible above it.

Mon 11 May

Waning crescent Moon (18%) in the pre-dawn east, with Saturn nearby. Beautiful earthshine visible on the Moon's dark side to the naked eye. Evening: Venus and Jupiter prominent in the west.

Tue 12 May

Crescent Moon (13%) thinning further in the pre-dawn sky. Evening sky now largely Moon-free — good early opportunity for deep-sky targets with Venus and Jupiter setting around 23:00 BST.

Wed 13 May

Very thin crescent Moon (8%) rises before dawn — best chance to spot Saturn this week with binoculars from ~03:45 BST. Evening: excellent Venus–Jupiter pairing in the west, conditions darkening nicely for deep sky from ~23:00 BST.

Thu 14 May

Mercury reaches superior conjunction — tucked behind the Sun and not visible. Moon now effectively gone from the evening sky. Good conditions for the Virgo Cluster, M51 and M64 from ~23:00 BST.

Fri 15 May

Moonless skies and the spring constellations high overhead — excellent deep-sky observing from ~23:00 BST. The Virgo Cluster, Whirlpool Galaxy (M51), and M13 in Hercules are all well-placed.

Sat 16 May ⭐

New Moon at 21:01 BST. The darkest night of the month. Point your telescope at M13, M51 or the Virgo Cluster for galaxy-season highlights at their absolute finest.

Sun 17 May ⭐

Crescent Moon returns: A slim waxing crescent (1–2%) makes its first evening appearance very close to brilliant Venus in the west. Look from ~21:30 BST — a beautiful pairing in binoculars, and a preview of the stunning Moon–Venus–Jupiter trio arriving Mon–Tue next week.