Midmonth Check-In: August 2025 and My August Star Party

                  

  Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

       So far, August has been a pleasant month for stargazing and other outdoor activities. The highlight thus far for me was having a small star party during the first weekend of the month. More on this below! As always, I enjoyed watching the Moon as it became fuller during the first couple of weeks of August. I was also able to see a few Perseid Meteors before the peak date. I'm hoping to see more as the Moon phase moves towards New Moon. 

    I have a short weekend trip planned during the second half of the month and hope for clear skies to do some astrophotography. I should still catch some of the Perseids and other meteors under Moon- and light-pollution-free skies. The planets, stars, and Milky Way should be amazing! Now is a great time to view the planets, with all of them visible beginning with Mars in the evening sky and spanning the night, as Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter rise before the Sun.  

August Star Party 

      As mentioned, I hosted a small star party on the first weekend of August. I didn't get a complete count, but there were between 10 and 12 people present, including myself. I started the night off as I always do, setting up the telescope early, just before sunset, and letting it acclimate for approximately 30 minutes. After collimating the scope and aligning the finder scope, I completed a two-star alignment with Antares and Polaris. 

    After completing my setup and alignment, I slewed the telescope to the First Quarter Moon. This target always impresses first-timers and seasoned observers. It was likely the first time for most of my guests to look through a telescope. Following the Moon, I guided the scope to Mizar, a double star in the handle of the Big Dipper. Again, most guests were awed by this target. After everyone had had their fill, I moved to one of my favorite globular clusters, M13, the Hercules Cluster. Although it was not at its best, due to light pollution and an unstable atmosphere, it did not disappoint me or the other observers that night. After this target, my scope began having issues locating and centering objects in the field of view. I had to realign it, which improved this capability a bit. I believe the biggest problem was that the scope was not quite level. 

    We continued the night by looking at Epsilon Lyrae, also known as Double Double, which features two sets of double stars within its field of view. This was my first time observing this target, and I was pretty impressed. After the Double Double, I attempted to observe M57 (Ring Nebula), but again encountered telescope issues and was unable to acquire this target at the time. I moved to another double star, Alberio, which has one yellow star and one blue-white star. I've always enjoyed this example of a double star due to the high contrast. I then attempted M27 (Dumbbell Nebula), but, like M57, I was unable to acquire this target. I slewed to the Double Cluster in Perseus and Caldwell 13 (Owl Cluster), with most of the guests again being delighted. One guest in particular kept seeing shooting stars through the field of view, especially when targeting the Double Cluster in Perseus. By this point, most of the guests had left, and one had fallen asleep. One guest was very excited to see Saturn, so when it finally rose above the mountains shortly after midnight, I centered Saturn in the eyepiece.

    I was immediately disappointed by the view due to its low altitude, unstable atmosphere, and a slight breeze. The remaining guests looked through the scope and were impressed. Shortly after viewing Saturn, they thanked us for a good night and left. I completed another two-star alignment and slewed to M57 successfully, this time. I then went back to M27 and was again able to locate and center this target successfully. After viewing a few of the previous targets for about 45 minutes, the guest, who had really wanted to see Saturn, returned for more observations. Saturn was higher in the sky by this time, and the view improved a bit, leaving the guest exhilarated by being able to view Saturn and its rings for the first time. The guest left very satisfied with the evening's views. I may try to organize another star party for the end of August or the beginning of September, depending on the weather and plans.

    I plan to take my small telescope and camera along on my mid-August weekend trip to a dark sky. I hope to come back with many images to share.

    

Now get outside and look up!

   

Monthly Night Sky Report: August 2025

             Introduction

   The heatwave continued throughout July. A few evenings and early morning hours were not as bad and were actually quite pleasant. I was able to attempt only one astrophoto with my phone, which did not turn out due to light pollution. I will have more opportunities in August. I was able to capture a few images of the active Sun again during July and will also capture more images of the Sun, Moon, and DSOs during August. 

