The moon was full May 29, so is still nearly full as June begins. Watch for Saturn 1.6 degrees south June 1. Mars is three degrees south June 3. By June 16, Venus meets up with Luna, only a couple days past new phase, in the western evening sky, while Mercury peeks out along the horizon. The Beehive Cluster is behind the moon that same evening, visible after the sun is gone from the sky.
June 17, Regulus is to the east, while Venus is west, with the Gemini twins a little further west. Regulus, in Leo, is 1.7 degrees south of the moon June 18 providing three or four nights of good photo opportunities. June 23, Jupiter is four degrees south, Vesta is 0.3 degrees away and Saturn is 1.8 degrees south June 27, the night of the full moon.
Mercury is coming out from behind the sun for the first half of the month, joining up with Venus in the western evening sky for the remainder of June.
Venus continues its stint as the Evening Star throughout the month, rising higher with each passing day. The moon glides past June 16.
Mars rises in the southeast a little after midnight, never very high above the horizon. The moon catches up to the Red Planet June 30. Saturn is a bit further west of Mars through the summer. Mars is retrograding in Capricornus after June 28, while Saturn is retrograding in Sagittarius.
Jupiter, also retrograding in Libra, crosses the sky all through the night. The waxing gibbous moon joins the gas giant planet June 22 and 23.
Saturn rises in the southeast at sundown, crossing the sky throughout the night. It reaches opposition June 27, the night of the nearby full moon.
Uranus is briefly visible in the morning eastern sky, among the fish of Pisces.
Neptune begins to retrograde June 19, a process lasting nearly the rest of the year – 159 days in total. Remember that it’s us on Earth moving faster than the outer planets that makes them appear to stand still and then move backward against the starry backdrop.
June 21 is the Summer Solstice at 10:07 a.m.
— James Edgar has had an interest in the night sky all his life. He joined The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in 2000 and is now the editor of the Observer’s Handbook and production manager of the bi-monthly RASC Journal. The IAU named asteroid 1995 XC5 “(22421) Jamesedgar” in his honour.
