Dave Mitsky
30-May-2007, 01:05 PM
June Calendar by Dave Mitsky
All times, unless otherwise noted, are UT (subtract four hours and, when appropriate, one calendar day for EDT)
6/1 The Moon is 0.4 degree south of the first magnitude star Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri), with an occultation taking place in southern South America and part of Antarctica, at 1:00; Full Moon (known as the Flower, Rose or Strawberry Moon) occurs at 1:04; Jupiter is 6 degrees north of the Moon at 12:00
6/2 Mercury is at greatest eastern elongation (23.4 degrees) at 10:00; a maximum lunar libration of 7.9 degrees occurs at 12:00
6/5 Mars is at perihelion today; Jupiter (magnitude -2.6, 45.7") is at opposition at 23:00
6/8 Last Quarter Moon occurs at 11:43
6/9 Venus is at greatest eastern elongation (45.4 degrees); a double Galilean satellite shadow transit (Ganymede's shadow is followed by Io's) begins at 9:18; minimum lunar libration of 4.5 degrees occurs at 16:00
6/10 Mars is 5 degrees south of the Moon at 22:00
6/11 Mercury is at the descending node today
6/12 The Moon is at perigee, subtending 32'51" from a distance of 363,780 km, at 17:07
6/13 Venus is 0.6 degree north of the bright open cluster M44 (the Beehive or Praesepe) in Cancer at 5:00; the Moon is 0.9 degree north of the bright open cluster M45 (the Pleiades) in Taurus
6/15 New Moon (lunation 1045) occurs at 3:13; Mercury is stationary at 16:00
6/16 Mercury is 6 degrees south of the Moon at 9:00; a double Galilean satellite shadow transit (Io's shadow is followed by Ganymede's) begins at 11:48; a maximum lunar libration of 7.8 degrees occurs at 12:00
6/18 Venus is 0.6 degree south of the Moon, with an occultation taking place in western Asia, most of Europe, Greenland, and Canada, at 15:00
6/19 Pluto (magnitude 13.9, 0.1”) is at opposition at 7:00; Saturn is 0.4 degree south of the Moon, with an occultation taking place Japan, central Asia, and the eastern portion of Europe, at 8:00
6/20 The Moon is 0.4 degree north of the first magnitude star Regulus (Alpha Leonis), with an occultation taking place in eastern Siberia, most of North America, the Caribbean, and northwestern South America, at 0:00
6/21 Summer solstice occurs in the northern hemisphere at 18:06
6/22 Mercury is at aphelion today; First Quarter Moon occurs at 13:15
6/23 A minimum lunar libration of 4.1 degrees occurs at 0:00; Uranus is stationary at 23:00
6/24 The Moon is 1.6 degree south of the first magnitude star Spica (Alpha Virginis) at 13:00; the Moon is at apogee, subtending 29'32" from a distance of 404,540 km, at 14:00
6/28 The Moon is 0.5 degree north of the first magnitude star Antares (Alpha Scorpii), with an occultation taking place in western Oceania, the western portion of Antarctica, and the southern portion of South America at 8:00; Jupiter is 6.0 degrees north of the Moon at 14:00; Mercury is at inferior conjunction with the Sun at 19:00
6/29 A maximum lunar libration of 7.7 degrees occurs at 8:00
6/30 Full Moon (known as the Flower, Rose or Strawberry Moon) occurs at 13:49
The Moon is 15.2 days old on June 1 at 0:00 UT. The Moon is at its greatest northern declination on June 15 (+28 degree) and its greatest southern declination on June 2 and June 29 (-28 degrees). Times and dates for the lunar light rays predicted to occur in May are available at http://www.lunar-occultations.com/rlo/rays/rays.htm
Brightness, apparent size, illumination, distance from the Earth in astronomical units, and location data for the planets and Pluto on June 1: Mercury (0.3 magnitude, 7.9", 40% illuminated, 0.9 a.u., Gemini), Venus (-4.4 magnitude, 21.5", 54% illuminated, 0.8 a.u., Gemini), Mars (0.8 magnitude, 5.8", 89% illuminated, 1.6 a.u., Pisces), Jupiter (-2.6 magnitude, 45.7", 100% illuminated, 4.3 a.u., Ophiuchus), Saturn (0.5 magnitude, 17.5", 100% illuminated, 9.5 a.u., Leo), Uranus (5.9 magnitude, 3.5", 100% illuminated, 20.0 a.u., Aquarius), Neptune (7.9 magnitude, 2.3", 100% illuminated, 29.5 a.u., Capricornus), and Pluto (13.9 magnitude, 0.1", 100% illuminated, 30.3 a.u., Sagittarius).
