4 Spectacular Celestial Events Await You In The Coming Weeks
June is here, and guess what? There are some cool astronomical events coming your way, right above you, as we transition from spring to summer. In June, there are several…
June is here, and guess what? There are some cool astronomical events coming your way, right above you, as we transition from spring to summer. In June, there are several fascinating celestial events to look forward to. One notable event is the Summer solstice, which marks the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere. It's the day with the longest daylight and shortest night of the year.
Additionally, June often brings a variety of meteor showers, such as the Arietids and the Bootids. These meteor showers offer the opportunity to witness shooting stars streaking across the night sky. Depending on your location and timing, there may be planets visible in the evening or morning sky, such as Jupiter, Saturn, or Venus.
Some people are deeply fascinated with the ever-changing phases of the moon and the breathtaking displays of meteor showers. For them, these celestial events are like magical experiences. These stargazing and astronomy enthusiasts eagerly mark their calendars, ready to immerse themselves in the beauty and wonder of these celestial phenomena whenever they occur.
Get ready to witness these four celestial happenings over the next few weeks.
June 3: The Strawberry Moon
We're in for a treat on June 3 at 11:42 p.m. It's going to be the brightest full moon of the season, which is called the Strawberry Moon. The name was given by the Algonquin tribes. It can be seen from the evening of Friday, June 2, all the way till the morning of Monday, June 5, as NASA says.
June 7: Peak of Arietid Meteor Shower
The Arietid meteor shower is happening, and it's going on until June 17. But here's the exciting part, it will reach its peak on June 7, says the International Meteor Organization (IMO). It's a daytime meteor shower, but spotting them might be a bit challenging. These meteors streak across the sky while the sun is shining. But no worries, NASA says if you're up for the challenge, try looking towards the Aries constellation right before dawn. You might just catch a few of these elusive shooting stars.
The daytime Arietid #meteorshower reaches the peak of activity on June 7.🌟 The radiant point of the stream is located in the constellation Aries, which is now rather close to the Sun — hence, the daytime #meteors.☀️ Spot them in the dark sky before sunrise.☄️#shootingstars pic.twitter.com/Ncrnfg0BXn
— Star Walk (@StarWalk) June 7, 2021
June 10: Peak of Zeta Perseid Meteor Shower
Also, coming up in June is the zeta Perseids. They're going to hit their peak on June 10, according to the IMO. Like many others, this meteor shower may be difficult to see. NASA says you should try gazing 5 degrees above the horizon at sunrise. You might be able to catch a few meteors streaking through the sky.
June 21: Summer Solstice
It's not only the official beginning of the summer season on June 21, but it's also one of the longest days of the year. It's called the summer solstice. This is when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky and starts heading south as the year goes on.
