The Stones of Callanish on the Outer Hebrides are aligned to the 19 year occurrence that will be happening this month when the Moon lies furthest south of the Ecliptic when the Ecliptic itself as at its most southerly.
The June night sky
This is the mid point of the year and June brings our summer solstice on the 21th of this month.
This time of year the night sky is never quite getting dark. It’s not the greatest month for spotting faint stars. Only the brightest stars can be seen. You can take advantage of the soft, warm weather to acquaint yourself with the summer constellations of Hercules, Scorpius, Lyra, Cygnus and Aquila. And watch Venus and Mars as they encounter the star cluster known as the Beehive
Look for the bright stars like Vega in Lyra, which is high in the eastern sky, as is the Summer Triangle it forms with Altair in Aquila and Deneb in Cygnus returns to prominence.
There are two very nice objects to spot with binoculars in the eastern sky well after dark this month. Two thirds of the way up the right hand side of the 4 stars that make up the “keystone” in the constellation Hercules is M13, the best globular cluster visible in the northern sky.
Just to the left of the bright star Vega in Lyra is the multiple star system Epsilon Lyrae often called the double-double. With binoculars a binary star is seen but, when observed with a telescope, each of these two stars is revealed to be a double star – hence the name!
The Sun follows a shallow arc below our North horizon overnight, the geometry allowing views of noctilucent clouds, whose silvery-blue tracery may gleam low down between the northwest after nightfall and the northeast before dawn. Noctilucent clouds are formed by ice crystals coalescing around dust particles. They float near 82km in altitude where they reflect sunlight after our normal clouds are in darkness.
The Planets:-
MERCURY
From the middle of June look out for elusive Mercury. It will be very low in the north west after sunset Shinning at magnitude –0.5 the innermost planet falls below the horizon around 11pm. On the 27th of this month Mercury will be to the lower right of the thinnest crescent Moon. It will be best viewed using binoculars.
VENUS
Glorious Venus will be at a resplendent magnitude of –4.1, midway between the constellations of Aries and Cetus. The morning star rises above the horizon about 3am. There will be a stunning sight on the morning of 22nd June, when the crescent Moon will be located right above Venus.
MARS
The red planet will be the only planet easily visible in the evening sky, at magnitude +1.4 and will be on view until around 1am. Mars is moving through the constellation of Leo, and passes only 45 arcminutes above its main star Regulus on 17th of the month. The two objects are about the same brightness but the redness of Mars contrasts strongly with the blue/white star. It will be a lovely sight using a good pair of binoculars. The Moon lies near Mars on the 1st and 29th of this month.
JUPITER
The gas giant planet will be lost in the Sun’s glare this month.
SATURN
Located in the constellation of Pisces, the ring world rises above the horizon about 2am, shinning at magnitude +1.0. The have Moon will be nearby on the morning of 19th June.
URANUS
Uranus will be too close to the Sun for observation this month
NEPTUNE
Also rising around 2am, Neptune lies above Saturn in the constellation of Pisces. The two planets are converging, and they appear only a degree apart by the end of the month. The outermost planet glows at a dim magnitude of +7.8, and a low power telescope or more will be required to spot it.
PLUTO
This distant planet can be found in the constellation of Capricornus. Although it will always be low down and only visible in a ten-inch or larger telescope in a truly dark sky. The dwarf planet rises around 0.15am and is at magnitude 14.4.
CERES
The largest object in the asteroid belt can be located in the constellation of Cetus this month. At magnitude 9.14 it rises about 2.50am.
Special Events:-
1st June – The crescent Moon lies between the star Regulus to the left and the planet Mars to the right.
6th June – The Moon is near the star Spica.
9th June – The almost full Moo is near the star Antares.
10th and 11th June – The full moon will be at is lowest point in the sky for 19 years, as it reaches a major standstill. From London, the Moon reaches an elevation of only 10 degrees in the southern sky. From the Shetland isles, the full Moon skims little more than degree above the horizon.
19th June – Before dawn breaks the last quarter Moon passes just above Saturn.
22nd June – Before dawn bright Venus lies immediately below the crescent Moon.
23rd June – Between 2.30 and 4.30 am the crescent Moon occults some of the stars in the Pleiades, but the event will be difficult to observe in the dawn twilight.
27th June – Mercury lies to the right of the crescent Moon.
29th June – The Moon passes between Mars to the left and Regulus on the right.
Phases of the Moon for June:-
First quarter 3rd June
Full Moon 11th June
Last quarter 18th June
New Moon 25th June