A family looking at the stars.

New Asteroid Named for Ininiwak "Star Guy" Wilfred Buck

An asteroid has been officially named “Wilfredbuck” by the International Astronomical Union, in honour of Ininiwak astronomer and science communicator Wilfred Buck of Opaskwayak Cree Nation.

New Asteroid Named for Ininiwak “Star Guy” Wilfred Buck

Posted on by Scott Young

The International Astronomical Union has officially named an asteroid “Wilfredbuck”, in honour of Ininiwak (Cree) astronomer and science communicator Wilfred Buck of Opaskwayak Cree Nation. Buck is known across Canada and internationally as “The Star Guy” as he travels, sharing the star lore of the Ininiwak with students and community members.

The official citation, published June 30, 2025, reads: “Wilfred Buck (b. 1954) is a Canadian knowledge keeper of Cree/Ininewuk star lore. His Cree name, Pawami Nikititicikiw, means “dream keeper.” A member of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, he has taught Cree astronomy all over the world, and is the author of Tipiskawi Kisik and I Have Lived Four Lives.”

Buck stars in the planetarium show, “Wilfred Buck’s Star Stories”, currently showing daily in the Manitoba Museum’s Planetarium throughout the summer.

Asteroid (611326) Wilfredbuck was discovered in 2006 by Canadian astronomer David Balam using a telescope in Hawaii. The asteroid is a piece of rock about a kilometer in diameter. It orbits the sun in the main asteroid belt, a region of space between Mars and Jupiter that holds millions of asteroids.

A diagram of the solar system showing the orbit of asteroid Wilfredbuck relative to the other planets.
Asteroid (611326) Wilfredbuck (shown in white) orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter in the main asteroid belt. [Image Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech]
Scott Young

Scott Young

Planetarium Astronomer

Scott is the Planetarium Astronomer at the Manitoba Museum, developing astronomy and science programs. He has been an informal science educator for thirty years, working in the planetarium and science centre field both at The Manitoba Museum and also at the Alice G. Wallace Planetarium in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Scott is an active amateur astronomer and a past-President of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

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A Time and Place to Learn Who We Are

Posted on by Rebecca Watson
Posted on: Friday June 13, 2025

by Lucy Lindell, Manitoba Museum Indigenous Scholar in Residence

 

Opening June 20, the day before National Indigenous Peoples Day, my solo exhibit I Belong Here will be on display in the Manitoba Museum’s Urban Corridor. Through digital art prints, the physical structures of local museums and galleries are transformed into Indigenous teachings that exist to help us live a good life.

This exhibit comes from an in-scholar residence at the Museum with Dr. Amelia Fay, Curator of Anthropology and the HBC Museum Collection. We focused on repatriation and safe museum spaces for Indigenous items.

Previous to the residency, in a cultural leadership course with Stephen Borys, I gained an understanding that historically, museum foundations were built on elitism and were meant to be an escape or distraction to bring temporary moments of freedom.

As a Métis woman learning traditional culture, my museum experiences were quite different; my visits were a time of healing and learning about my relations to Creation. Creation includes all life forms and their energies.

A digital artwork featuring a female figure wearing a shawl designed to look like the Canadian Museum of Human Rights building. Behind the figure colourful ribbons hang from the branches of green-leaved trees.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights transforms into a shawl worn by a sundance ceremony helper. ©Lucy Lindell

A digital artwork featuring a figure of a pregnant mother laying down on her back on the grass. Behind her rises the Manitoba Museum tower, which, combined with her pregnant belly, creates the exterior of the Manitoba Museum.

The Manitoba Museum transforms into a representation of a sweat lodge; the mother’s womb. ©Lucy Lindell

A digital artwork of a figure kneeling on a blanket. In front of them are several items placed to resemble the WAG-Qaumajuq building, as well as several small bowls and a beaded necklace.

The WAG-Qaumajuq transforms into traditional Indigenous ceremony. ©Lucy Lindell

Respectful relations to Creation continue to be harmed through colonial histories where identities were built by taking from others and going to extreme lengths to receive access to land and resources. This impacts identity, understandings of purpose, and how we think day-to-day.

I Belong Here removes colonial invalidations by sharing relatedness and ways of knowing that not everyone has had the privilege of experiencing. It shares teachings that reflect our own beauty back to us and affirms that Indigenous teachings belong in museum spaces and everyday life.

