SUNRISE ECLIPSE OF THE SUN TOMORROW, JUNE 10
(Old Farmer’s Almanac) June 10 brings an “annular solar eclipse” in southern Ontario, Canada, at at 5:49 A.M. Eastern Time. The Moon covers all of the Sun’s disk except the outer rim, creating a dramatic “ring of fire”.
Millions more people in eastern U.S. and Canada will see a dramatic “partial solar eclipse” at sunrise (At approximately 5:34 A.M.). What you see depends on where you live.
JUNE BRIGHT PLANETS
Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn all grace the night sky this month. Here are some of the best sky-watching dates to mark on your calendar.
June 11: In evening twilight, 40 minutes after sunset, bright Venus now stands 8 degrees up in the western sky. It will float to the left of the thin crescent Moon on the 11th, while the dark of the Moon glows brightly with earth shine.
June 13: Just as astronomical twilight gives way to nightfall, look for planet Mars, which shines higher up in the western sky. It’s now fairly dim at magnitude 1.8. A good time to spot Mars is on the 13th. Look first for the crescent Moon; Mars dangles right beneath the crescent’s point.
June 27: Giant Saturn and Jupiter now rise just before midnight, so you no longer need alarms for predawn viewing. About 11:30 p.m. local time, look for the waning gibbous Moon in the southeast sky as it hovers right below yellowish Saturn.
June 28: Catch the waxing gibbous Moon sweep below brilliant Jupiter on the 28th and 29th. Look low towards the southeast at 11:30 p.m. local time.
Summer Solstice on June 20
The solstice brings summer to the Northern Hemisphere on the 20th at 11:32 p.m. EDT. On the solstice, the Northern Hemisphere enjoys the longest daylight hours of the year. This year, the June solstice occurs on Sunday, June 20, marking the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Here’s everything you need to know about the summer solstice—the longest day of the year and Father’s Day, too! In the Northern Hemisphere, the June solstice (aka summer solstice) occurs when the sun travels along its nothermost pat in the sky. This marks the astronomical start of summer in the northern half of the globe. (In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the opposite: the June solstice marks the astronomical start of winter, when the Sun is at its lowest point in the sky.)
This year, the June solstice happens on Sunday the 20th. (at 11:32 PM ET) his date marks the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring when Earth arrives at the point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its maximum tilt toward the Sun, resulting in the longest day and shortest night of the calendar year. (By longest “day,” we mean the longest period of sunlight hours.) On the day of the June solstice, the Northern Hemisphere receives sunlight at the most direct angle of the year.
Full Moon for June 24 (also called the Strawberry Moon)
June 24, brings the full Moon rising in the east as the Sun is setting, and setting in the west at sunrise. In the evening of Thursday, June 24, just after sunset (about 8:42 PM) look towards the southeast to watch the full Moon rise gently above the horizon. There, it will appear large and golden hued.
Why is it called the Strawberry Moon? The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not solely to the full Moon. June’s full Moon—typically the last full Moon of spring or the first of summer—is traditionally called the Strawberry Moon.
This name has been used by Algonquin, Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota peoples, among others, to mark the ripening of “June-bearing” strawberries that are ready to be gathered. The Haida term Berries Ripen Moon reflects this as well. As flowers bloom and early fruit ripens, June is a time of great abundance for many.
June Stargazing
Look for the Big Dipper riding high in the northwest at nightful this month. It’s also fun to spot the Summer Triangle! You should see the Big Dipper ascending in early evening high in the northeastern sky. It’s easy to pick out as it really is dipper-shaped, made of seven bright stars.
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