Visibility of the classical planets at mid-month for observers at 40 degrees north: Mercury and Venus are located in the west, Jupiter in the southeast, and Saturn in the southwest in the evening; Jupiter is in the south and Saturn in the west at midnight; and Mars is the southeast and Jupiter in the west in the morning.
During June, Mercury undergoes one of its best evening apparitions of the year. It can be seen low in the west-northwest at twilight. As the speedy planet moves closer to us, its phase and magnitude decrease. On the evening of June 10, Mercury is located in the center of Gemini.
Brilliant Venus is 25 degrees in altitude one hour after sunset on June 1 but is just 15 degrees high by the end of June. It sets around 11:00 p.m. EDT at midmonth. Venus and Saturn grow closer together during the course of the month, the distance between them shrinking from 23 degrees on June 1 to 0.7 degree on June 30.
Mars is still too small for telescopic examination. As the Red Planet passes through Pisces, it is similar in brightness to the first magnitude star Altair (Alpha Aquilae). Mars enters Aries on June 26.
On the night of June 5, Jupiter is at opposition and is thus visible for the entire night. Unfortunately, the giant planet never climbs higher than 30 degrees in altitude for northern observers during its 2007 apparition. Jupiter retrogrades slowly through southern Ophiuchus towards Antares during June. It is 7.5 degrees northeast of the red supergiant star on June 1 and 5 degrees northeast of it on June 30. Click on http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/article_107_1.asp to determine transit times of the central meridian by the Great Red Spot. Data on the Galilean satellites is available at http://skytonight.com/observing/objects/javascript/3307071.html
June is the last month to capture good views and images of Saturn. By midmonth, the Ringed Planet sets at midnight. Saturn and Venus are separated by only 41 arc minutes on the night of June 30. Saturn's ring tilt is 14 degrees in June. Titan, Saturn's brightest satellite, is due north of Saturn on the nights of June 11 and June 27 and due south of it on the nights of June 3 and June 19. On the night of June 13, Saturn's strange satellite Iapetus transits the north pole of Saturn. The position of Iapetus in relation to Saturn at 0:00 UT is as follows: June 1 (31" east), June 5 (23" east), June 9 (14" east), June 13 (3" east), June 15 (3" west), June 19 (13" west), June 23 (22" west), and June 29 (31" west). For further information on Saturn's satellites, browse http://skytonight.com/observing/objects/javascript/3308506.html
Uranus and Neptune both rise well after midnight. Uranus is located 1.5 degrees away from the fourth magnitude star Phi Aquarii, while Neptune is approximately 2.3 degrees north of fourth magnitude Gamma Capricorni.
On June 1, the dwarf planet Pluto is located near the third magnitude star Xi Serpentis, seven degrees due west of M17 (the Checkmark, Horseshoe, Lobster, Omega, or Swan Nebula) in northwestern Sagittarius. Pluto is at opposition on the night of June 18.
Comet 2P/Encke dims below eleventh magnitude as it travels southward through Pisces Austrinus. On the night of June 21, the periodic comet passes just north of the first magnitude star Fomalhaut (Alpha Piscis Austrini).
Asteroid 4 Vesta (magnitude 5.4) is brighter than it has been since 1989 and is a naked-eye object from a dark site. During June, Vesta lies to the north of Jupiter and Antares as it heads westward through Ophiuchus into Scorpius.
