Look out for this month's celestial treats with Astro Dog's night sky guide
Although June’s nights are the shortest and brightest of the year, the night sky still has plenty to offer.
The month of June hosts the day of the summer solstice – the longest day of the year and the start of astronomical summer.
It’s a great time to photograph the Milky Way core, there’s some beautiful lunar, planetary and stellar conjunctions to enjoy, and June, along with July, offers the best chances to observe the beautiful phenomena known as noctilucent clouds.
Astronomy highlights for June:
June 3, Moon appears close to bright star Nunki.
June 8, Last quarter moon.
June 9, Bright planets Venus and Jupiter appear close together.
June 10, Moon appears close to bright planet Saturn.
June 13, Moon appears close to bright planet Mars.
June 15, New moon, plus Mercury reaches Greatest Eastern Elongation (appearing at its furthest distance from the Sun).
June 16, Moon appears close to bright planets Mercury, Venus and Jupiter.
June 17, Moon appears close to bright planets Mercury, Venus and Jupiter (again).
June 19, Moon appears close to bright star Regulus, plus planet Venus appears close by to the Beehive Star Cluster.
June 21, Summer solstice, plus first quarter moon.
June 23, Moon appears close to bright star Spica.
June 27, Moon appears close to bright star Antares.
June 29, Planet Mars appears close to the Pleiades Star Cluster.
June 30, Full Strawberry Moon.
For information on these events watch our Night Sky Guide video for June at www.youtube.com/@astrodoguk, visit www.astro-dog.co.uk or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/astrodoguk) and Instagram.
If you head out to enjoy the night sky, we wish you all good luck and clear skies!