June's night sky is filled with stars, planets and the moon converging and dancing around the sky for all to see. As the sun sets in the west, the planet Mars can be seen in the constellation Cancer. During June, the planet will be moving eastward (retrograde motion) in relation to the background stars. Over the course of this month, Mars will move closer to the planet Saturn, which resides in the constellation Leo.
The new moon today is the closest new moon of this year. The moon at perigee will be only 357,253 kilometres from the Earth. The moon is new every month, when the Sun, Moon and Earth all line up. This can increase the gravitational influence on the oceans, creating higher than usual tides.
High overhead in the early evening a Colorado sky in June is a region of the heavens bounded by the constellations of Leo, Virgo and Coma Bernices, which astronomers have nicknamed "the Realm of the Galaxies." The planets Mars and Saturn can be seen to the west until about an hour or so before midnight during the month of June. The Red Planet is situated in eastern Cancer to the west of the golden hued Saturn and the bluish Leo star Regulus. As June progresses, the Mars, Saturn, Regulus trio progressively will become more compact heading toward a most striking grouping in early July.
Mercury: at magnitude 0.7, starts the month in the constellation of Taurus. On June 7th, the planet is at aphelion and conjunction. Mercury cannot be seen for most of June. Best seen from 3.7h - 3.7h.
(On June 30th, RA= 5h05m34s Dec=+19°23.0' (J2000) Distance=0.805AU Elongation= 22° Phase k=32% Diameter=8.3")
Venus: is at magnitude -3.9, The planet is in constellation Taurus at the start of the month. On June 3rd, the planst is close to the Moon. The planet is in Conjunction: Occultation on the 9th. Venus cannot be seen for most of June. (On May 1st, RA= 1h55m56s Dec=+10°30.7' (J2000) Distance=1.693AU Elongation= 10° Phase k=98% Diameter=9.9")
The Moon is at Perigee on the 2rd at 14:05 UT, (distance to earth center: 357,253 km) and at apogee on the 16th, at 18:20 UT, (distance to earth center: 406,228 km). On the 30th, the crescent Moon passes through the Pleiades.
Mars: at magnitude 1.5 starts the month in the constellation Cancer. On June 7th, the planet is close to a crescent Moon. On June 25th, the Martian Summer begins in the northern hemisphere. The planet is best seen from 22.3h - 1.3h. (On June 1st, RA= 9h01m55s Dec=+18°26.1' (J2000) Distance=1.900AU Elongation= 61° Phase k=92% Diameter=4.9")
Jupiter: is still bright at magnitude -2.6 in the constellation Sagittarius. Jupiter is at opposition on the 5th, 23:00 UT. The planet is visible all night throughout the entire month. On June 29th, the planet is low on the western horizon just before dawn. On June 20th, the planst is close to the Moon. The planet is best seen from 0.2h - 4.7h. (On June 2nd,RA=19h32m34s Dec=-21°50.3' (J2000) Distance=4.371AU Elongation=140°) The planet Jupiter is a source of huge radio storms. Click the link to hear the live audio stream. The radio outbursts are in the frequency range 18 - 32 MHz. Sensitive receivers translate Jupiter's radio waves to audio sounds. For alternative listening site. for Great RedSpot Transit times. Check forum for Satellite predictions.
Saturn: at magnitude 0.7 sits in the constellation Leo. On June 9th, the planet is close to a crescent Moon. The planet is best seen from 22.3h - 1.9h. The planet is the brightest object in the constellation and worth a look through binoculars this month. (On June 1st, RA=10h19m46s Dec=+12°15.9' (J2000) Distance=9.417AU Elongation= 81°) for interactive Saturn moon calculator .
Uranus is in the constellation Aquarius, near Lambda Aquarii, magnitude 3.7. Uranus at magnitude 5.8, has a bluish-green hue and appears 3.7 arcseconds wide. On June 27th, the planst is Stationary: Getting Retrograde. The planet is best seen from 1.8h - 1.9h. (On June18th, RA=23h33m41s Dec= -3°41.1' (J2000) Distance=19.991AU Elongation= 95°)
Neptune: in the constellation Capricornus less than 3 degrees northeast of the 4.3 mag star Iota Capricornii. A telescope will usually show a tiny bluish dot, only 2.5 arcseconds wide (mag 7.9). (On November 1st, RA=21h26m36s Dec=-15°21.4' (J2000) Distance=29.851AU Elongation=100°)
Pluto is in the constellation Sagittarius (mag 14). Normally, a finder chart is necessary to help in identifying the 0.1" diameter dwarf planet. On June 19th, the planet is the closest to the Earth (30.469 AU). On June 20th, the planet is at opposition. The dwarf planet is best seen from 21.9h - 4.5h. . (On May 1st, RA=18h03m24s Dec=-17°01.6' (J2000) Distance=30.801AU Elongation=130°)
The Sun enters the zodiac sign Cancer on the 20th June.
June has only one major meteor shower, the Arietids. Unfortunatly it is during the daylight hours. The Earth will pass through a stream of dusty debris. Thought no one is sure where the dust comes from, although some suspect its debris from the sungrazing asteroid 1566 Icarus. Most Arietid meteors are invisible because the Sun is up when the shower is most intense.