A special thank you to Dr. Amelia Fay, Dan Thomas, and the Manitoba Museum for working with me on this project.

 

I Belong Here will open on June 20 in the Manitoba Museum’s Urban Corridor and will be on display throughout the summer. Admission to this temporary exhibit is included in an All Attraction Pass. Manitoba Museum Members and Indigenous Peoples can access this exhibit at no charge.

 

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The Sky for June 2025

Posted on by Scott Young
Posted on: Tuesday May 27, 2025

In many ways, June is a difficult month for Manitoba skywatchers. Sunset is very late as we approach the summer solstice, and the situation is just made worse by daylight savings time which began in March. Even at local midnight (which occurs around 1:30 am CDT for Winnipeg), the sky never gets truly dark from about June 1 to the second week of July – the best we get is “nautical twilight”, which is a deep grey instead of the near-black sky of true night. (Near cities, this effect is usually overwhelmed by light pollution anyway, but it all adds up.)

Yet June is the beginning of Milky Way season as well. After midnight the summer constellations are high enough to view, and the brightest part of our Milky Way Galaxy is on full display. You just have to stay up late to see it.

The Solar System for June 2025

Mercury is in the evening sky this month, but angles conspire to keep it too low for easy viewing from Manitoba. Look for it very low in the northwest after sunset. Don’t confuse it with brighter Jupiter, which is descending into the twilight just a few degrees to the left of Mercury.

Venus is very low in the eastern sky just before dawn. It reaches “greatest elongation west” of the sun on June 29, but practically it remains low in the east all month. The crescent moon is nearby on the mornings of June 21 and 22.

Mars is in the constellation Leo, to the lower right of the “sickle” asterism that includes the bright star Regulus. Mars passes within one degree of Regulus on July 16 and 17. The planet and the star will be almost the same brightness, and binoculars will show a nice colour contrast – Mars a ruddy orange, and Regulus a blue-white.

Jupiter fades into the sunset this month, dropping behind the Sun from our point of view. It is in conjunction on June 24-25, passing directly behind the Sun.

Saturn rises about 3 am at the beginning of June, and by 1am at the end of the month. The rings are inclined only a few degrees from our line of sight and we’re seeing the unlit side of them. Neptune is nearby for most of the summer (see below). The last quarter Moon is nearby on the morning of June 19.

Uranus passes behind the Sun as seen from Earth on May 17, and is invisible all month.

Neptune is in the same binocular field of view as Saturn for the entire month, closing to within a degree at the end of June. Too far to see without optical aid, Neptune requires good binoculars or a small telescope to even spot, and a large telescope to make it out as anything more than a faint dot.

Of the five known dwarf planets, only (1) Ceres is close enough to be seen in binoculars or a small telescope. In June, Ceres in below and to the left of Saturn and Neptune; you’ll need a chart like the one in the RASC Observer’s Handbook or an app like Stellarium to track it down. Ceres will be easier to spot in the fall as it gets closer and brighter.

Sky Calendar for June 2025

All times are given in the local time for Manitoba: Central Daylight Time (UTC-5). However, most of these events are visible across Canada at the same local time without adjusting for time zones.

Monday, June 2, 2025: First Quarter Moon

Sunday, June 8, 2025 (evening): Jupiter and Mercury are beside each other low in the northwestern sky after sunset.

Wednesday, June 11, 2025: Full Moon

Monday, June 16, 2025 (evening sky): Mars passes within one degree of the bright star Regulus in Leo.

Wednesday, June 18, 2025: Last Quarter Moon

Friday, June 20, 2025: The Summer Solstice occurs at 9:42 pm Central Daylight, marking the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere.

Tuesday, June 24, 2025: Jupiter is in superior conjunction, behind the Sun from our point of view on Earth.

Wednesday, June 25, 2025: New Moon

Sunday, June 29, 2025 (morning sky): Saturn is one degree south of Neptune in the morning sky.

Monday, June 30, 2025 (evening sky): The Moon is near Mars in the evening sky.

Monday, May 26, 2025 (evening): New Moon

 

People stare up at the northern lights above them.

Outside of the regular events listed above, there are other things we see in the sky that can’t always be predicted in advance.