Forty binary and multiple stars for June: Struve 1812, Kappa Bootis, Otto Struve 279, Iota Bootis, Struve 1825, Struve 1835, Pi Bootis, Epsilon Bootis, Struve 1889, 39 Bootis, Xi Bootis, Struve 1910, Delta Bootis, Mu Bootis (Bootes); Struve 1803 (Canes Venatici); Struve 1932, Struve 1964, Zeta Coronae Borealis, Struve 1973, Otto Struve 302 (Corona Borealis); Struve 1927, Struve 1984, Struve 2054, Eta Draconis, 17-16 Draconis, 17 Draconis (Draco); 54 Hydrae (Hydra); Struve 1919, 5 Serpentis, 6 Serpentis, Struve 1950, Delta Serpentis, Otto Struve 300, Beta Serpentis, Struve 1985 (Serpens Caput); Struve 1831 (Ursa Major); Pi-1 Ursae Minoris (Ursa Minor); Struve 1802, Struve 1833, Phi Virginis (Virgo)
Challenge binary star for June: Gamma Coronae Borealis
Fifty deep-sky objects for June: NGC 5466, NGC 5676, NGC 5689 (Bootes); M102 (NGC 5866), NGC 5678, NGC 5879, NGC 5905, NGC 5907, NGC 5908, NGC 5949, NGC 5963, NGC 5965, NGC 5982, NGC 5985, NGC 6015 (Draco); NGC 5694 (Hydra); NGC 5728, NGC 5791, NGC 5796, NGC 5812, NGC 5861, NGC 5878, NGC 5897 (Libra); M5, NGC 5921, NGC 5957, NGC 5962, NGC 5970, NGC 5984 (Serpens Caput); M101, NGC 5473, NGC 5474, NGC 5485, NGC 5585, NGC 5631 (Ursa Major); NGC 5566, NGC 5634, NGC 5701, NGC 5713, NGC 5746, NGC 5750, NGC 5775, NGC 5806, NGC 5813, NGC 5831, NGC 5838, NGC 5846, NGC 5850, NGC 5854, NGC 5864 (Virgo)
Top ten deep-sky objects for June: M5, M101, M102, NGC 5566, NGC 5585, NGC 5689, NGC 5746, NGC 5813, NGC 5838, NGC 5907
Challenge deep-sky object for June: Abell 2065
All times, unless otherwise noted, are UT (subtract four hours and, when appropriate, one calendar day for EDT)
6/1 The Moon is 0.4 degree south of the first magnitude star Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri), with an occultation taking place in southern South America and part of Antarctica, at 1:00; Full Moon (known as the Flower, Rose or Strawberry Moon) occurs at 1:04; Jupiter is 6 degrees north of the Moon at 12:00
6/2 Mercury is at greatest eastern elongation (23.4 degrees) at 10:00; a maximum lunar libration of 7.9 degrees occurs at 12:00
6/5 Mars is at perihelion today; Jupiter (magnitude -2.6, 45.7") is at opposition at 23:00
6/8 Last Quarter Moon occurs at 11:43
6/9 Venus is at greatest eastern elongation (45.4 degrees); a double Galilean satellite shadow transit (Ganymede's shadow is followed by Io's) begins at 9:18; minimum lunar libration of 4.5 degrees occurs at 16:00
6/10 Mars is 5 degrees south of the Moon at 22:00
6/11 Mercury is at the descending node today
6/12 The Moon is at perigee, subtending 32'51" from a distance of 363,780 km, at 17:07
6/13 Venus is 0.6 degree north of the bright open cluster M44 (the Beehive or Praesepe) in Cancer at 5:00; the Moon is 0.9 degree north of the bright open cluster M45 (the Pleiades) in Taurus
6/15 New Moon (lunation 1045) occurs at 3:13; Mercury is stationary at 16:00
6/16 Mercury is 6 degrees south of the Moon at 9:00; a double Galilean satellite shadow transit (Io's shadow is followed by Ganymede's) begins at 11:48; a maximum lunar libration of 7.8 degrees occurs at 12:00
6/18 Venus is 0.6 degree south of the Moon, with an occultation taking place in western Asia, most of Europe, Greenland, and Canada, at 15:00
