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The sky in June

Natural History, June, 2005 by Joe Rao

June saves some of the best for last: three planets converge in the sky to form a planetary trio, a dazzler for sky gazers late in the month. A trio is a conjunction so close that the three planets fit inside a circle no more than five degrees across. Venus (magnitude-3.9), Mercury (magnitude-0.2), and Saturn (magnitude 0.2) are all readily visible within the prescribed circle, low in the west-northwestern sky, for about an hour after sunset from the 23rd until the 29th. Their relative positions, which change from night to night, should be fascinating to watch. Individual conjunctions include Venus and Saturn (separated by just 1.3 degrees) on the 25th, Mercury and Saturn (1.4 degrees) on the 26th, and Mercury and Venus (a mere 0.1 degree) on the 27th.

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Mercury reaches superior conjunction, opposite Earth in its solar orbit, on the 3rd and passes from the morning to the evening sky. By about the 14th it should be visible glimmering through the twilight just above the west-northwestern horizon about forty-five minutes after sunset. In the final week of June, as noted earlier, Venus and Saturn join Mercury in the sky.

Venus remains just above the west-northwestern horizon after sunset all month. The planet is so bright that it can be spotted even through the dimming glow of twilight, about forty-five minutes after sunset. Venus itself sets about ninety minutes after the Sun. Look early, soon after sunset and preferably with binoculars. On the 7th, Venus appears far to the upper left of a wire-thin crescent Moon, just one day past new. The following evening, the Moon is much easier to see, hovering well above Venus.

Mars rises around 2 A.M. on the 1st and about 1 A.M. on the 30th. It begins the month 111 million miles from Earth, shining at magnitude 0.3. By the end of June Mars is 18 million miles closer and 45 percent brighter than it is at the beginning, shining at magnitude--0.1; the planet is just a trifle brighter than the star Arcturus, the bear guard, in the constellation Bootes, the herdsman. Not only are Mars and Arcturus nearly equal in brightness, but they also have a similar shade of yellow-orange. On the 29th Mars appears to the right of the Moon, which is just past last quarter.

Jupiter is among the first objects to appear as the sky darkens, shining high in the south-southwest. On the 1st the planet stands slightly more than fifteen degrees to the upper right of Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, the virgin. The giant planet lingers in these parts throughout the month, passing just 1.5 degrees to the south of Porrima on the 30th. On the 16th Jupiter appears to the upper left of the waxing gibbous Moon.

Saturn, at magnitude 0.2, is 6.5 degrees below and to the left of Pollux, in the constellation Gemini, the twins. The planet sets three hours after the Sun at the beginning of the month and two hours after the Sun at month's end. On the evening of the 9th, a lovely crescent Moon passes between Saturn and Pollux; Saturn appears to the lower left of the Moon, and Pollux appears to the Moon's upper right. Toward the end of the month Saturn becomes a bit more difficult to see in the bright twilight, just as it forms the trio with Venus and Mercury noted earlier.

The Moon wanes to new on the 6th at 5:55 P.M. Our satellite waxes to first quarter on the 14th at 9:22 P.M. and to full on the 22nd at 12:14 A.M. It wanes to last quarter on the 28th at 2:23 P.M.

The solstice occurs on the 21st at 2:46 A.M. Summer officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere, and winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

All times are given in eastern daylight time.

The sky in June

Natural History, June, 2005 by Joe Rao

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