    The Summer is busy for me, as well as most other people, I'm sure, so I have yet to take out my telescope for an observing session. I am hesitant to say this, as every time I plan an outing with my gear, the weather or some other circumstance alters my plans, but I am planning a nice observing session from my home soon. Due to light pollution and uneven ground, my location is not ideal, but it will suffice for the time being. August is a perfect month for stargazing. It's the last chance before school begins and the temperatures begin to cool. Observers can enjoy the Perseid Meteor Shower this month. Saturn will be paired with Neptune and will return to the evening sky by the end of the month, with Jupiter rising a few hours before sunrise.      

                      

Mercury

    Mercury reached inferior conjunction with the Sun on 31 July and has transitioned to the morning sky. This tiny world can be best viewed during the second half of August, as it rises earlier and is visible higher in the sky. Brilliant Venus and Jupiter can be used to help find this less bright planet in the hour before sunrise. The planets follow a path, the ecliptic, in the sky. Jupiter and Venus can be used to draw this path in the sky, with Mercury being closer to the horizon along this line. A very thin and elusive crescent Moon will join Mercury on the 21st.   

  

Venus

   Venus will be easy to spot in the predawn sky above the eastern horizon. The Earth's twin sister can be found in Gemini rising alongside the familiar constellation, Orion, for the first three-quarters of the month. The two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, will drift towards each other, with Venus making the most movement. On the 12th, less than a degree will separate these bright planets. After this planetary conjunction, Venus will continue its eastward trek, sliding into Cancer the Crab for the last quarter of August. Jupiter will remain with the background stars of Gemini. A thin crescent Moon will be close by on the 20th.     

    

Mars

    

    Mars will continue to grace the evening sky with its presence. It is well past its prime for telescope observation from our Earthly vantage point, but the red glow is a nice contrast against the other stars in the sky. Mars will reside in Virgo throughout August, with a crescent Moon joining it on the 25th. 

       

Jupiter

Saturn

    Jupiter will rise about 90 minutes before the Sun as August begins. By the end of the month, this world will rise approximately three and a half hours before sunrise, allowing observers to view Jupiter for an extended period. Venus can be found moving towards Jupiter during the first 12 days of August, leading up to a planetary conjunction between these two planets on the 12th. Venus will continue moving eastward and into Cancer the Crab as Jupiter is content to stay with the Gemini twins. The Moon will pass close by on the 19th. 

    Saturn will rise above the Wasatch Front shortly before midnight on the first night of the month. By the end of the month, the Ringed World will reveal itself about two hours earlier. Saturn will reach opposition in September. The rings are beginning to tilt from our perspective, allowing observers to see them again. Neptune will rise with Saturn and will be just 1° away on the 6th, the second conjunction between the pair this year! The Moon will join this pair on the 12th.         

       

Neptune

Uranus

    

    Uranus will be close to the Pleiades during August, making this planet a bit easier to find in the night sky. The Moon will pass close by on the 16th. Uranus will be found in Taurus the Bull all month.  

  Neptune rises with Saturn during August, with a conjunction occurring on the 6th. This is the second planetary conjunction between these two planets, the first occurring on the last day of June. These two planets will have another conjunction early in 2026. The Moon will join Neptune and Saturn on the 12th.

Perseid Meteor Shower

   The long-awaited and much-anticipated Perseid Meteor Shower returns in August. This shower peaks on the 12th and offers around 100 meteors per hour....under Moon-free skies. Unfortunately, this year, a Full Moon occurs just three days before the peak, meaning the Moon will wash out all but the brightest meteors. Observers should expect to see about 10% of the maximum rate. The Perseids are known for producing bright meteors which are visible even in bright Moonlight. Observers should get away from city lights to increase the number of meteors that can be seen. Viewing the Perseids a week before or after the peak date this year can also increase the number of meteors that can be seen. This shower appears to radiate from the constellation of Perseus, which rises above the north-eastern horizon shortly after sunset.   

Monthly Breakdown

August 01: First Quarter Moon 🌓
August 06: Saturn and Neptune within 1°
August 09: Full Moon 🌕
August 12: Moon passes within 3° of Neptune

August 12: Moon passes within 4° of Saturn 

August 12: Venus and Jupiter within 1°

August 12: Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks 

August 16: Last Quarter Moon🌗 
August 16: Moon passes within 5° of Uranus
August 19: Mercury reaches greatest western elongation

August 19: Moon passes within 5° of Jupiter

August 20: Moon passes within 5° of Venus

August 21: Moon passes within 4° of Mercury 

August 23: New Moon 🌑
August 26: Moon passes within 3° of Mars

August 31: First Quarter Moon 🌓 

 

         

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos image was taken by Jeff Greenland.