6/19 Pluto (magnitude 13.9, 0.1”) is at opposition at 7:00; Saturn is 0.4 degree south of the Moon, with an occultation taking place Japan, central Asia, and the eastern portion of Europe, at 8:00
6/20 The Moon is 0.4 degree north of the first magnitude star Regulus (Alpha Leonis), with an occultation taking place in eastern Siberia, most of North America, the Caribbean, and northwestern South America, at 0:00
6/21 Summer solstice occurs in the northern hemisphere at 18:06
6/22 Mercury is at aphelion today; First Quarter Moon occurs at 13:15
6/23 A minimum lunar libration of 4.1 degrees occurs at 0:00; Uranus is stationary at 23:00
6/24 The Moon is 1.6 degree south of the first magnitude star Spica (Alpha Virginis) at 13:00; the Moon is at apogee, subtending 29'32" from a distance of 404,540 km, at 14:00
6/28 The Moon is 0.5 degree north of the first magnitude star Antares (Alpha Scorpii), with an occultation taking place in western Oceania, the western portion of Antarctica, and the southern portion of South America at 8:00; Jupiter is 6.0 degrees north of the Moon at 14:00; Mercury is at inferior conjunction with the Sun at 19:00
6/29 A maximum lunar libration of 7.7 degrees occurs at 8:00
6/30 Full Moon (known as the Flower, Rose or Strawberry Moon) occurs at 13:49
The Moon is 15.2 days old on June 1 at 0:00 UT. The Moon is at its greatest northern declination on June 15 (+28 degree) and its greatest southern declination on June 2 and June 29 (-28 degrees). Times and dates for the lunar light rays predicted to occur in May are available at http://www.lunar-occultations.com/rlo/rays/rays.htm
Brightness, apparent size, illumination, distance from the Earth in astronomical units, and location data for the planets and Pluto on June 1: Mercury (0.3 magnitude, 7.9", 40% illuminated, 0.9 a.u., Gemini), Venus (-4.4 magnitude, 21.5", 54% illuminated, 0.8 a.u., Gemini), Mars (0.8 magnitude, 5.8", 89% illuminated, 1.6 a.u., Pisces), Jupiter (-2.6 magnitude, 45.7", 100% illuminated, 4.3 a.u., Ophiuchus), Saturn (0.5 magnitude, 17.5", 100% illuminated, 9.5 a.u., Leo), Uranus (5.9 magnitude, 3.5", 100% illuminated, 20.0 a.u., Aquarius), Neptune (7.9 magnitude, 2.3", 100% illuminated, 29.5 a.u., Capricornus), and Pluto (13.9 magnitude, 0.1", 100% illuminated, 30.3 a.u., Sagittarius).
Visibility of the classical planets at mid-month for observers at 40 degrees north: Mercury and Venus are located in the west, Jupiter in the southeast, and Saturn in the southwest in the evening; Jupiter is in the south and Saturn in the west at midnight; and Mars is the southeast and Jupiter in the west in the morning.
During June, Mercury undergoes one of its best evening apparitions of the year. It can be seen low in the west-northwest at twilight. As the speedy planet moves closer to us, its phase and magnitude decrease. On the evening of June 10, Mercury is located in the center of Gemini.
Brilliant Venus is 25 degrees in altitude one hour after sunset on June 1 but is just 15 degrees high by the end of June. It sets around 11:00 p.m. EDT at midmonth. Venus and Saturn grow closer together during the course of the month, the distance between them shrinking from 23 degrees on June 1 to 0.7 degree on June 30.
Mars is still too small for telescopic examination. As the Red Planet passes through Pisces, it is similar in brightness to the first magnitude star Altair (Alpha Aquilae). Mars enters Aries on June 26.
