SkyEye

Welcome to SkyEye, your guide to this month's celestial events. All dates are based on Universal Time (UT).

The Sun and Moon

There are no eclipses this month.

Solstice occurs on Earth on 21 June, marking the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere and the start of winter in the south. During the longest days of the summer, observers north of about 50° north latitude never experience true darkness. As seen from the Earth, the Sun is moving from the constellation Taurus to the constellation Gemini.

The phases of the Moon are

New : 2 June
First Quarter : 9 June
Full : 16 June
Last Quarter : 25 June

The Moon is at perigee on 3 June and at apogee on 18 June.

The Planets

The word planet is derived from the Greek word for "wanderer." Unlike the background stars, planets seem to move around the sky, keeping mostly to a narrow track called the ecliptic, the path of the Sun across the stars.
Mercury
Mercury arrives at greatest elongation east on 9 June. The closest planet to the Sun begins to retrograde on 22 June and can be found in the constellation Gemini.
Venus
On 11 June Venus reaches superior conjunction with the Sun, and thus cannot be observed this month in the constellations Taurus and Gemini.
Mars
Mars is lost in the Sun's glare as it approaches conjunction next month. It is located in the constellations Taurus and Gemini.
Jupiter
Jupiter appears in the sky shortly before the Sun in the constellation Taurus.
Saturn
The ringed planet is now a morning sky object in the constellation Taurus.
Uranus
This gas giant rises before midnight in the constellation Capricornus.
Neptune
Neptune rises just before Uranus in the constellation Capricornus.
Pluto
Pluto is at opposition on the first day of month and so is up all night in the constellation Ophiuchus. However, because it is so small and faint, a large telescope is always needed to see it.

Minor Planets, Comets and Meteors

Minor Planets
A number of interesting minor planets populate the solar system.
Comets
There are no naked-eye comets visible this month.
Meteors
There are no major meteor showers this month.

The Celestial Sphere

Constellations are patterns of stars in the sky. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognises 88 different constellations. The brightest stars as seen from the Earth are easy to spot but do you know their proper names? With a set of binoculars you can look for fainter objects such as nebulae and galaxies or some of the closest stars to the Sun.

Descriptions of the sky for observers in both the northern and southern hemispheres are available for the following times this month. Subtract one hour from your local time if daylight savings time is in effect. (Note: These times are approximate.)

Northern Hemisphere : 45° N

Southern Hemisphere : 30° S

For More Information...

Credits

Much of this information can be found in this month's issue of Sky & Telescope and in other fine amateur astronomy magazines available in your local bookshop. Another excellent source is the current edition of the Astronomical Calendar by Guy Ottewell and published by the Universal Workshop at Furman University.

The image of the Sun in the SkyEye banner is courtesy of the SOHO/EIT consortium. SOHO is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA.

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Last modified on 31 May 2000
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