The Milky Way and Trees image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

Orion, Taurus, and Pleiades image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

                

                

Midmonth Check-In: July 2025 and 3I/ATLAS

                 

  Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    July has continued the weather pattern from June, with hot temperatures but mostly clear skies. I enjoyed the typical sights of the night sky, mostly watching the Moon as it changed phase. I had every intention of taking some astrophotography images while I was out of town, but unfortunately, it didn't happen. I have another short trip planned for the second half of the month with the prospect of another evening of astrophotography. 

    The second half of July has a lot to offer stargazers. The New Moon phase is approaching, which will give observers the chance to view some DSOs, especially if a telescope is used. The Moon will pass close by all of the planets during the second half of the month. However, the most anticipated event of July, the Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower, will peak on the 31st. Observers can already spot meteor streaks from this shower, with the rate increasing until the 31st. Observers may also start to glimpse meteors from the Perseid Meteor Shower, which will peak in early August. The overlap of the Aquariids and Perseids presents a unique opportunity for stargazers, whether they are purely watching for meteors or trying to capture images of them.     

3I/ATLAS: The Interstellar Comet  

        A newly discovered object dubbed 3I/ATLAS has been detected moving through our solar system. It is so named because it is the third interstellar object (3I) ever detected and was discovered by the NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey telescope located in Chile. This object was officially discovered on 01 July 2025 but has been seen on archived data dating back to 14 June 2025. As I sit here and write this report, 3I/ATLAS was unknown a month ago. Today, little is known about this object, but new information is becoming available daily.

    This new object is known to come from outside our solar system due to its current trajectory. By running simulations, astronomers can see the path 3I/ATLAS is on and the direction from which it came, the constellation of Sagittarius. This object is also moving at an incredible speed, much faster than an object orbiting the Sun would achieve naturally. It is believed that 3I/ATLAS is made up of a large amount of water ice, but other physical properties, such as its size, are currently unknown. The water-ice makeup is similar to comets found in the Kuiper Belt, leading astronomers to classify 3I/ATLAS as an interstellar comet, the first of its kind! 

    

     Thought of being mostly comprised of water ice, 3I/ATLAS will begin to "thaw" as it approaches the Sun, growing a tail and having a nucleus and coma similar to those of a comet. Unlike comets that orbit the Sun, this interstellar object should not get close enough to the Sun to disintegrate. Based on its current trajectory, 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to the Sun in October, bringing it approximately 1.5 AU from our star. This places it between the orbits of Earth and Mars. No need to worry! As a reminder, the Earth is 1 AU from the Sun.

    When 3I/ATLAS was discovered, it was travelling at a speed of 137,000 miles per hour! That's approximately 38 miles per second! That's the distance from Salt Lake City to Ogden! The velocity of 3I//ATLAS will increase as it approaches the Sun.

    As 3I/ATLAS approaches the Sun and gets closer to Earth, more information about this first-of-a-kind interstellar comet will become available. This visitor is not expected to get very bright and will require a large telescope at a dark sky site to be seen. It should remain in view of Earthbound telescopes through September, at which point it will be too close to the Sun to view. Observations can resume in December when this interstellar comet is expected to emerge on the other side of the Sun. 

    It should be relatively simple to find updates on 3I/ATLAS as the information becomes available. I don't have a particular source that I know will keep their information current, but news feeds, however obtained, will provide this information. Enjoy the night sky through the rest of July and remember to keep looking up!       

    

Now get outside and look up!

   

Monthly Night Sky Report: July 2025

            Introduction

    While hot, June was a decent month for stargazers. I enjoyed observing the Moon go through its phases and pass close to the planets, as well as the ever-changing surface of the Sun. I also enjoyed watching satellites cruise by overhead and even saw a meteor break apart just above my home. With all of these sites, my favorite experience during June was sitting on my back patio during one of the cooler nights and looking up. As I am writing this, there are still a couple of days left in June. Weather permitting, I plan to set up my scope to view the wonders of the universe from my home.

