Skywatcher's Information for June 2003
Some information from www.space.com,[/url] [url]www.astronomy.com[/URL]
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Moon Phases:
June 7 - 1st Quarter
June 14 - Full Moon
June 21 - Last Quarter
June 29 - New Moon
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Planets:
-Mercury is poorly placed for observation this month. It reaches greatest western elongation on the 3rd, meaning that it is at its farthest point from the Sun as seen from Earth (about 24 degrees this time) and in the morning sky. Although this usually is a good thing for observers, in this instance the planet hugs the horizon and is still quite low at sunrise. It is near Venus however, which may slightly improve the chances of observing it. Look very low in the East-northeast just at the beginning of dawn.
Venus is not well-placed for observing during June. However, it is much brighter than Mercury, and if you can find one, you may be able to find the other. Venus is only a few degrees high, and thus you need a very low horizon, but look to the East-northeast about a half hour before sunrise.
Mars rises at roughly 1 a.m. in Capricornus at the beginning of the month and before midnight in Aquarius at the end. It is reasonably well placed for observing shortly before dawn in the southeastern sky, shining at a bright minus one magnitude. Its brightness and observability continue to improve until its "super opposition" at the end of August.
Jupiter is the only observable planet in the evening sky this month. Look for it in the western sky at nightfall, in Cancer. Although low in the sky, it is still bright and a small telescope reveals its family of Galilean Moons – the same satellites discovered by Galileo nearly 400 years ago.
Saturn, in Taurus, is just too close to the Sun this month to be observed from the Northern Hemisphere. It conjuncts with the Sun (that is, it is more or less in line with the Sun) on June 24.
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Day-by-day for June 2003: (Day-of-the-week, Month/Day)
Sunday, 6/1
-Saturn 4 degrees south of moon.
Thursday, 6/5
-Moon passes Jupiter, 2:00 a.m.
(Jupiter 4 degrees south of moon.)
The Moon and Jupiter are below the western horizon when this event occurs, but you can see the nearly First Quarter Moon approaching Jupiter among the stars of Cancer earlier in the evening. They never really get all that close (about 4 degrees or 8 times the diameter of the Full Moon), but make a nice site in the western sky.
Saturday, 6/7
-First Quarter Moon, 4:28 p.m.
The Moon is just on the western side of a line drawn from the point on the horizon due South to the zenith (a "meridian") at sunset on this evening in a distinctive letter "D" shape. The First Quarter Moon is 90 degrees to the left of the Sun. If the Sun sat due west, then the First Quarter Moon would be due south at sunset. However, in the late Spring and Summer the Sun sets farther to the north and in effect drags the Moon along with it. Thus the First Quarter Moons of Summer are a bit farther to the west at sunset.
Also this day, apparently, Uranus looks stationary.
Monday, 6/9
-Pluto at opposition.
Thursday, 6/12
-Moon at perigee.
Saturday, 6/14
-Full Moon, 7:16 a.m.
This is the Full Moon nearest the June Solstice; it is low in the sky, thus giving it a more yellow or honey golden appearance due to the thicker layers of air through which its light must pass.
Tuesday, 6/17
-Neptune 5 degrees north of moon.
Wednesday, 6/18
-Venus 5 degrees north of Aldebaran.
Thursday, 6/19
-Mars 1.7 degrees north of moon - Moon Passes Mars, 2 a.m.
-Uranus 5 degrees north of moon.
-Mercury 4 degrees north of Aldebaran.
At the closest point, the Moon is only about 1.7 degrees south of Mars (just more than three lunar diameters). This specific event is visible in the southeast quadrant of the sky from Eastern North America. In much of the West the pair have not risen at this time, but are still be quite close when then do rise.
Friday, 6/20
-Mars 3 degrees south of Uranus.
-Venus passes Mercury, 10:00 p.m.
Venus and Mercury are in the morning sky, so this event is not visible in the evening. However, you can look before dawn on both Friday and Saturday mornings. This is not an easy observation, however, as both planets are very close to the Sun and close to being lost in the glare. A half hour before sunrise they are only a few degrees above the East-northeastern horizon. A clear sky, a low horizon, sharp eyes and probably binoculars are needed.
Saturday, 6/21
-Last Quarter Moon, 10:45 a.m.
It rises again after midnight and doesn't set until after noon Sunday. As the First Quarter Moon is 90 degrees to the left (East) of the Sun as viewed from the Northern Hemisphere of Earth, the Last Quarter Moon is 90 degrees to the right (West).
-Solstice, 3:10 p.m.
The Sun reaches its farthest point North for the year, meaning that in North America and Europe (and all of the Northern Hemisphere north of the tropic of Cancer) the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky at local solar noon. This is also the longest day of the year. In Britain this is traditionally known as "midsummer," but in the U.S. it marks the official (or astronomical) beginning of Summer. By contrast, at the South Pole, which has already experienced three months without the Sun and expect three more, this is the darkest day of the year.
Tuesday, 6/24
-Saturn in conjunction with sun.
-Moon at apogee.
Sunday, 6/29
-New Moon, 2:39 p.m.
New Moon really means "no Moon" because you can't see it at all except during an eclipse such as the one that happened last month. This month, however, the Moon passes to the North of the Sun by a few degrees and is completely lost in the glare. It likely will not be glimpsed again until Tuesday evening, when it appears as a thin thumbnail in the western evening twilight.
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