Aurora borealis, the northern lights, are becoming a more common sight again as the Sun goes through the maximum of its 11-year cycle of activity. Particles from the Sun interact with the Earth’s magnetic field and the high upper atmosphere to create glowing curtains of light around the north (and south) magnetic poles of the planet. Manitoba is well-positioned relative to the north magnetic pole to see these displays often, but they still can’t be forecast very far in advance. A site like Space Weather can provide updates on solar activity and aurora forecasts for the next 48 hours. The best way to see the aurora is to spend a lot of time out under the stars, so that you are there when they occur.,

Random meteors (also known as falling or shooting stars) occur every clear night at the rate of about 5-10 per hour. Most people don’t see them because of light pollution from cities, or because they don’t watch the sky uninterrupted for an hour straight. They happen so quickly that a single glance down at your phone or exposure to light can make you miss one.

Satellites are becoming extremely common sights in the hours after sunset and before dawn. Appearing as a moving star that takes a few minutes to cross the sky, they appear seemingly out of nowhere. These range from the International Space Station and Chinese space station Tianhe, which have people living on them full-time, to remote sensing and spy satellites, to burnt-out rocket parts and dead satellites. These can be predicted in advance (or identified after the fact) using a site like Heavens Above by selecting your location.

Scott Young

Scott Young

Planetarium Astronomer

Scott is the Planetarium Astronomer at the Manitoba Museum, developing astronomy and science programs. He has been an informal science educator for more than thirty years, working in the planetarium and science centre field both at The Manitoba Museum and also at the Alice G. Wallace Planetarium in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Scott is an active amateur astronomer and a past-President of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Manitoba Stories: In the Sky

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Meet Me at the Bug Light

Posted on by Collections & Conservation
Posted on: Tuesday May 27, 2025

Spring has finally arrived on the prairies! Trees are leafing out, flowers are in bloom, days are getting hotter, and, of course, the insects are back! They’re flying, swimming, and crawling around, playing important ecosystem roles that make the world go ‘round. While you can always come to the Museum to see the insect specimens that we have on display in the Museum Galleries, nothing beats the real live thing. But what’s the best way to get a good look? Take it from your Collections Technician for Natural History, if you want to see some cool insects, nothing beats night lighting.

What is night lighting?

The words “Night lighting” on appear on data labels for specimens throughout our entomological collection, but what does it mean? “Night lighting” is the use of light sources at night to attract insects for observation, photography, or collection. When a specimen has “Night lighting” on the label, it means that the collector set up a night light to catch the specimen. While serious entomologists use expensive rigs involving power generators and mercury vapour lamps, low-cost setups can be put together easily, with supplies you likely already own or can get at a hardware store. Once you’ve got your kit together, you can set it up in your yard, at a city park, or even take it camping!

Here’s what you need to get started:

  • A white sheet, the bigger the better
  • A regular flashlight, the brighter the better
  • An ultraviolet flashlight (AKA blacklight), the broader the UV spectrum the better

A bright rectangular light box, about the height of an average adult, being held up in a park at night. A small group of people all stand nearby.

A professional night lighting setup, sometimes they attract humans too!

Night time, a white sheet hung over a fence with a small stepladder in front of it. On the stepladder, pointing towards the sheet, sit a flashlight and a UV flashlight.

A backyard bug night light set up.

A nighttime selfie of a smiling individual standing in front of a hanging sheet that is lit blue by a UV flashlight.

Basic UV flashlights can be purchased in many hardware stores, and ones that emit a broader spectrum of UV light can be found online. A quick safety note: UV light can damage the skin and eyes. Do not look directly into the light, and limit skin exposure by avoiding the beam and wearing long pants and sleeves.

Once you have your supplies, wait for a warm evening with low wind and no rain. Drape the sheet over a low-hanging tree branch, a fence, or anything else that’s handy. It’s best to hang the sheet low enough that a little bit of it can trail out over the ground, allowing crawling insects to climb up from the bottom. Set both flashlights on an elevated surface where they can shine at the middle of the sheet, and turn them on as the sun is setting. Soon enough, insects in the area will land on sheet so you can get a good look!

 

Image: A badly-lit and somewhat blurry Collections Technician waiting for the insects to hurry up and get to the party!