    July will bring similar weather conditions as June and will be a great time for observers to get out under the stars and observe the summer meteor showers. The Fourth of July fireworks, and the 24th of July for Utahns, will likely grab the attention of a majority of observers. I urge any observer, while already looking up, to see what constellations can be picked out in the night sky. I have a couple of quick weekend trips planned this month to locations outside of major city lights. I hope to enjoy the night sky during these trips.    

                      

Mercury

    Observers may be able to spot Mercury in the evening sky shortly before sunset during the first two weeks of July. During this time, the innermost planet will glow from 0.5 magnitude and drop to an even dimmer 1.5 magnitude by the 17th. On the 2nd, Mercury will be masquerading as the Queen Bee of the Beehive Cluster, but a clear view of the western horizon, free of any clouds and haze, will be required to see them. On the 4th, Mercury will reach its greatest eastern elongation, hovering approximately 25° from the Sun. Mercury will quickly approach the Sun, becoming lost from view in twilight. On the 31st, Mercury will be in inferior conjunction with the Sun.   

  

Venus

   Venus will be easy to spot rising above the Wasatch Front during July. The Earth's evil twin sister will rise around 4:00 AM throughout July. On the 1st, Uranus can be found nestled between the Pleiades and Venus. As the month continues, Venus will travel through Taurus, passing close to Aldebaran and the Hyades midmonth, and will finish July in Orion.        

    

Mars

    For the observers looking for planets after sunset, Mars would be the next logical target after Mercury. The Red Planet can be found a short distance to the upper left of Mercury from our vantage point. At the start of July, Mars and Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion, can be found within 10° of one another. As the month progresses, the pair will drift further apart, with Mars leaving the Lion entirely. Mars won't offer much in the way of planetary detail due to its distance from the Earth, but as an unaided-eye object, it will easily grab the observer's attention with its reddish glow. By the end of July, Mars will have moved into the constellation of Virgo.    

Jupiter

Saturn

    Jupiter won't be visible until the second half of July. At this time, Jupiter will rise before the Sun in the morning sky and should be easy to spot due to its brilliance. Observers should watch for Jupiter rising above the mountains with a thin crescent moon on the 23rd. Jupiter will spend July among the stars of Gemini. Binoculars or a telescope will easily reveal the four Galilean Moons. At the same time, a telescope will also allow an observer to see the cloud bands and the Great Red Spot, as well as the shadow of the Galilean Moons as they pass in front of the planet from our vantage point.    

    Saturn rises around midnight at the beginning of July and approximately two hours earlier by the end of the month. Its rings are currently tilted in a way that makes them hard to view from Earth. However, this creates the opportunity to view the transits of the larger moons of Saturn. Several of the Saturnian Moons can also be spotted through a telescope. Neptune will be close to Saturn all month, making it easy for observers to locate this illusive planet.     

       

Neptune

Uranus

    

    Uranus will be found rising with Venus as July begins. This presents an excellent opportunity for those with binoculars and unguided telescopes to observe this planet. During the first few days of July, Uranus can be found nestled between Venus and the Pleiades in Taurus. As the month progresses, Uranus will move very little compared to the background stars, making it easy to locate night after night.  

  Neptune will rise with Saturn during July. The pair of planets can be found close together throughout the month, making it easier to locate the dim 8th planet. Saturn and Neptune can even be seen together in a single field of view if using binoculars or a low-power eyepiece. The pair will contrast nicely with Saturn's yellowish hue and the deep blue of Neptune.  

Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower

   We have gone through a meteor shower dry spell, but that will be remedied in July with the Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower (SDAMS). This shower will appear to radiate from the lower portion of Aquarius, which can be found rising above the eastern horizon as the Sun sets in the west on its peak date. Aquarius can be found to the right of Saturn as it rises, making it easier to locate this constellation. The SDAMS isn't the most prominent or anticipated meteor shower, but it does give observers the chance to warm up for the Perseids next month. The SDAMS will peak on the 31st with a maximum rate of 25 meteors per hour. Unfortunately, this year, Aquarius will not gain much altitude, meaning only about half of this rate should be expected to be seen. Fortunately, the Perseids are approaching their peak, with meteors from this shower becoming visible on the 17th of July. The Perseids can be seen above the northern horizon. A Moon-free night, such as the 24th of July, would be ideal for lying out under the stars and soaking up as many meteors as possible. There are also several minor meteor showers during July, increasing the likelihood of seeing a meteor in the sky. 

