What's Up?

This page shows a brief summary of what interesting things we can see in the sky this month.  

A more detailed version of 'What's Up' this month is available as a downloadable Word document right at the bottom of this page. 

• Summer solstice is on the 21st, at about 10:30am (all times in BST).
• Not a good month for observing deep sky, hardly any darkness at all.
• The Sun is available for observing all year round, the sunspot maximum is approaching and there are often sunspots and prominences. But BE CAREFUL - never look at the Sun without the correct safety filters, else permanent blindness could result.
• June is also the best time to observe and photograph noctilucent clouds in the North, but members have seen it in Walsall!

The Sun

There is a 53% Solar Eclipse on the 30th but not visible from the UK.

The Moon

The phases of the Moon are as follows:

• First Quarter -7th June
• Full Moon - 14th June
• Last Quarter - 21st June
• New - 29th June

Darkest nights for observing will be during the start and end of the month.

Mercury is visible in the morning close to Venus at the end of the month.

Venus is still brilliant in the North East before sunrise.

Mars rises at 2:00am near Jupiter

Jupiter rising at 01:30am in the East and is the brightest object about.

Saturn rises in the south east at about 00:30 am

Uranus has emerged from behind the Sun.

Neptune rises about 01:00am.

Asteroids

N/A

Comets

No bright comets forecast.

Meteors

N/A

Deep Sky

As mentioned above, June is not a good month for observing deep sky, due to the lack of darkness. However, if you are holidaying in Cornwall or the  Mediterranean, it is a little darker down South so try for Sagittarius and Scorpius which hide a wealth of bright clusters and the huge star cloud that is the centre of the Galaxy. June is also the best time to observe and photograph noctilucent clouds. Try some doubles like  Albireo, the 'beak' of the swan (Cygnus) is a beautiful blue and orange double. Iota Librae is a double in binoculars but telescopes reveal a third and fourth companion.

Television

The Sky at night on Sunday June 12th, 10:00pm on BBC4. Repeated Thursday June 16th at 7:30pm on BBC4. Subject: The Astronomer Royal