A Family Friendly Activity

Now, I know some readers are probably thinking “Why would I want to attract insects? Will they bite? Is this safe?”, and to that I would say: Using a night light to attract insects is a really excellent way to get up close and observe some of Nature’s coolest critters, even for those who are skittish around insects. Once the insects are on the sheet, they tend to stay on the sheet, and if they do take off, they’ll be much more interested in getting back to the sheet than investigating you! Since the insects are so preoccupied with getting to and staying on the sheet, it makes for a controlled way to introduce young ones to insects and teach them about the creatures they find. Here are some common insects to find at light traps in the city:

A long-legged insect with long thin wings, transparent around the veins.

Crane flies:

These insects have been the subject of salacious urban legends! Some say they are male mosquitoes, others call them “mosquito hawks” and claim that they devour mosquitoes, and others yet claim that they have an extremely potent venom that could take out a human in a single bite if only their fangs were long enough to break human skin. None of these rumours are true! Crane flies (which aren’t mosquitoes) are flies from the superfamily Tipuloidea, known for having legs and wings that are notably long and slender. They eat nectar and pose a threat to neither humans nor mosquitoes.

 

Image: A crane fly.

A moth, holding its wings open, on a white sheet. The moth has shades of brown, but under the bright light source its wings, especially the hind wings, are very shiny. On the moth’s left are a smaller moth and a very small rove beetle.

Moths:

Moths, famous for their attraction to lamps and flames, are never late to the night light party. Many moths that appear to be drab shades of gray and brown during the day shimmer and shine under a bright light at night!

 

Image: A moth (and friends), shimmering under the bright lights.

A caddisfly at rest on a white sheet, which is being held flat to show the antennae. The antennae are more than two times the length of the rest of the caddisfly’s body. The caddisfly is small and mostly brown.

Caddisflies:

These insects resemble moths at first glance, but if you see extremely long antennae compared to their body length, you might be looking at a caddisfly. On closer inspection, their wings are covered in fine hairs, rather than the scales that are found on moth wings. Caddisflies start their lives underwater and take to the skies as adults.

 

Image: A caddisfly with its very long antennae.

A stonefly at rest on a white sheet. The stonefly’s slender body is mostly yellow. Its wings are held flat over its back, and two cerci (“tails”) can be seen poking out from under the ends of the wings. Its five black eyes are visible on its head.

Stoneflies:

Similar to caddisflies, stoneflies are aquatic in their early life stages, and fly around to look for mates as adults. They can be identified by a pair of thin cerci (tail-like structures) extending from the end of the abdomen, and the way they hold their wings flat over their backs when at rest.

 

Image: A stonefly (if you look closely, you can see the cerci coming out from under the wings).

Gather your supplies and give night lighting a try this summer! Happy bug hunting!

Aro van Dyck

Aro van Dyck

Collections Technician – Natural History

Aro van Dyck earned her B.Sc. from the University of Manitoba, majoring in Biological Sciences and minoring in Entomology. She has also researched the diversity of wasps and bees Winnipeg’s greenspaces…
Meet Aro van Dyck

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Careful Where You Sit

Posted on by Rebecca Watson
Posted on: Friday May 9, 2025

If these furnishings look weird, it’s because they are. They were oddities even when they were made in the late 19th century, and now you can see some examples on exhibit at the Manitoba Museum.

An ornate armchair with the back, legs, and arms made of interconnected bison horns.

Chairs made with antlers and horns were a fad in the late 1800s, and available to anyone with cash to spend. Some of the earliest pieces date from the 1860s, but it was at the Chicago Industrial Exposition of 1876 that horn furniture was displayed for the first time. Ten years later they featured in the Canadian section of the Colonial Exhibition and were described as having “a very striking and pleasing effect.”

Bison horn furnishings were made for a growing middle class, who had a late Victorian taste for elaborate decorations and overstuffed parlours. After the First World War, horn furniture was seen as distasteful, and much of it disappeared. Some of these pieces later came to museums with stories that they were made by First Nations artists, but real evidence is lacking.

 

Image: This cozy bison horn chair, made in the 1880s, was owned by Archbishop Samuel P. Matheson (1852-1942) of Winnipeg. It will be on display in The Museum Collection Illuminated exhibition. H8-7-6, ©Manitoba Museum

We do know that in Winnipeg, William F. White, proprietor of a taxidermy and curiosities shop, was described as a “horn manufacturer.” He advertised “a wonderful display of fancy horn work in all kinds of useful articles” in a Dec. 12, 1892 Free Press issue, just in time for Christmas. The making and sale of bison horn furnishings was happening right here in Winnipeg.

