What to see in the spring sky

March, April and May

The bright winter stars set early and the sky behind them is deep and quiet — spring is when you are looking out of our galaxy rather than along it, and the galaxies show.

Everything below is highest in the evening in these months. South of the equator the months are the same, but they fall in the opposite season.

With your own eyes

ArcturusstarNaked eye

With binoculars

Bode’s Galaxy (M81)spiral galaxyBinocularsThe Sombrero Galaxy (M104)spiral galaxyBinocularsThe Cigar Galaxy (M82)starburst galaxyBinoculars

With a small telescope

The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)spiral galaxy150 mm telescopeThe Pinwheel Galaxy (M101)spiral galaxy150 mm telescopeM87 / Virgo Aelliptical galaxy150 mm telescopeThe Antennae Galaxies (NGC 4038/4039)colliding galaxies150 mm telescope3C 273quasar150 mm telescope

And the planets?

Planets do not keep to seasons — they wander, which is what the word means. Each one has its own page with a month-by-month table saying when to look for it.