June 2017 Sky Calendar
Dec 7, 2017 3:54:40 GMT
Post by Joe on Dec 7, 2017 3:54:40 GMT
CVAS Monthly Sky Calendar for June 2017
Mars – After being in the evening skies and well placed for viewing right after dark since the end of last summer, it is now very low in the western skies at sunset. At the beginning of the month it is still up for over an hour after sunset, so it is possible to see it low on the horizon. But as the month goes it will get lower as it approaches conjunction with the Sun on July 27th. From the end of the month to until fall, Mars will be too close to the Sun to really view. For the month its magnitude will be close to 1.70 and its size goes from 3.7 arc-seconds to 3.58 arc-seconds.
Jupiter – Jupiter now a couple of months past opposition is very well place for viewing right after it gets dark, in the S/SW evening skies. At sunset for the month it will be over 40 degrees high. At the start of the month it is up for 6 ½ hours after sunset, by months end it will be up for only 4 ½ hours. During the month, its magnitude will go from -2.29 to -2.11 and its diameter going from 40.7 to 37.4 arc-seconds for the month.
Saturn- Saturn is at opposition on June 15th, which means the Earth is passing it, so it will be at its closet point to the Earth for this year. During this period it will be at Saturn will be at its largest and brightest as seen by us, so it will be the best time to view for the year. This year and for next few, Saturn does not get very high up in the sky so it best to view when it is highest up in the southern skies, which for this month is around to 2am to start the month, then goes to around 12AM by month’s end. Its magnitude will be around 0.0 all month with a diameter of 18.3 arc-seconds during the month. Saturn rings will be tilted 27° to us for the whole year. The rings them self will be about 42 arc-seconds in size this month.
Neptune - Neptune can be found in the SE/S morning sky, probably best viewed an hour or so before sunrise. To start the month it is around 35° high at sunrise, rising around 2am. At month’s end it 42° high at sunrise, rising near midnight. Its magnitude will around 7.9 with a diameter of around 2.26 arc-seconds during the month. Opposition is on August 5th.
Uranus – Was just in conjunction with the Sun a couple of months ago, so it is lower in the morning skies. It will be best view nearer to sunrise when it is the highest up during the night. To start the month it is up for only a couple of hours before sunrise, being only 22 degrees high when the sun comes up. By month’s end it will be easier to see when it starts to rise around 2am, and then it will be 43 degrees high by sunrise. Its magnitude will around 5.85 with a diameter of around 3.44 arc-seconds during the month.
See is.gd/urnep/ for finder charts for Uranus and Neptune from Sky&Telescope.
Venus – Now can be found in the eastern morning sky before sunrise. It is now up for over 2 hours before sunrise with it being 22° to 27° high at sunrise for the month. At the start the month, it will be close to half full with a phase of 48% with a size of 24 arc-seconds. By month’s end, it will have a phase of 62% with a size of 18 arc-seconds. Its magnitude will go from -4.3 to -4.1 during the month.
Mercury – To start the month is very low in the eastern morning sky. It is up for less than an hour at the start of the month, with it being only 9 degrees high at sunrise. After the beginning of the month, Mercury will get even closer to the Sun making it impossible to see as it approaches Superior Conjunction with the Sun on the 21st of June. During the month, it phase will go from a crescent 66% to a gibbous 92% phase, with it size going from 6.3 to 5.2 arc-seconds. Its magnitude will be -0.32 to start the month.