    There will still be a chance to see some noctilucent clouds and the Northern Lights during July. Noctilucent clouds will glow after sunset due to their high altitude. I believe I have witnessed these clouds from a dark sky location several years ago, but I am not sure. If so, they were very eerie but awesome to see nonetheless! The Northern Lights remain a possibility due to the active Sun. Aurora will likely be visible through the end of the year and perhaps part of 2026 as solar maximum winds down.  

Monthly Breakdown

July 02: First Quarter Moon 🌓
July 03: Venus and Uranus within 2°

July 04: Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation 

July 10: Full Moon 🌕

July 16: Moon passes within 3° of Neptune

July 16: Moon passes within 4° of Saturn 

July 17: Last Quarter Moon🌗 

July 20: Moon passes within 5° of Uranus

July 21: Moon passes within 7° of Venus

July 22: Moon passes within 5° of Jupiter

July 24: New Moon 🌑

July 28: Moon passes within 2° of Mars

July 31: Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower Peaks

July 31: Mercury reaches inferior conjunction with the Sun 

 

         

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos image was taken by Jeff Greenland.

The Milky Way and Trees image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

Orion, Taurus, and Pleiades image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

                

                

Midmonth Check-In: June 2025 and Aurora

                

  Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    June's weather has been great for stargazing, although it is much too hot for my liking. The heat aside, the skies have been relatively clear, offering great views of the Sun, Moon, planets, stars, and deep sky objects. I have enjoyed looking up during these warm nights to look at the stars and see several satellites fly by. I was also surprised by a meteor streaking and breaking apart as it entered the Earth's atmosphere. I have also been watching for the northern lights with a few days offering a 10% chance of seeing them over Utah. Unfortunately, they haven't been visible yet from my location.

    The remaining days of June will offer observers the chance to see noctilucent clouds glowing high above the surface and after dark. We may still have a chance to see the Northern Lights over Utah in the coming weeks, as the Sun remains active. As I'm writing this, there is another decent chance to see the northern lights next week. Observers can still look forward to the Summer Solstice on the 20th and several conjunctions between the Moon and planets. 

Aurora  

       I have recently and quite frequently mentioned how active the Sun is. I have also shared several images, with my most recent one shared above, of the Sun and its many sunspots. When the Sun is at Solar Maximum, like it is now, it releases vast amounts of charged particles. These particles can then interact with the Earth's atmosphere, or any other planet or moon with an atmosphere. 

    I need to go on a science rant to explain why light is produced when particles interact, so bear with me! Depending on how long ago a science class was taken, an individual may or may not remember that an atom, the fundamental building block of matter, contains a nucleus and a surrounding cloud of protons and electrons. Different atoms contain different numbers of protons and electrons. For example, an oxygen atom with atomic number 8 comprises 8 electrons, while the tungsten atom with atomic number 74 contains 74 electrons. Atoms and molecules (a combination of atoms, ie, water has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom) like to be neutral but occasionally can carry a positive or negative charge, meaning they have an uneven amount of electrons and protons. Atoms or molecules that are missing or have an extra electron are charged particles. Particles (atoms, molecules, or subatomic components) may become "excited" when interacting, meaning electrons move further away from the nucleus (higher energy orbit) and then back to a lower energy orbit. As electrons move to a lower energy orbit, a photon (light particle) is released. 

    Now that the science talk is mostly behind us, let's continue with more about the aurora! As the charged particles from the Sun interact with the atoms and molecules of the atmosphere, some of them get excited. As discussed, these excited particles can release photons, creating the aurora that we see in the night sky. This process is very similar to how neon lights work. Neon lights contain neon atoms, but other lights may contain different elements like mercury, argon, and xenon. The electricity used to power the lights excites the atoms, causing them to produce light. Separate colors are created when different elements are bombarded by varying amounts of energy. The Earth's atmosphere is mainly made up of oxygen and nitrogen, which produce their own colors. 