On the night of June 5, Jupiter is at opposition and is thus visible for the entire night. Unfortunately, the giant planet never climbs higher than 30 degrees in altitude for northern observers during its 2007 apparition. Jupiter retrogrades slowly through southern Ophiuchus towards Antares during June. It is 7.5 degrees northeast of the red supergiant star on June 1 and 5 degrees northeast of it on June 30. Click on http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/article_107_1.asp to determine transit times of the central meridian by the Great Red Spot. Data on the Galilean satellites is available at http://skytonight.com/observing/objects/javascript/3307071.html
June is the last month to capture good views and images of Saturn. By midmonth, the Ringed Planet sets at midnight. Saturn and Venus are separated by only 41 arc minutes on the night of June 30. Saturn's ring tilt is 14 degrees in June. Titan, Saturn's brightest satellite, is due north of Saturn on the nights of June 11 and June 27 and due south of it on the nights of June 3 and June 19. On the night of June 13, Saturn's strange satellite Iapetus transits the north pole of Saturn. The position of Iapetus in relation to Saturn at 0:00 UT is as follows: June 1 (31" east), June 5 (23" east), June 9 (14" east), June 13 (3" east), June 15 (3" west), June 19 (13" west), June 23 (22" west), and June 29 (31" west). For further information on Saturn's satellites, browse http://skytonight.com/observing/objects/javascript/3308506.html
Uranus and Neptune both rise well after midnight. Uranus is located 1.5 degrees away from the fourth magnitude star Phi Aquarii, while Neptune is approximately 2.3 degrees north of fourth magnitude Gamma Capricorni.
On June 1, the dwarf planet Pluto is located near the third magnitude star Xi Serpentis, seven degrees due west of M17 (the Checkmark, Horseshoe, Lobster, Omega, or Swan Nebula) in northwestern Sagittarius. Pluto is at opposition on the night of June 18.
Comet 2P/Encke dims below eleventh magnitude as it travels southward through Pisces Austrinus. On the night of June 21, the periodic comet passes just north of the first magnitude star Fomalhaut (Alpha Piscis Austrini).
Asteroid 4 Vesta (magnitude 5.4) is brighter than it has been since 1989 and is a naked-eye object from a dark site. During June, Vesta lies to the north of Jupiter and Antares as it heads westward through Ophiuchus into Scorpius.
Forty binary and multiple stars for June: Struve 1812, Kappa Bootis, Otto Struve 279, Iota Bootis, Struve 1825, Struve 1835, Pi Bootis, Epsilon Bootis, Struve 1889, 39 Bootis, Xi Bootis, Struve 1910, Delta Bootis, Mu Bootis (Bootes); Struve 1803 (Canes Venatici); Struve 1932, Struve 1964, Zeta Coronae Borealis, Struve 1973, Otto Struve 302 (Corona Borealis); Struve 1927, Struve 1984, Struve 2054, Eta Draconis, 17-16 Draconis, 17 Draconis (Draco); 54 Hydrae (Hydra); Struve 1919, 5 Serpentis, 6 Serpentis, Struve 1950, Delta Serpentis, Otto Struve 300, Beta Serpentis, Struve 1985 (Serpens Caput); Struve 1831 (Ursa Major); Pi-1 Ursae Minoris (Ursa Minor); Struve 1802, Struve 1833, Phi Virginis (Virgo)
Challenge binary star for June: Gamma Coronae Borealis
Fifty deep-sky objects for June: NGC 5466, NGC 5676, NGC 5689 (Bootes); M102 (NGC 5866), NGC 5678, NGC 5879, NGC 5905, NGC 5907, NGC 5908, NGC 5949, NGC 5963, NGC 5965, NGC 5982, NGC 5985, NGC 6015 (Draco); NGC 5694 (Hydra); NGC 5728, NGC 5791, NGC 5796, NGC 5812, NGC 5861, NGC 5878, NGC 5897 (Libra); M5, NGC 5921, NGC 5957, NGC 5962, NGC 5970, NGC 5984 (Serpens Caput); M101, NGC 5473, NGC 5474, NGC 5485, NGC 5585, NGC 5631 (Ursa Major); NGC 5566, NGC 5634, NGC 5701, NGC 5713, NGC 5746, NGC 5750, NGC 5775, NGC 5806, NGC 5813, NGC 5831, NGC 5838, NGC 5846, NGC 5850, NGC 5854, NGC 5864 (Virgo)
Top ten deep-sky objects for June: M5, M101, M102, NGC 5566, NGC 5585, NGC 5689, NGC 5746, NGC 5813, NGC 5838, NGC 5907
Challenge deep-sky object for June: Abell 2065