Copyright © 1995–2015 by David Harper and L.M. StockmanDesigned and maintained by Obliquity
https://www.obliquity.com/skyeye/archive/2015/jun2015.html
Last modified on 31 May 2015
Welcome to SkyEye, your guide to this month's celestial events.
| Date | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monday | |
| 2 | Tuesday | Full Moon |
| 3 | Wednesday | |
| 4 | Thursday | |
| 5 | Friday | |
| 6 | Saturday | Venus at greatest elongation east |
| 7 | Sunday | Moon at perigee |
| 8 | Monday | |
| 9 | Tuesday | Last Quarter Moon |
| 10 | Wednesday | |
| 11 | Thursday | 2 Pallas at opposition |
| Moon occults Uranus: visible from the southern parts of Australia and easternmost parts of New Zealand, and beginning around 18:45 UT. | ||
| 12 | Friday | |
| 13 | Saturday | |
| 14 | Sunday | Mars at conjunction |
| 15 | Monday | Moon occults Mercury: daytime event |
| Moon occults first-magnitude star Aldebaran: daytime event | ||
| 16 | Tuesday | New Moon |
| 17 | Wednesday | |
| 18 | Thursday | |
| 19 | Friday | |
| 20 | Saturday | |
| 21 | Sunday | Earth at solstice: the word solstice means 'sun stands still' so that on this day, the solar declination reaches an extreme. In this case, the Sun appears directly over the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere. From now until the solstice in December, days will be getting shorter in the northern hemisphere and longer in the southern hemisphere. |
| 22 | Monday | |
| 23 | Tuesday | Moon at apogee |
| 24 | Wednesday | The First Quarter Moon reduces the observing time for the highly unpredictable June Boötid meteor shower. Extended twilight in the northern hemisphere at this time of year is another obstacle. |
| Mercury at greatest elongation west | ||
| 25 | Thursday | |
| 26 | Friday | |
| 27 | Saturday | |
| 28 | Sunday | |
| 29 | Monday | 1 Ceres at opposition |
| 30 | Tuesday | |
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. Dwarf planets and small solar-system bodies, including comets, are not so constrained, often moving far above or below the ecliptic.
Mercury Taurus
The closest planet to the Sun now appears in the east just before sunrise. Observers in the southern hemisphere have the best views but should look for it before it reaches greatest elongation west on 24 June, after which it will start back towards the horizon.
The evening star reaches greatest elongation east on 6 June. Although this dazzling planet is now descending towards the horizon in the northern hemisphere, it is actually rising slightly when viewed from the southern latitudes.
The red planet is at conjunction with the Sun on 14 June and is not visible.
1 Ceres Sagittarius
The closest dwarf planet to Earth is at opposition on 29 June. Shining at a feeble +7.2, optical aids will be necessary to view it. The spacecraft Dawn arrived at 1 Ceres on 23 April and continues to send back ever more interesting data about this rocky world.
2 Pallas Hercules
At opposition on 14 June, the second asteroid to be discovered will shine dimly at magnitude +9.4. It will pass near the star δ Herculi at the beginning of next month.
Bright Jupiter is setting ever earlier, getting closer and closer to the even brighter Venus in the western sky after sunset.
Saturn Libra
The ringed planet was at opposition last month so it is still up for most of the night.
Uranus Pisces
This green-coloured ice giant is now well away from the Sun and rises in the early morning hours. It is occulted by the Moon on 11 June.
Neptune Aquarius
A small telescope is necessary to view the most distant planet in the solar system, now rising around midnight.
Copyright © 1995–2015 by David Harper and L.M. Stockman