Celebrate International Astronomy Day on Saturday, May 7, 2022.
International Astronomy Day is an event that we celebrate twice a year, around the first quarter of the moon in spring and autumn. Spring Day for Celebration will be Saturday, May 7, 2022. Learn what you can see in the sky on May 7 and find resources on how to join the festivities.
International Astronomy Day is May 7, 2022
The first Saturday in May is the day and night to celebrate astronomy this spring. There are many ways to celebrate, from visiting a planetarium or observatory to gathering friends and family to watch the stars.
Here is a star map of the sky on Saturday, May 7, for the center of North America. You can also visit Stellarium to find a star map tailored to your location.
Most of the planets are now in the morning sky, although you can catch Mercury after sunset in the west-northwest. As the sky darkens, the winter constellations Orion and Taurus set west. Leo and Cancer will be high in the sky, and the moon in the first quarter is close to Cancer’s hive. Virgo and Libra will rise to the east.
The official date of the first quarter of the moon is Sunday, May 8. Use binoculars or a telescope to see the terminator or the line that separates the day and night from the moon. This is the best place to see the bright relief of mountains and craters on the lunar surface.
Look for the Big Dipper high above your head, which can take you to many other constellations. To the south is the long serpentine form of Hydra, the largest constellation in the sky. You can also see the brightest star in the sky Sirius in Canis Major.
This is the night sky for the early evening of May 7, 2022 from Central North America. Image via CyberSky.
You can find other great sights with our guide to the planet and the night sky and important events to watch throughout the month.
The next International Astronomy Day will be on Saturday, October 1.
Resources for International Astronomy Day
International Astronomy Day for Classroom Teachers
Enter your zip code to search for events through NASA’s Night Sky network
Astronomy League Astronomy Day
Bottom line: International Astronomy Day is held twice a year. The next holiday is on Saturday, May 7, 2022. See information here.
Kelly Keather Whit
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Kelly Keezer Whit has been a scientific writer specializing in astronomy for more than two decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and made regular contributions to AstronomyToday and Sierra Club, among others. Her children’s picture book “Forecast for the Solar System” was published in 2012. She also wrote a dystopian novel for young adults entitled “Different Skies”. When she’s not reading or writing about astronomy and staring at the stars, she enjoys traveling to national parks, creating crossword puzzles, running, tennis and rowing. Kelly lives with her family in Wisconsin.
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