May is the best time in May to view the night sky, with the week leading up to the new moon offering the darkest skies of the month. Stargazers can witness a range of breathtaking celestial sights from mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.
The Big Dipper and Ursa Major are easily visible, forming the rear end of the bear. Look for three visible paws marked by double stars, including Alula Borealis and Australis for the two back paws. The star Muscida marks the bear’s head.
For those in the southern hemisphere, a backward question mark of stars forms the head and forequarters of Leo, the lion. The bright star Regulus is easily spotted as the dot in that question mark.
On Friday, May 23, witness a small ‘planet parade’ early in the morning, where a crescent moon will appear close to a bright Venus, with Saturn nearby.
From Ursa Major, trace the handle of the Big Dipper to Arcturus and focus on its four brightest stars. These form a “Y” or champagne flute shape.
Lastly, look for the Hercules Cluster, containing over 100,000 stars and visible as a dense fuzzy patch in the constellation Hercules.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/mays-best-stargazing-week-is-about-to-begin-how-to-see-a-lion-an-upside-down-bear-a-mini-planet-parade-and-more