A short and squat footstool with four legs made of polished bison horns.

A bison horn footstool, now on display in the Darbey Taxidermy shop. H9-36-126, ©Manitoba Museum

An inkwell set in a rough squared base, with a bison horn extending off the left side.

An inkwell swathed in velvet and accentuated by a huge bison horn. Dating to the 1880s, it belonged to Mr. Edward Dickson of Oak Lake, MB. H9-7-445, ©Manitoba Museum

A wall-hanging coat rack made of five pairs of bison horns extending off the base at different angles and intervals.

This bison horn hat rack was likely made in the 1880s. The velvet upholstery, common in Victorian homes, is identical to that found on the chair and inkwell. H9-39-854, ©Manitoba Museum

There was a dark legacy to the crafting of bison horn furniture. The near extinction of the North American bison in the 1880s was caused by many actors, some of whom wanted to weaken First Nations. American hunters killed bison indiscriminately to sell the hides, and dried bones were later sold for fertilizer. It was a huge loss of animal life, and a traumatic change for many First Nations who had relied on bison herds for thousands of years.

You can see – but not sit on – some of these artifacts in our newest exhibition, The Museum Collection Illuminated, opening May 13 in our Discovery Room, or on permanent display in the Darbey Taxidermy Shop in the Winnipeg 1920s Gallery.

Plan your visit today

Dr. Roland Sawatzky

Dr. Roland Sawatzky

Curator of History

Roland Sawatzky joined The Manitoba Museum in 2011. He received his B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Winnipeg, M.A. in Anthropology from the University of South Carolina, and Ph.D. in Archaeology…
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The Planetarium: A Window to the Stars

Posted on by Rebecca Watson
Posted on: Wednesday May 7, 2025

It’s the 100th anniversary of the world’s first planetarium show! Join Scott Young, our Manitoba Museum Planetarium Astronomer, in the theatre to learn a bit more about how our Planetarium works to show audiences the Universe.

Was the “Charlie Chaplin Theatre” a real place?

Posted on by Rebecca Watson
Posted on: Tuesday May 6, 2025

Have you ever stopped to watch a short film at the Allen Theatre in the Winnipeg 1920 Cityscape? Affectionately referred to as “The Charlie Chaplin Theatre” in “The Old Town”, like many businesses in the Cityscape, the theatre actually represents a real place in 1920 Winnipeg!

Join Erin in this video to learn more about the Allen Theatre.

Embracing Gratitude and Growth in Leadership

Posted on by Rebecca Watson
Posted on: Saturday May 3, 2025

Wow, it’s been four years. I can hardly believe how quickly the time has passed. Stepping into the CEO role at the Manitoba Museum was and continues to be one of the most incredible privileges of my life. As I reflect on my journey, I am filled with gratitude—not only for the opportunity to lead but also for the lessons, challenges, and joys that come with it. Leading in the museum field is especially meaningful, as it demands a deep engagement with history, community, and the future.

The Power of Continued Learning

Anyone who has changed roles or employers mid-career appreciates the importance of being a lifelong learner. While experience provides a foundation, leadership is never static, and new spaces demand we get comfortable with not having all the answers. Every decision, every challenge, and every collaboration offers a chance to grow. I have come to appreciate and enjoy that learning is not a phase or chapter but a lifelong commitment; it’s part of the entire story. Here, I’ve been given the chance to expand my understanding of museum best practices, how museums can be allies in Truth and Reconciliation, how places of history can and must be places of justice. The Manitoba Museum has refined my ability to navigate change, has called on my courage time and again, and has forced me out of ideas and knowledge I felt comfortable in. I can’t fully express how grateful I am for the ways this role has changed me. Since day one, and often still today, I don’t have many of the answers but I’ve learned to ask thoughtful, curious, open-ended questions, inviting new perspectives, and being willing to evolve.

The Joy of Thoughtful and Dedicated Colleagues

Leadership is never a solo endeavour. I am profoundly fortunate to be surrounded by passionate, talented colleagues who share a commitment to the Manitoba Museum’s mission. Their dedication to preserving and sharing history, engaging with visitors from near and far, and ensuring our institution’s future is inspiring. In a world that feels ever more chaotic and fragmented, working alongside individuals who care deeply about their work is both grounding and invigorating. The collaborative spirit, the exchange of ideas, and the shared excitement for new projects make every day meaningful.

