Celestial Events in June 2024: From Daytime Meteor Shower to Large Planetary Alignment
What's in the sky in June 2024? Don't miss a large planetary parade of six planets, daytime shooting stars, and a super-close conjunction between Saturn and the brilliant Moon! To navigate the sky easily, use the free astronomy app Sky Tonight.
Contents
- Astronomical events in June 2024
- Planets in June 2024
- Large planetary alignment in June 2024
- Full Moon in June
- June Solstice 2024
- Lunar occultation of Saturn
- Comets in June 2024
- Meteor showers in June 2024
- How to see astronomical events in June 2024?
- Celestial events in June 2024: Bottom line
Astronomical events in June 2024
Note that the event dates are provided in GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), so the dates may vary for different time zones. To learn when exactly the event is visible from your location, use the Sky Tonight app.
- June 1: Lunar occultation of Neptune (mag 7.9).
- June 2: Moon passes 2°24' from Mars (mag 1.0); comet 12P/Pons-Brooks (mag 6.6) at closest approach to the Earth.
- June 3: Large planetary alignment of Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune 🌟; asteroid 43 Ariadne (mag 9.4) at opposition.
- June 4: Jupiter (mag -2.0) passes 0°07' from Mercury (mag -1.1) 🌟; Moon passes 3°34' from Uranus (mag 5.8).
- June 5: Moon passes 0°24' from the Pleiades star cluster (mag 1.2), 4°31' from Jupiter (mag -2.0), 4°32' from Mercury (mag -0.9).
- June 6: New Moon; Moon passes 4°30' from Venus (mag -4.0).
- June 7: Daytime Arietids’ peak (ZHR = 30) 🌟.
- June 9: Moon passes 1°54' from Pollux (mag 1.2).
- June 10: Moon passes 3°24' from the Beehive star cluster (mag 3.1).
- June 11: Comet 154P/Brewington (mag 10.0) passes perihelion.
- June 12: Moon passes 3°18′ from Regulus (mag 1.4).
- June 14: First Quarter Moon.
- June 16: Moon passes 1° from Spica (mag 1.0).
- June 17: Venus (mag -3.9) passes 0°53' from Mercury (mag -2.0).
- June 20: June Solstice 🌟; lunar occultation of Antares (mag 1.1).
- June 22: Full Moon 🌟
- June 27: June Bootids’ peak (ZHR = variable); lunar occultation of Saturn (mag 1.1) 🌟.
- June 28: Last Quarter Moon; lunar occultation of Neptune (mag 7.9); asteroid 42 Isis (mag 7.7) at opposition; Mercury (mag -0.9) passes 4°42' from Pollux (mag 1.1);
- June 30: Comet 13P/Olbers (mag 7.5) passes perihelion. 🌟
*The highlighted events are the most important events of the month.
About magnitude: the faintest magnitude for stars and planets visible to the naked eye in cities with moderate light pollution is about 4. The limiting magnitude of an optical device depends on its specification but rarely exceeds 11.
As we look forward to June's celestial events, it's fascinating to reflect on how our understanding of the cosmos has evolved over time. Check out our fun infographic on the history of astronomy, where cartoon-like Aristotle, Galileo, and other historical figures will tell you about their great discoveries.
Planets in June 2024
Northern Hemisphere
In the early morning, look toward the eastern horizon to see Mars (mag 1.1). Initially visible in Pisces, the planet will later move into Aries.
Jupiter (mag -1.9) will appear low above the northeast horizon in Taurus, also in the early morning hours. At the same time, look to the southeast in Aquarius for Saturn (mag 1.0).
For a glimpse of Uranus (mag 5.7), use binoculars or a telescope in the morning hours, starting from the middle of the month. You'll find the planet near the northeastern horizon in Taurus. Neptune, magnitude 7.9, will be low in the east in Pisces during the morning hours.
In June, Venus and Mercury are difficult to see because they are too close to the Sun.
Southern Hemisphere
At the start of the month, look for Mercury (mag -1.3) near the horizon in the northeast in Taurus during the morning. By the end of the month, Mercury (mag -1.2) will be visible in the evening near the horizon in the northwest in Gemini.
Mars (mag 1.1) will be prominently visible high in the northeast during the morning hours, initially in Pisces and then in Aries. Jupiter (mag -1.9) appears low in the northeast for about an hour each morning in Taurus. Saturn (mag 1.0) can be observed during the night and into the morning in Aquarius.
Also in the morning look for Uranus (mag 5.7) that is visible via binoculars in Taurus. At the beginning of the month, even fainter Neptune (mag 7.9) can be found in the morning in Pisces.
Venus is unlikely to be visible this month.
Large planetary alignment in June 2024
Around June 3, 2024, six planets — Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune — will align in the early morning sky. This large planetary alignment sounds exciting but not all the planets will be equally easy to see.
The easiest objects for observation will be Saturn (mag 1.1), visible from late night in Aquarius, and reddish Mars (mag 1.0) in Pisces. Neptune (mag 7.9) will also lie in Pisces but it requires binoculars with a good magnification. At dawn, Uranus (mag 5.8), Jupiter (mag -2.0), and Mercury (mag -1.4) will appear on the eastern horizon in Taurus, with Jupiter and Mercury potentially visible with the naked eye, though challenging for most locations due to their proximity to the Sun; to see Uranus you will need binoculars.