    The colors of the aurora are based on two things: the atoms the charged particles interact with, and the altitude at which the interaction takes place. The most common color of aurora is green. When charged particles from the Sun interact with oxygen between 60 and 190 miles of altitude, the vibrant green aurora is produced. Green is also the color that the human eye is most sensitive to. Aurora may also be red, which occurs when the charged particles interact with oxygen at higher altitudes, typically between 190 and 250 miles above the surface of Earth. Blue and purple auroras are much less common and occur when the charged particles interact with nitrogen less than 60 miles above the surface of the Earth. Yellow and pink aurora are the most uncommon colors and are a mixture of red and either green or blue aurora.

    In addition to color, auroras come in different shapes. The most common are sheets or curtains of colored sky. They may also form arcs or spirals in the sky as the charged particles travel along the Earth's magnetic field. Auroras are most common around the poles, with the north having Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) and the south having Aurora Australis (Southern Lights). These ethereal lights are most common around the poles as the charged particles follow the magnetic field of the Earth. I urge anyone interested to purchase a bar magnet and some iron filings to see what a magnetic field looks like! Different magnets will produce different magnetic fields, with a bar magnet closely resembling that of the Earth's own magnetic field.

    I know I have shared these images on multiple occasions, but here are the best images I've captured of the aurora from Utah on 10 May 2024. 

   I have found a few resources for predicting where an aurora will be visible. The first is the Space Weather Prediction Center, provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which also predicts ocean currents and atmospheric phenomena, such as weather and air quality. On my smart devices (Android phone and iPad), I use the SpaceWeatherLive app. This app shows several current images of the Sun from different satellites, solar activity, and auroral activity. It also has a map that shows where the aurora is visible and the likelihood of seeing it in a specific area. I also use My Aurora Forecast & Alerts app on my Android device. This app is supposed to notify me if there is a chance of seeing an aurora at my current location. I rely more on the SpaceWeatherLive app as My Aurora Forecast & Alerts doesn't always give me a notification. However, I appreciate the map in My Aurora Forecast & Alerts more and will switch between the apps when there is a higher chance of seeing the aurora in my location. I hope that you can view the aurora in your location soon and remember to enjoy the night sky! 

    

       

    

Now get outside and look up!

   

Monthly Night Sky Report: June 2025

           Introduction

    The end of May proved to be pleasant and an excellent opportunity for outdoor activities, including stargazing! While I was unable to do any serious stargazing, I did get my garden planted...for the second time this year. Multiple hailstorms destroyed my first plants, which were started by seed indoors before being planted. I do have one, possibly two, trips planned this year, which will include some stargazing, weather permitting.

    The current weather forecast shows that the first few days of June will be cooler and rainy. After these storms, however, the weather should clear up and be great for some summer astronomy! June is a quiet month for astronomy events such as meteor showers and known comets. However, meteors can be seen on any clear night, and there is always a slight chance of a newly discovered comet reaching unaided eye visibility. The Sun is still highly active, increasing the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights in Utah. Typically, local news stations do a decent job of reporting if there is a chance of seeing these ethereal lights in the sky. The Summer Solstice occurs on the 20th this month, marking the longest amount of daylight and shortest night (boo!) of the year for the Northern Hemisphere. 

                      

Mercury

    Mercury can be found in the evening sky after sunset during June. On the 6th, Mercury and Jupiter can be seen hugging the western horizon. The pair will be closest on the 8th, when they are just 2° from each other from our vantage point. A pair of binoculars will aid in revealing these planets in a single field of view. Mercury will continue to climb higher in the sky after sunset as Jupiter sets earlier with each passing day. On the 24th, Mercury can be found forming a line with the bright stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux, just as Mars did a couple of months back. By the end of the month, Mercury can be found within 3° of M44, the Beehive Cluster. A pair of binoculars or a telescope with a low-power eyepiece and a clear view of the western horizon will be required to see this pair.  

  

Venus

    Brilliant Venus can be found high above the eastern horizon before sunrise. This planet reached its greatest western elongation on May 31st. As the month progresses, Venus can be seen approaching M45, the Pleiades, in Taurus. The closest this pair will get in June will come at the end of the month. However, during July, the pair can be found moving even closer together with the Hyades, another open star cluster in Taurus, joining the pair. Aldebaran, the red eye of the bull, will also be close to Venus in July.  

