Look At The Sky: June (It's Back!!)

JUNE 2016 Sky Events Calendar

http://arksky.org/calendar/calendar/84-june-2016-sky-events-calendar-3

The Planets for June:

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Mercury - tiny but bright (-0.2 magnitude) shines in very early morning twilight at midmonth, high enough to see in relatively dark skies very low to the SE horizon about the start of twilight (5 a.m. local time) - in TAURUS

Venus - our brightest planet will not be favorably placed for viewing in June, too close to the sun. - in TAURUS

Mars - still at a large diameter (for Mars) at 18.1" arc across, the Red Planet dominates the skies around midnight, passing south of overhead just before midnight; it was at opposition last month and still very favorable for viewing throughout the night - in LIBRA

Jupiter - dominating the evening western skies is bright Jupiter, still large and favorable for viewing until it sets about midnight. - in LEO

Saturn - appearing as a very brilliant yellow star, Saturn is slightly east of MARS and nearly overhead for northern observers at midnight, close to ANTARES and other bright stars of the head of Scopius.  This is the prime time to be observing the ringed planet, with its rings tilted greatly toward earth - in SCORPIUS

Uranus - distant planet Uranus rises about 3 a.m. local time and shines at magnitude 5.9, bright enough to spot in good binoculars if one knows where to look; use a good planetarium sky program or GO TO telescope to locate this distant world; by sunrise it is high in eastern skies and will show a faint, blue disk in large telescopes - in PISCES

Neptune - look for faint Neptune in large telescopes at midmonth very, very close to the bright star Lambda Aquarii (mag. 3.7); it will be quite close to this star all month, thereby making it a bit easier to spot this distant world. - in AQUARIUS

Pluto - at magnitude 14.1, our most distant planet (yes....it is a planet) is very low in southern skies, south of overhead about 2:30 a.m. local time; only 12 inch and larger telescopes can spot this world visually. - in SAGITTARIUS

METEOR SHOWERS for June 2016:

Observe when the moon does not interfere and attempt to observe AFTER midnight for most meteors to be seen!  For June, there are no less than 13 (!!) meteor showers, some of which provide for wonderful spring sky shows, provided that the light of the moon does not interfere.  However, as with a months and times during the year, observers should always be aware that new sporadic meteor showers can occur at anytime from seemingly unknown sources and radiants.  Fortunately for June 2016, the full moon occurs on the 20th, which means that pretty much the first five of these showers are going to be impressive in terms of faint meteors.

June 3 - Tau Herculid Meteors - Beginning in late may and extending through June, this is a month-long minor meteor shower, overhead for mid-northern latitudes at about 10 a.m.; this will be a great month for observing these meteors, since the moon will be near new and absent from the sky all night;  the meteor shower is overhead at midnight when most of the 15 meteors per hours might be seen.  

June 4 - Alpha Circinid Meteors - This southern hemisphere meteor shower does produce some long-trailed meteors that can be seen low in northern hemisphere skies, traveling from south to north; it was discovered in 1977 by Australian amateur astronomers when 15 very swift meteors were noted per hour; for southern latitudes north of the equator, the meteor shower radiant is actually above the southern horizon at Midnight, so only the brightest meteors can be seen....this shower is in need of observation and continued confirmation.  Observe before moonrise about 11 p.m. local time; the moon will not hamper observations this year. .

June 5 - Scorpiid Meteors - A very interesting meteor shower with TWO radiants rather than just one as is typically found with annual meteor showers; both radiants are nearly on the meridian at midnight, so observers are suggested to put their feet to the south and look overhead for these meteors; about 3 a.m. local time (the moon will be strong in the sky all night this year!...); in dark skies observers should normally see at least 20 meteors per hour when the moon is absent.  Note that not only are the number of meteors impressive with this shower, but also the sky itself, since the meteors will be coming from near the summer Milky Way star clouds, revealing one of the richest star fields visible to the naked eye and camera.  Best to begin observations about 10 p.m. and continue until 3 a.m. local time; radiant average is at R.A. 16h 40m; DEC -17 degrees.   .

