Night Sky Viewing at Widener University June 2021

Sunrise & Sunset Times (EDT) Lunar Phases

Sunrise Sunset Begin Month 5:35 am 8:23 pm Last Quarter New First Quarter Full End Month 5:36 am 8:34 pm 2nd 10th 17th 24th “Strawberry Moon”

Naked-Eye Planets in the Evening & Morning Constellations & Bright Stars Visible Sky this Month Around 10 pm EDT in June

Mercury (in Taurus): Mercury begins the month of June in the dusk Leo – halfway up in W, descending sky, but it is sinking fast toward the Sun. Mercury reaches inferior Bright star Regulus th conjunction with the Sun on June 10 ; thereafter, it swings into the Virgo – up in SSW morning sky, and by month’s end Mercury becomes visible at dawn, Bright star Spica rising in the northeast about one hour before sunrise. Hydra – extends below Leo & Virgo Bright star Alphard (“the Solitary One”), setting Venus (in Gemini-Cancer): Venus burns through the bright evening twilight in June, but it is still Ursa Major – high in NNW quite low above the western horizon shortly after sunset, and so trees Asterism Big Dipper, w/ pointer stars Merak, Dubhe; and houses may block the view. At the very beginning of the month, handle stars Alioth, Mizar (& Alcor), Alkaid Venus sets around 9:45 pm EDT. As the month progresses, Venus Ursa Minor – halfway up in N, directly above Polaris slowly stretches eastward away from the Sun, and by month’s end Asterism Little Dipper, contains Polaris (North Star) Venus is setting a few minutes after 10 pm. Boötes – high in S Mars (in Gemini-Cancer): Mars is now only a faint orange ember Bright star Arcturus, directly above Spica compared with the brilliant light in the sky it was during its opposition Corona Borealis – high in S, to upper left of Arcturus with the Sun back in the fall. Mars is currently nearly 60 times fainter Bright star Gemma (also called Alphekka) and almost 6 times farther away from Earth than it was at its closest approach to Earth last October. Mars lies in the west at nightfall, below Libra – one-third of way up in S Bright stars Zubenelgenubi, Zubeneschamali Gemini’s two brightest stars, Pollux and Castor, and is fainter than both of them. Mars sets around 11 pm EDT at midmonth. Scorpius – low in SSE Bright star Antares

Saturn (in Capricornus): Saturn resembles a bright cream-colored star Ophiuchus – halfway up in SE amongst the dim stars of Capricornus. At the start of June, Saturn rises th Bright star Ras Alhague in the southeast at around 12:30 am EDT. On the 30 , Saturn rises well before midnight, at 10:15 pm, and it remains in view until dawn. Sagittarius – just rising in SE Bright planet Saturn in neighboring Capricornus

Jupiter (in Aquarius): Jupiter, which currently resides in Aquarius, rises Lyra – getting higher in ENE in the east-southeast about 45 minutes after Saturn. Mimicking a brilliant Bright star Vega golden star, Jupiter rises before midnight in the southeast at around 1:15 am EDT on June 1st, and by 11:15 am on the 30th. Aquila – low in E Bright star Altair

Earth: Earth reaches the Summer Solstice on June 20th at 11:32 pm Cygnus – getting higher in NE

EDT, when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted maximally toward the Bright star Deneb Sun, marking the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and of winter in the Southern Hemisphere. This is also Father’s Day. For more information on the night sky, visit the Widener Observatory Stargazing website at www.widener.edu/stargazing/. A set of free sky maps can be obtained at www.skymaps.com/.