June has the shortest nights of the entire year across the Northern Hemisphere, but there will still be plenty to see in the sky this month after the sun has set.
The shorter nights translate to less time for stargazing, but the warmer weather across most of North America in June means folks will have more comfortable stargazing conditions compared to the often cooler and cloudier nights during the spring months.
In addition to all this, the Milky Way dominates the June night sky in the northern hemisphere, and it’s easier to see than you realize. So grab your binoculars or telescope, a blanket, and head out to see the wonders of the June night sky!
If you missed the height of the Strawberry Moon on June 3rd, don’t worry, there’s still lots to see this month, including…
Mercury at its Morning Peak on June 5th. June kicks off with a small but mighty planet-viewing opportunity: Mercury will reach its morning peak on June 5th and reach a height of 10° in the eastern sky.
The Close Approach of the Moon and Saturn on June 9th. In June, Saturn is the first planet to “meet” the Moon in the night sky. In the evening of June 9th, you can spot the Moon and Saturn in the same part of the sky, appearing 2°42′ apart at their closest in the constellation of Aquarius.
Venus will shine brightly near the Beehive Cluster after nightfall on Tuesday, June 13, an uncommon celestial meeting that will unfold in the western sky. The cluster is comprised of around 1,000 stars, according to EarthSky, but only a few will be visible to observers — even with the help of a telescope.
The Close Approach of the Moon and Jupiter on the 14th. Bright Jupiter is the next planet to have a close visual approach with the Moon in June; overnight on June 14th-15th, you can see the two near one another in the sky and passing 1°22′ apart at their closest, and appearing in the constellation of Aires.
On June 21, the Summer Solstice (also known as the longest day of the year), the Moon has a Close Approach with Venus. As the Moon has been moving through the ecliptic and the planets are all so beautifully arranged in the sky, it’s no surprise that the Moon has been having conjunctions with each planet in turn. The Moon appears close to bright Venus, appearing at their closest overnight from June 21st to 22nd. The two will appear just 3°31′ apart, and the waxing crescent moon (just 17% illuminated) will make for a picturesque sight.
On June 22, the Moon has a Close Approach with Mars. Last but certainly not least in the planetary march of June’s “Strawberry” moon, our neighbor Mars will appear close in the sky with the Moon, in the pre-dawn hours of June 22nd. The telltale dusty orange dot of Mars and the waxing crescent Moon will be 3°34′ apart in the sky, near the constellation of Leo and the bright star of Regulus therein.
And last but not least, June 27 is the Peak of the Bootids Meteor Shower. Most meteor hunters skip the June Bootids each year, because their typical Zenith Hourly Rate (ZHR) is 1-2 per hour on an average year. But don’t let that discourage you if you’re out on the night of peak activity on June 27th; some years this unpredictable meteor shower has a ‘burst’ of up to 100 meteors per hour. Nobody’s certain if that might happen in 2022 or not; the last burst year was in 1998.
June Bootids are also known for being extremely ‘long’ meteors, streaking slowly across a large portion of the sky due to the angle at which these meteors enter the earth’s atmosphere. So even if you only see one or two this year, they’ll likely be an impressive sight!
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