How and when to see June's Strawberry Moon, Summer Triangle and other celestial events

BBC News

2 days ago

Skygazers are in for a treat this June as a number of potentially dazzling celestial events grace our skies.They include the Strawberry Moon the Summer Triangle, the longest day of the year, with other sights to behold along the way.The north of Scotland has already been treated to displays of stunning aurora this month with the potential for more to come, thanks to a number of geomagnetic storms taking place on the Sun.As ever the chances of seeing these sights is dependent on the capricious nature of the UK's weather which is definitely expected to be more changeable throughout June than it was in the spring.
Summer Triangle
It all begins with the Summer Triangle, external, a bright three-cornered pattern of stars, called Vega, Deneb, and Altair. The trio gets higher in the sky during the summer months and becomes more and more prominent. They form what is known as an asterism or noticeable pattern of stars, created from three different constellations - Cygnus the Swan, Vega in the constellation Lyra the Harp, and Altair in the constellation Aquila the Eagle.They are best seen rising in the east after sunset, forming a huge triangle overhead.
The Strawberry Moon
June's full Moon comes next, rising in the east on 11 June. Known as the Strawberry Moon, it was named by Native American and European cultures to signal the time of year that wild strawberries were harvested, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, external. Historically it was a way to keep track of time and monitor the changing seasons.In the northern hemisphere, it will be the lowest full Moon until 2043 staying unusually close to the horizon. Its position may mean it takes on an apt reddish tinge because of the way the thicker, lower layer of atmosphere diffracts the light.
The Summer Solstice
Ten days later on 21 June, it is the summer solstice, the day of the year in the northern hemisphere with most daylight.How much you get will vary depending on where you are in the UK and the higher your latitude the more you will have.At this point, the northern hemisphere is most tilted towards the Sun. In the southern hemisphere, however, the Earth will be tilted away from the Sun and experiencing a winter solstice or shortest period of daylight of the year.
The summer solstice marks the start of astronomical summer - a time some people associate with the beginning of the season, although meteorologists mark it from the beginning of June.The word solstice comes from the fact the Sun appears to stand still - from the Latin words sol (Sun) and sistere (to stand still).The date of the solstice shifts between 20 to 22 June because the calendar year doesn't match with the time it takes Earth to orbit the Sun.It actually takes the Earth 365 full days and one quarter to orbit the Sun, which is why we have a leap year every four years to bring our calendar and Earth's movements back into alignment.
Peak of Bootid meteor shower
The June Bootid meteor shower will be active from 22 June until 2 July, peaking on the 27 June. Normally the shower is weak, but occasional outbursts can produce a hundred or more meteors in an hour. There will be a chance of seeing the showers whenever the radiant point in the constellation Boötes is above the horizon. The best time is likely to be before dawn or soon after dusk but check the weather where you are before venturing out - either by downloading the BBC Weather app or via the BBC Weather website.And if you would like to share your pictures with us - and aren't already a BBC Weather Watcher - you can create an account and enjoy snapping away.