Ashburn, VA

76° F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Ashburn

Virginia

76°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Ashburn, VA Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

Video

Podcasts

Winter Center

News & Features AccuWeather Prime Astronomy Business Climate Health Recreation Sports Travel
Special Weather Statement

News / Astronomy

May to bring 1st total lunar eclipse since 2019

By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist and staff writer

Updated May 4, 2021 6:20 PM EDT

Copied

The month kicks off with shooting stars and wraps up with an eclipse. Mark the following astronomy events down on your May calendar.

One of the biggest astronomical happenings of 2021 is set to take place near the end of the new month, but onlookers will need to be in the right place and have perfect weather to see it for themselves.

May’s milder nights will be more comfortable for stargazing of all types, whether it's hours under the heavens for a meteor shower or for just a few minutes to spot the International Space Station flying overhead.

As temperatures across the Northern Hemisphere rise, areas in the Southern Hemisphere will start to cool down. The nights in May will not only be a bit chilly and longer for areas south of the equator, but they will also boast the hemisphere’s best meteor shower of the entire year.

Here are the top three astronomy events to look for in May:

1. Eta Aquarid meteor shower
When:
May 4-5

The best meteor shower of the entire year for the Southern Hemisphere will reach its peak during the first week of May, outperforming every other annual meteor shower that is viewed from south of the equator.

Between 40 and 60 meteors per hour can be counted in the night sky over the Southern Hemisphere on the night of May 4 into the early morning of May 5, and like many other meteor showers, is best viewed after midnight local time.

People in the Northern Hemisphere can still enjoy part of the celestial light show, but the Eta Aquarids will not be as impressive when compared to areas farther south. Rates typically peak between 10 and 30 meteors per hour, about on par with the recent Lyrid meteor shower.

Related:

Colorado cultural site named latest Dark Sky Park
Why do meteors glow in vibrant colors?
2024 total solar eclipse is 3 years away

If cloudy conditions prevail on the night that the Eta Aquarids peak, people will have a few more nights to spot shooting stars. “Activity is good for a week centered [around] the night of maximum activity,” the American Meteor Society said on its website.

After the Eta Aquarids come and go, the next moderate meteor shower will not peak until the last week of July.

2. Best month to look for Mercury
When:
May 13-16

Mercury is the smallest and most difficult planet to spot without a telescope, often being lost in the sunlight due to its proximity to the sun. However, in the middle of the month it will be rather easy to find just after sunset.

May will be the best month of 2021 to see Mercury, EarthSky said, especially for the Northern Hemisphere around the middle of the month.

The evening of Thursday, May 13, will be the best opportunity to look for the small, dim planet as it will appear right next to the thin crescent moon in the western sky. A clear sky and a clear view of the western horizon is needed to see Mercury as it will be very low in the sky and will set about an hour and a half after sunset.

The moon will serve as an easy-to-find reference point to locate the dim planet Mercury on May 13, 2021. (AccuWeather)

Saturday, May 15, will feature another astronomical meet-up as the moon swings past Mars in the western sky.

Mercury will remain visible in the evening sky until later in May, although it could be tricky to spot without the moon nearby serving as a reference point.

3. Total Lunar Eclipse
When:
May 26 before sunrise

The biggest astronomical event of the month is also one of the biggest of the entire year for North America as the sun, Earth and moon align to create a total lunar eclipse just before daybreak on May 26.

This will be the first total lunar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States since Jan. 20-21, 2019.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

However, unlike that eclipse, the total phase of this month’s eclipse will only be visible from the Rocky Mountains or West Coast. The eastern half of the U.S and most of Canada will be able to see a partial lunar eclipse, but the moon will set in the west before the total phase begins.

Skywatchers across the western U.S. that wake up early and find themselves under a cloud-free sky will be able to see the moon turn red or rusty orange in color during the height of the total lunar eclipse. This color is why some refer to this event as a "blood moon."

This photo shows the moon during a total lunar eclipse, seen from Los Angeles, Sunday Jan. 20, 2019. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

An encore of the lunar eclipse is set to take center stage in the sky on the night of Nov. 18-19, 2021. This will fall just short of being a total lunar eclipse with 97% of the moon passing through Earth’s dark inner shadow.

All of North America will be able to see this impressive partial lunar eclipse according to NASA, as well as parts of South America, New Zealand, Australia and eastern Asia.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.

Report a Typo
Comments that don't add to the conversation may be automatically or manually removed by Facebook or AccuWeather. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.
Comments
Hide Comments

Weather News

Winter Weather

May in the Mile High City: Heavy snowfall forecast for Denver area

May 19, 2022
Hurricane

Chances for a tropical system to form prior to June 1 now waning

May 19, 2022
Weather Forecasts

2 seasons in 2 days as cold air, snow return to central US

May 19, 2022
Climate

4 critical climate indicators raised red flags in 2021

May 19, 2022
Health

Saharan dust cloud over the Atlantic may reach Gulf Coast by weekend

May 19, 2022
Hurricane

Deadly subtropical storm slams southern Brazil, Uruguay

May 19, 2022
Weather Forecasts

AccuWeather's 2022 Europe summer forecast

May 17, 2022
Weather News

Heat wave linked to 3 deaths in Chicago

May 19, 2022
Weather News

Crews battle strong winds to rescue climbers trapped on Mt. Rainier

May 18, 2022
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble through storm-weary Midwest

May 19, 2022
Weather News

Deadly lightning-sparked oil fire caused chaos for 5 days

May 18, 2022
Astronomy

Reports of unidentified objects 'frequent, continuing,' officials find

May 18, 2022
video

Engineers develop enzyme that could provide a solution to the plastic ...

May 18, 2022
Health

Collars and chewables to keep your pup free of ticks and fleas

Apr. 28, 2022
Recreation

Try putting one of these on your porch or patio this year

May 12, 2022
Show More Show Less Chevron down

Topics

News & Features

AccuWeather Prime

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

Top Stories

Weather Forecasts

Surge of heat to bring hottest weather since last summer to Northeast

2 hours ago

Weather News

Anti-cyclonic whirlwinds seen on video towering into sunny sky

10 hours ago

Weather News

Jersey Shore drama: Not enough sand at beach ahead of Memorial Day

9 hours ago

Pakistan zoo animals try to stay cool during heat wave

1 day ago 0:43

Podcast: Introducing AccuWeather Premium Plus

More Stories

Featured Topic

Local Arthritis Forecast

Featured Stories

Last moments before Mount St. Helens eruption caught on camera Coolers that'll help you beat the extreme summer heat 16 spring essentials that you shouldn't do without
AccuWeather Astronomy May to bring 1st total lunar eclipse since 2019
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs Podcast RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Shop AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Weather Blogs Winter Weather
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs Podcast RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Shop AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Weather Blogs Winter Weather
© 2021 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | TAG Disclosure | Do Not Sell My Data checkmark Confirmed Not Selling Your Data

We have updated our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

I Understand

Get AccuWeather alerts as they happen with our browser notifications.

Notifications Enabled

Thanks! We’ll keep you informed.

FEEDBACK