The days get longer as we approach the summer solstice in the fourth week of June, with June 20 marking the shortest night of the year. A casual look at the evening night sky will show that summer is approaching as the Earth continues its trek around the sun and the starry background changes as we go along.
The splendid winter constellation of Orion, Taurus and Canis Major make way as they set very soon after sunset.
Even the planet Jupiter, which shined so brightly in the past months, now starts lying low in the southwest during mid-evening.
On the other hand, Mars and Saturn, which up to now were nowhere to be seen except in the early morning hours, rise in the evening and reach their highest point in the sky at around midnight as we approach July.
The red planet Mars can be seen low in the south in the constellation Scorpius whereas a short distance to its left lies ringed planet Saturn. Saturn reaches its closest point to the Earth next week when it will be shining at its brightest.
Sadly from our latitude both planets will remain quite low in the sky and this will make it difficult to see any detail on them through a telescope.
Use binoculars to look towards Scorpius (the Scorpion) and nearby Sagittarius from a dark location without light pollution.
You will see rich star clouds containing myriads of stars especially if it is a clear moonless night. This is because you would be looking towards the centre of our galaxy.
Apart from Mars, another reddish star is visible – Antares, its name meaning ‘rival to Mars’; it is the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius. Both Mars, with its unmistakeable bright orange colour, and Saturn, continue to be centre of attention for planetary observers this year throughout the month of June.
High above our heads lies the familiar asterism of the plough, in the constellation Ursa Major. The familiar ‘Great Bear’ pattern of stars can be used to find the faint pole star (Polaris) and the direction of north by extending an imaginary line from the stars Dubhe and Merak.
The height of Polaris above the horizon changes in relation to our latitude. In the Maltese islands it lies 36° high, whereas at the North Pole it will be directly overhead, and along the Equator it will be right on the horizon.
www.maltastro.org
Astronomical events in June
June 03: Saturn opposition.
June 03: Moon perigee: 361,100km away.
June 05: New moon.
June 10: The moon close to the star Regulus.
June 11: The moon close to Jupiter.
June 12: First quarter.
June 15: Moon apogee: 405,000km away.
June 19: The moon close to Saturn.
June 20: Full moon.
June 20: Summer solstice at 11.35pm.
June 27: Last quarter.