June Brings 5 Key Sky Events, From a June 9 Venus-Jupiter Conjunction to the June 29 Strawberry Moon
Updated
Updated · FOX 2 Detroit · Jun 3
June Brings 5 Key Sky Events, From a June 9 Venus-Jupiter Conjunction to the June 29 Strawberry Moon
3 articles · Updated · FOX 2 Detroit · Jun 3
Summary
June’s skywatching calendar opens June 9 with Venus and Jupiter appearing just over 1 degree apart in the western sky after sunset, with Mercury possibly visible below them.
June 15 then brings Mercury’s greatest eastern elongation at 24.5 degrees from the Sun, making it the month’s best evening chance to spot the planet.
That same day’s new moon will darken the sky for better views of galaxies and star clusters before the June 21 solstice delivers the Northern Hemisphere’s longest day and shortest night.
June ends on June 29 with the Strawberry Moon — the first full moon of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the year’s second-smallest full moon.
A separate alignment peaks June 16-17, when the Moon joins Venus, Jupiter and Mercury in the western sky, extending the month’s run of easy naked-eye targets.