To spot the planets, get Sky Tonight — a free astronomy app that identifies celestial objects and provides detailed information on them.
Learn more: What is a planetary alignment and when is the next one?
Full Moon in June
On Saturday, June 22, the Full Strawberry Moon will light up the sky, reaching its brightest at 01:08 GMT. Observers can expect it to appear fully illuminated for about a day before and after this peak. Start watching after sunset on Friday, June 21, when the Moon will rise above the southeastern horizon, appearing larger and taking on a yellow tint.
This Full Moon occurs shortly after the solstice on June 20, so it will appear unusually low in the Northern Hemisphere sky, even around midnight. Vise versa, in the Southern Hemisphere, it will appear higher than usual.
The name "Full Strawberry Moon" may sound like our natural satellite will be pink, but it won't. The name actually comes from the Native American tribes who used this time to gather ripening strawberries. However, the Moon can appear in a variety of colors! Take our quiz to see how many Moon colors you know.
Read more: How does the Full Strawberry Moon differ from other Full Moons?
June Solstice 2024
On June 20, 20:50 GMT, the solstice will take place. On this day, the Earth’s Northern Hemisphere will be tilted closest to the Sun and experience the longest day and the shortest night. This is called the summer solstice and, in astronomical terms, marks the first day of summer.
The opposite will occur in the Southern Hemisphere, which will be tilted the farthest away from the Sun. There, people will get to experience the shortest day and longest night of the year — the winter solstice, which brings the first day of winter.
By the way, do you know the difference between solstices and equinoxes? Take our quiz and test your knowledge!
Lunar occultation of Saturn
On June 27, one of June's most remarkable celestial events will occur when Saturn passes incredibly close to the 69% illuminated Moon, just 0°06' apart. Both will be clearly visible to the naked eye after midnight, with Saturn being the most prominent planet this month.
In the southern regions of South America, viewers will have the special opportunity to witness a lunar occultation of Saturn, where the Moon will move in front of Saturn, temporarily obscuring it from view.
While lunar occultations of planets are fairly common, they can only be seen from certain locations. To make sure you don't miss one, use the Sky Tonight app or check out our regularly updated articles on planets near the Moon.
Looking ahead, the most widely visible lunar occultation this year will take place in August, when observers in Europe, Latin America, and Africa will be able to see the Moon obscure Saturn.
See more: 12 Best Astronomy Events 2024.
Comets in June 2024
For the observers in the Northern Hemisphere, the best visible comet in June is the periodic comet 13P/Olbers, which will reach its closest point to the Sun, perihelion, on June 30, 2024. Throughout June it will be between magnitude 8 and 7, making it visible with small binoculars. During this month, observers in the Northern Hemisphere will be able to see the comet in the evening sky, low above the horizon. In August 2024, it will appear in the Southern Hemisphere sky, also low over the western evening horizon. Use the Sky Tonight app to find the comet's position in the sky.
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks will come closest to Earth on June 2. As it moves away from the Sun, it is gradually losing brightness and is expected to have a magnitude of 6-8 in June. Currently, observers in the Southern Hemisphere can view the comet through small binoculars under clear skies. Look for 12P/Pons-Brooks in the evening over the western horizon. It is also visible very low in the southeast in the morning, but only for a short period of about an hour.
Comet 154P/Brewington will make its closest approach to the Sun on June 11, 2024 — this is when the comet will be at its brightest. However, even at peak brightness, the comet remains faint, with a magnitude of 10, requiring large binoculars or a small telescope to observe it. In the Northern Hemisphere, the comet will be low above the northeastern horizon in the morning. It will rise higher as the summer progresses, but its brightness will diminish. Unfortunately, 154P/Brewington will not be visible from the Southern Hemisphere.
C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), possibly the brightest comet of 2024, is currently best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere. The comet can be seen in the evening, relatively high above the northwestern horizon. With its current brightness of magnitude 9-10, the comet is mainly observable by experienced comet hunters for the time being. However, there's a good chance that the comet will be visible to the naked eye by October of this year.
Meteor showers in June 2024
There is only one notable meteor shower peak in June. It's the Daytime Arietids, the strongest daytime meteor shower of the year. It peaks on June 7, delivering up to 30 "shooting stars" per hour. Daytime Arietids’ meteors will be visible just before dawn, and seeing them is not the easiest task for an observer.
The June Bootid meteor shower also peaks this month, but its maximum meteor rate is unpredictable. Typically it produces only 1-2 meteors per hour, which is not much different from the sporadic meteor rate observed at other times.
While you're waiting for a truly exciting meteor shower (the Perseids peak on August 13), take a look at some tips on how to get the most out of meteor viewing.
How to see astronomical events in June 2024?
The night sky can be confusing, it's true. To never mistake Mars for Betelgeuse again, get a mobile sky map like Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight. Both work without an internet connection, so you can use them far away from light-polluted cities. All you need to do is download an app and point your device at the sky — your screen will turn into an interactive map of the sky. You’ll also benefit from stargazing calendars that include all of the events listed above and more.
Celestial events in June 2024: Bottom line
A large planetary alignment, a daytime meteor shower, the Strawberry Full Moon, and other fascinating events await stargazers this June. Get the Sky Tonight app to easily navigate the night sky and get ready to explore the vastness of space!
