The night sky on your birthday: May 17
May 17 is day 138 of the year. Here is what the sky holds for everyone born on it — and a way to get the real sky above the exact place and hour you were born.
The Sun's constellation on May 17
On your birthday the Sun stands in front of Taurus, which here matches the horoscope sign Taurus. Because the Sun is in Taurus, that constellation is hidden in daylight on your birthday: you see it best around six months later.
Overhead at midnight on May 17
- Northern hemisphere (40°N — New York, Madrid, Beijing): Hercules, Boötes, Corona Borealis and Draco; brightest stars high up: Arcturus (63°), Vega (56°) and Deneb (36°).
- Southern hemisphere (40°S — Melbourne, Buenos Aires region, Wellington): Lupus, Norma, Centaurus and Libra; brightest stars high up: Antares (73°), Rigil Kentaurus (67°) and Toliman (67°).
Meteor showers around May 17
No major annual meteor shower is active on this date — the sky is all stars and planets.
The Moon on your next birthday
On the evening of May 17, 2027 the Moon will be waxing gibbous (93% lit): bright moonlight will wash out the faint stars.
The exact sky of the night you were born
These are averages for a latitude. Your own sky depends on the city, the year and the hour: Firmament draws the real stars, constellations, Moon and planets above your birthplace at your birth time, as a print-ready A3 poster — $4.99, delivered instantly as a PDF.
Make the sky of the night you were born — $4.99
Set your year and city on the next page; the day and month are already filled in.