    

Mars

    Mars can be seen high above the western horizon after sunset. Due to its red color, it should be easy to pick out against the background stars of Leo. On the 16th, Mars and the brightest star of Leo, Regulus, can be found less than 1° apart. The bright blue-white of Regulus and the orange-red of Mars will contrast nicely, creating a spectacular photo opportunity. 

Jupiter

Saturn

     Jupiter is quickly approaching the Sun from our vantage point and will soon be lost from view. This gas giant will be found close to Mercury on the 6th through the 9th. Shortly after this date, Jupiter will be too close to the Sun to view. Interested observers can still catch the Galilean Moons transiting the planet, the Great Red Spot, and the distant cloud bands. Check out the Moons of Jupiter & Saturn app for Android or JupiterMoons for Apple devices to find the best times to view the transits and the Great Red Spot for a specific location. An observer will need a four-inch (100 mm) or larger telescope to view the transits and the Great Red Spot. 

    Saturn will continue to rise earlier each morning, allowing observers to view this ringed world for a more extended period before sunrise. Saturn is tilted so that we Earthlings will have a clear view of the southern face of the ring system for the next 13 years. Currently, the ring system tilt is very narrow at only 4°, offering observers a clear view of Saturn. Now is a great time to view the cloud bands of Saturn and storms in its atmosphere. The current tilt of Saturn will also bring many moon transits to view.   

       

Neptune

Uranus

    

    Uranus returns to the morning sky this month. The best chance to see this ice giant will come at the end of the month when it rises with Venus. A pair of binoculars should easily reveal the blue-green tint of this planet.  

  Neptune can be found in the morning sky before sunrise. On the 29th, this most distant planet and Saturn will be just 1° apart in our sky. A pair of binoculars or a telescope will be required to see the blue disk of this planet.

Noctilucent Clouds and Northern Lights

   June doesn't offer a major meteor shower, but an average of seven meteors per hour can be seen during any given night. As mentioned earlier, the Sun is still very active, increasing the likelihood of the Northern Lights being visible over Utah. I recommend following your local news channel for the weather forecast, where they usually announce the possibility of seeing these lights. Even if an observer is unable to see the lights with the unaided eye, a camera can detect the faint light and capture an image quite easily. If using a smartphone, an observer can open their camera app and hold the phone up to the sky to see if the lights are visible. No picture necessary! 

    The warm summer nights in the northern hemisphere bring the opportunity to go cloud-gazing! Of course, clouds are bad for stargazing, but noctilucent clouds are elusive and are quite a sight during evening twilight. After all other clouds grow dark after sunset, noctilucent clouds will still glow from the reflected sunlight. These clouds lie at the top of the Earth's atmosphere, approximately 50 miles above the planet's surface! Cirrus clouds, the most common type of cloud, can reach about 7.5 miles above the Earth. That's quite a difference! Noctilucent clouds occur when ice crystals form on tiny dust particles at the edge of the Earth's atmosphere. After sunset, these clouds still glow because of the reflected sunlight bouncing off these ice crystals. These clouds typically appear stationary to an individual observing from the ground. However, a time-lapse will show these clouds moving against the background stars.    

Monthly Breakdown

June 01: Moon passes within 2° of Mars
June 02: First Quarter Moon 🌓
June 08: Jupiter and Mercury within 2°
June 11: Full Moon 🌕

June 16: Mars passes within 1° of Regulus 

June 18: Last Quarter Moon🌗

June 18: Moon passes within 3° of Saturn 

June 18: Moon passes within 2° of Neptune 

June 20: Summer Solstice

June 22: Moon passes within 7° of Venus

June 22: Moon passes within 5° of Uranus

June 24: Jupiter is in conjunction with the Sun 

June 25: New Moon 🌑

June 27: Moon passes within 3° of Mercury

June 29: Saturn and Neptune within 1°

June 29: Moon passes within 0.5° of Mars 

 

         

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos image was taken by Jeff Greenland.

The Milky Way and Trees image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

Orion, Taurus, and Pleiades image was taken by Andrew Greenland.