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. 

The Sun is at sunspot minimum with almost no activity.

The phases of the Moon are as follows:

• Full - 5th June
• Last Quarter - 13th June
• New - 21st June
• First Quarter - 29th June

Darkest Skies due to the lack of moonlight are from the 17th to the 23rd of the month, hence the best time to observe the sky.

Still an evening object but getting lower and more difficult.

Becomes a morning object above the rising Sun. 

Rising about 2:00 am on 1st June, and about 1:00 am on the 30th June,

Jupiter rises about 00:30 am on 1st June and about 10:30 pm on 30th June. 

Saturn also rises about 00:30 am on 1st June and about 10:30 pm on 30th June. 

Uranus rises about 4:00 am on 1st June, and about 2:00 am on 30th June.

Neptune, rises with Mars, they both conjoin with the Moon on 13th June.

Pluto is easy to locate, always close to Jupiter, but not very bright 

Comets

Comet C/2020 F8 SWAN is fading now as it moves through Auriga.

Asteroids

No bright asteroids this month.

Meteors

June Lyrids from 10th to 21st June, with a peak on the 15th with ZHR of 8, and they are not spoiled by a bright Moon. Ophiuchids from May to July with 2 peaks on 9th and 20th June with a ZHR of about 5, but the Moon spoils the first peak but not the second.

Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice, Sunday June 20th, 21:44 UTC. (22:44 BST)