June 7 - Arietid Meteors - From the constellation of Aries, this is another month-long meteor shower, and can peak on this date with as many as 60 meteors per hour in dark skies. This has been confirmed by radar, but less than that number can be expected visually, perhaps up to 30.  Wait until about 3 a.m. local time to assure that the radiant (low on the eastern horizon) is high enough above local haze and moisture to reveal these meteors.  These are very fine, slow meteors which leave spectacular trains, and frequently split into Bolides, or "fireballs."  The fireballs should be easily seen in all areas of the sky, although the radiant is nearly overhead about the time of peak. This is a great year to attempt to observe these meteors since the moon is near new....... the fireballs can typically be seen in spite of bright moonlight.

June 7 - Zeta Perseid Meteors - On the same night as the Arietids, this meteor shower is less spectacular, with perhaps 15 per hour visible in ealiest pre-dawn skies; radar reveals as many as 40 per hour after sunrise.

June 8 - Librid Meteors - A very minor meteor shower from a very large constellation, expect only a few per hour; evidence suggests that this meteor cloud might be dissipating, and no known cometary source is associated with this minor display; observations are badly needed.  Coordinates of radiant:  R.A. 15h 09m; DEC -28 degrees.  The moon will not interfere with observations after it rises at midnight this year.

June 11 - Sagittariid Meteors - This is a two-week-long meteor shower beginning in earely June; fortunately in 2016, the quarter moon will will not be a factor in observing these meteors. The radiant rises in the extreme SE sky about 11 p.m. local time and about a dozen meteors per hour in dark skies might be expected.   VERY low in the southern skies for northern observers, at -35 degrees DEC.

June 13 - Theta Ophiuchid Meteors - Coming from the border of Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, and Scorpius, this radiant rises about 9 p.m., giving a window of good observing ALL NIGHT in spite of strong moonlight;  hence, onlt the brighter members of this showe will be seen this yearr.  However, those that do grace our skies are bright and spectacular, so be alert to these meteors if you are observing and happen upon a fireball from this area.

June 16 - June Lyrid Meteors - This is a companion meteor shower to the more-active May Lyrid meteors; this year will be an excellent year for the June Lyrids, since the moon will be gibbous and will interfere with this meteor shower.   The radiant is nearly directly overhead at midnight near the bright star Vega for mid-northern latitudes; since most of these meteors are very faint, observations will be poor this year with strong moonlight interfering.  This is but one of many meteor showers that have been discovered by amateur astronomers since 1960....this one has been seen every year since 1966.

June 20 - Ophiuchid Meteors - A poor year for this shower, since the moon is now nearly full and setting well before midnight land hours before dusk.  The radiant rises highest in the sky at 11:25 p.m. local time.  The radiant sets about sun-up, so few meteors should be seen throughout our skies throughout this year's "window"; this is an interesting meteor shower since the number per hour can vary from as few as 8 per hour to over 26 per hour on any given year.

June 26 - Corvid Meteors - Very poor prospects this year, since the  moon's light will be a strong gibbous and setting only a few hours before dawn.  This is one of the shortest duration of all meteor showers, lasting only 5 days at most, with perhaps 10 meteors per hour seen to any observer; these originate near the small constellation trapezoid of Corvus, the Crow and the last good showing was in 1937.  Astronomers speculate that these meteors are a product of some as-yet undiscovered comet.  Since it has been years since a good showing and since the source is unknown, this is a very important meteor shower for a group project.  Radiant: R.A. 12h 48m; DEC -19 degrees.

June 29 - Beta Taurid Meteors - Here is a different type of meteor shower....one you CAN'T see~!  This is a daylight meteor storm that is of interest to those with ham radios, or those with long-distance shortwave receivers tuned to a distant station toward the direction of the radiant (Taurus. R.A. 05h 44m; DEC +19 degrees); ham operators have recorded a dependable 30+ meteors per hour each year.  BUT.....at least the moon can't interfere with THIS one!

June 30 - June Draconid Meteors - This is a fair year for for observers this month in terms of sky position because moonlight will light the sky in early morning hours.   Known in the past as the "Pons-Winnecke Meteors" (from the comet of origin), this can be an incredibly spectacular meteor shower; in 1916 over 100 very bright meteors were seen in fireworks style, but it appears that the numbers may be waning as years progress.  Being irregular, observers are cautioned that there may be as few as 10 per hour or well over 100 per hour; with the high declinations (radiant:  R.A. 15h 12m, DEC +49 degrees), the shower will rise about the beginning of astronomical darkness and be in the sky all night long, highest just after midnight in high northern skies.  A fair year for this one.... but look for the brighter ones maybe high in northern skies!