Loving Where You Work While Working to Change It

One of the more complex aspects of leadership is balancing a deep love for an institution with a recognition that change is necessary. Museums are places of tradition, yet they must also be places of transformation. As much as I respect the history and legacy of our museum, I also see areas where we must evolve—to be more inclusive, more accessible, more reflective of the diverse stories that make up our shared past. Loving a place means wanting the best for it, even when that means advocating for difficult but necessary shifts. Growth and progress are acts of care, and it is through change that institutions remain relevant and vital.

Museums as Vital Spaces in Our Lives

The longer I work in this field, the more I appreciate how essential museums are to our collective well-being. Museums are not just repositories of objects; they are spaces where communities gather, where histories are honoured, and where learning happens in profound and unexpected ways. They challenge us to think critically, to feel deeply, and to connect with perspectives beyond our own. At their best, museums are catalysts for conversation, empathy, and action. In an era where misinformation and polarization can cloud understanding, museums offer a space for nuanced exploration of the past and its implications for the present and future.

A Brave and Deliberate Relationship with the Past

A selfie of Manitoba Museum CEO Dorota Blumczyńska wearing a soft red shirt that reads, "Museums are not neutral" in a large bold font.

Working in a museum has reinforced for me the importance of engaging with history not just as a record of what was, but as a guide for what could be. History teaches us what must never be allowed to happen again. In our relationship with the past, the Manitoba Museum is not neutral, meaning, we are not mere observers. We work to acknowledge our shared failings, sit in the discomfort of contemporary injustice, and seek to have a nuanced dialogue with the all too-familiar present we find ourselves in. The past is full of complexities, triumphs, and wrongs. To truly honour history, we must be willing to look at it unflinchingly, to confront uncomfortable truths, and to amplify voices that have too often been silenced. This is not always an easy task, but it is a necessary one. When we engage with history bravely and deliberately, we uncover lessons that help us navigate today’s challenges with greater wisdom, resilience, and compassion.

Moving Forward with Gratitude

As I continue on this leadership journey, I carry with me a deep appreciation for the experiences that have shaped me, the people who inspire me, and the mission that guides me. Leadership is not just about directing change—it is about nurturing a culture where curiosity, courage, and collaboration thrive. It is about ensuring that museums continue to be places where history illuminates the present and inspires a better future.

I am grateful for the chance to do this work, for the colleagues who walk this path with me, and for the ever-evolving lessons that come with leading in a space so vital to our collective story. The challenges are many, but the rewards—the opportunity to shape a meaningful, inclusive, and forward-thinking institution—are immeasurable. For that, I am truly thankful.

The name

Dorota Blumczyńska
Manitoba Museum CEO

Honour Every Story

The Sky for May 2025

Posted on by Scott Young
Posted on: Thursday May 1, 2025

May brings us later sunsets and shorter nights, making stargazing a late-night affair. With some bright planets, a meteor shower, and lots of interesting events, it’s well worth staying up for.

The Solar System for May 2025

Mercury is too low to the horizon to be visible from Canadian latitudes this month.

Venus is low in the eastern sky just before dawn, only visible because it is so bright that you can spot it even when all the other stars have been devoured by the dawn. It stays in essentially the same spot relative to the horizon each morning, its orbital motion around the Sun offset by our own planet’s motion.

Mars begins the month near the Beehive star cluster (M44) in the constellation of Cancer the Crab. It slowly moves left (east) relative to the stars, but the Sun is moving faster and starts to catch up to it. This means Mars is lower at sunset and sets earlier each day. On May 1st, Mars is about halfway up the sky in the west-southwest as it gets dark. By month’s end, it is only about half as high above the horizon and due west once the sky is dark. It’s also fading fast, no longer outshining all of the stars as it did this past winter.

Jupiter is slipping into the sunset as well, low in the west-northwest as darkness falls. It’s already probably too low for very good telescopic views, but take your last looks this month before it disappears completely behind the Sun.

Saturn is low in the east at sunrise, difficult to spot due to the bright twilight until mid-month. The ringed planet reaches its equinox in May, which means the rings are perfectly aligned with the Sun and cast no shadow on the planet. The rings are largely invisible from Earth as well, being tilted only a few degrees from our line of sight.

Uranus passes behind the Sun as seen from Earth on May 17, and is invisible all month.

