THIS MONTH'S SKY
GUIDE
Last updated: 02.06.2008
June SKY GUIDE 2008
The Sun
At the start of the month the Sun rises at 05:45 and sets at 21:00. By the end
of the month, it rises at 04:55 and sets at 21:50.
The Planets
On the evenings of the 21st – 24th, Mars
moves through M44 – The Beehive Cluster.
Mercury
Mercury is at greatest eastern
elongation on the 14th and as a result is well placed for observation,
especially in the first half of the month before it moves back in towards the
Sun in the second half. It can be observed low in the West after sunset. At the
start of the month, it sets at 22:45 with a mag of -0.8 and by month’s end it
sets at 22:20, half an hour after the Sun with a mag +3.9.
Venus
Venus is a morning object this month.
However it rises only shortly before the Sun and is badly placed for observation
this month. It is at superior conjunction in June.
Mars
Mars is still well placed for
observation although it is fading. It rises during daylight hours and moves into
Cancer from Gemini during the month. It fades from mag +1.2 to mag +1.5 during
the month. By month’s end it sets at 01:40.
Jupiter
Jupiter is a morning object this month
and can be found in Sagittarius. At the start of the month, it rises at 02:30
and by month’s end, it rises at 00:30. It brightens from mag -2.4 to mag -2.6
during the month.
Saturn
Saturn is still well placed for
observation this month. It rises during daylight hours and can be found in Leo.
It fades from mag +0.5 to mag +0.7 during the month. By month’s end it sets at
02:20.
Uranus is a morning object this month
and can be found in Aquarius. At the start of the month, it rises over an hour
before the Sun at 04:35 and by month’s end it rises at 02:35, over two hours
before the Sun. It maintains its brightness at mag +5.9 during the month.
Neptune is a morning object this month.
It can be found in Capricornus. At the start of the month, it rises more two
hours before the Sun at 03:50 and by month’s end it rises at 01:50. It
maintains its brightness at mag +7.9 during the month.
The
Moon
The new moon is on the 5th with the first quarter moon on the 12th. The full
moon this month is on the 20th. The last quarter moon is on the 28th.
On the evening of the 6th, a 2% illuminated waxing crescent moon lies two
degrees to the North-West of Mercury and
is also close to M45 – The Pleiades,
to the East of the cluster. All three objects will appear low in the
West/North-West after sunset.
On the evening of the 8th, a 15% illuminated waxing crescent moon lies close to M35,
to the East of the cluster.
On the 10th, there is a daylight occultation of Mars
by a 33% illuminated waxing crescent moon. Approximate timings for Belfast are
13:25 for the disappearance and 13:51 for the reappearance of the red planet.
Also on the 10th, in the evening, the moon lies between Mars
and M44 – The Beehive Cluster.
On the evening of the 12th/morning of the 13th, a 57% illuminated waxing gibbous
moon lies close to Saturn, to the South
of the planet.
On the morning of the 24th, a 86% illuminated waning gibbous moon lies close to Jupiter,
to the South-West of the planet.
On the morning of the 27th, a 60% illuminated waning gibbous moon lies within a
degree of Neptune.
On the morning of the 29th, a 39% illuminated waning gibbous moon lies close to Uranus,
to the North-West of the planet.
Meteors
There is one major and one minor shower this month. The major one is the Eta
Aquarids. They peak on the 5th at around 19:00. The predicted ZHR is 70+.
There will be no lunar interference for this shower as the new moon is on the
5th. The radiant is low in the sky in Aquarius, rising only in the pre-dawn
hours.
The minor shower is the Eta Lyrids which
peak on the evening of the 8th with a ZHR of 3. Lunar conditions are good with
only a 15% illuminated waxing crescent moon to contend with which sets at 01:50.
Comets
Comet 17P/Holmes can be located in
Auriga for the month of May. It is fading with current observations estimating
its brightness at mag +5.6. It starts the month in the main body of the
constellation and moves Eastward during the month towards Gemini. It is starting
to slip towards the evening twilight and by month’s end will be below the
horizon by midnight.
Up to date information and finder charts for comets can be found at www.aerith.net
and
http://www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html
Deep Sky
On the deep sky front this month, galaxies M81 and M82 can be observed in Ursa
Major. In Leo, we have several galaxies on view including The Leo Triplet - M65,
M66 and NGC 3628. M95, M96 and M105 can also be observed in Leo. The place to
really find galaxies is in Virgo. The Virgo Super Cluster can be found here with
numerous galaxies on view. Also in Virgo, M104 - the Sombrero Galaxy can be
found. In Coma Berenices, there is M64 - the Black-Eye Galaxy. Also check out
the constellation Canes Venatici with the globular cluster - M3 and several
galaxies including M51 - the Whirlpool Galaxy and M63 - the Sunflower Galaxy. In
Hercules, two globular clusters – M92 and the excellent M13 can be observed
and in Lyra – M57 – The Ring Nebula can be observed.
General Notes
Always keep an eye out for Aurorae.
Check out www.stronge.org.uk/spaceweather.html
for the most up-to-date information on the aurorae.
Other interesting naked eye phenomena to look out for include the Zodiacal
Light and the Gegenschein. Both
are caused by sunlight reflecting off dust particles which are present in the
solar system. The Zodiacal Light can be
seen in the West after evening twilight has disappeared or in the East before
the morning twilight. The best time of year to see the phenomenon is late-Feb to
early-April in the evening sky and September/October in the morning sky -- it's
then that the ecliptic, along which the cone of the zodiacal light lies, is
steepest in our skies. The Gegenschein
can be seen in the area of the sky opposite the sun. To view either, you must
get yourself to a very dark site to cut out the light pollution. When trying to
observe either of these phenomena, it is best to do so when the moon is below
the horizon. If you are observing them when the moon has risen, restrict your
efforts to the period 4 days either side of the new moon as otherwise the
moonlight will be sufficient to drown them out.
Finally check out www.heavens-above.com
for the latest passes of the International Space Station and satellites, details
of Space Shuttle launches and passes and for details of Iridium Flare activity.
Clear Skies
Neill McKeown
This months June sky guide
is kindly supplied by
Neill Mc Keown from EAAS.
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