Neptune is  near Venus in the bright twilight sky before sunrise, but will be very difficult to spot until later this year (and impossible without a telescope)..

Of the five known dwarf planets, none are visible with typical backyard telescopes this month. However, the asteroid (4) Vesta reaches its brightest point this month, just barely visible to the unaided eye as a faint “star” in a sea of other faint stars. Figuring out which dot is Vesta requires patience and a detailed chart like the one in the RASC Observer’s Handbook or planetarium software like Stellarium.

Sky Calendar for May 2025

All times are given in the local time for Manitoba: Central Daylight Time (UTC-5). However, most of these events are visible across Canada at the same local time without adjusting for time zones.

Thursday, May 1, 2025 (evening): Mars and the Beehive star cluster are in the same field of view of a typical pair of binoculars tonight, and for the next several nights. You can spot Mars’ motion from night to night against the distant background stars.

Friday, May 2, 2025 (all night): The asteroid Vesta is at its brightest, although it will be almost the same brightness for the next two weeks.

Saturday, May 3, 2025 (evening): The nearly-first-quarter Moon joins Mars and the Beehive star cluster (see image above). Today is also International Astronomy Day, and events are planned across the country and around the world to bring astronomy to the public. The Planetarium will join the Winnipeg Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and Assiniboine Park Conservancy for a free telescope session at Assiniboine Park near the duck pond (weather permitting). Event details here.

Sunday, May 4, 2025 (evening): First Quarter Moon.

Tuesday, May 6, 2025 (morning): Saturn’s rings cast no shadow on the planet (visible only in telescopes). This morning is also the peak of the annual Eta Aquariid meteor shower, which may produce about 10 meteors per hour in the hours between 2am and dawn today.

Monday, May 12, 2025: Full Moon.

Tuesday, May 20, 2025: Last Quarter Moon.

Thursday, May 22, 2025 (morning sky): The Moon is near Saturn in the predawn sky, with brighter Venus farther east.

Friday, May 23, 2025 (morning sky): The Moon has moved to a point midway between brilliant Venus and much fainter Saturn, low in the eastern sky before sunrise.

Monday, May 26, 2025 (evening): New Moon

 

People stare up at the northern lights above them.

Outside of the regular events listed above, there are other things we see in the sky that can’t always be predicted in advance.

Aurora borealis, the northern lights, are becoming a more common sight again as the Sun goes through the maximum of its 11-year cycle of activity. Particles from the Sun interact with the Earth’s magnetic field and the high upper atmosphere to create glowing curtains of light around the north (and south) magnetic poles of the planet. Manitoba is well-positioned relative to the north magnetic pole to see these displays often, but they still can’t be forecast very far in advance. A site like Space Weather can provide updates on solar activity and aurora forecasts for the next 48 hours. The best way to see the aurora is to spend a lot of time out under the stars, so that you are there when they occur.,

Random meteors (also known as falling or shooting stars) occur every clear night at the rate of about 5-10 per hour. Most people don’t see them because of light pollution from cities, or because they don’t watch the sky uninterrupted for an hour straight. They happen so quickly that a single glance down at your phone or exposure to light can make you miss one.

Satellites are becoming extremely common sights in the hours after sunset and before dawn. Appearing as a moving star that takes a few minutes to cross the sky, they appear seemingly out of nowhere. These range from the International Space Station and Chinese space station Tianhe, which have people living on them full-time, to remote sensing and spy satellites, to burnt-out rocket parts and dead satellites. These can be predicted in advance (or identified after the fact) using a site like Heavens Above by selecting your location.

Scott Young

Scott Young

Planetarium Astronomer

Scott is the Planetarium Astronomer at the Manitoba Museum, developing astronomy and science programs. He has been an informal science educator for more than thirty years, working in the planetarium and science centre field both at The Manitoba Museum and also at the Alice G. Wallace Planetarium in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Scott is an active amateur astronomer and a past-President of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Manitoba Stories: In the Sky

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Crafting Custom Artifact Storage

Posted on by Rebecca Watson
Posted on: Tuesday April 29, 2025

What do our conservators do when there isn’t a box the right size to fit a particular artifact? They make one of course! These custom boxes are designed to fit each item perfectly, supporting its conservation for years to come. In this video, join Assistant Conservator Estelle in the lab to learn how she makes these precise pieces.