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National Geographic
7 days ago
- Science
- National Geographic
9 celestial events this June's, from a strawberry moon to interstellar clouds
The Milky Way and its core region in constellations Sagittarius and Scorpius, as seen from Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta, Canada. Composite Photograph by Alan Dyer, VW Pics/Science Photo Library Whether you're waking up early to spot Venus in the pre-dawn sky, staying up late to peep the Lagoon Nebula, or spending the whole night on the hunt for meteors, June's night sky has something for every stargazer. Here's what to keep an eye out for when you look up this month. (9 must-see night sky events to look forward to in 2025.) Venus at greatest western elongation—June 1 On June 1, Venus will reach its farthest distance west of the sun from the perspective of Earth—a point known as greatest western elongation. This is a particularly good time to get a glimpse at Earth's neighboring planet, as it won't be drowned out by sunlight. In some time zones, the exact timing of this event occurs on May 31, while in others, it's on June 1. But the best time to view Venus is just before dawn, when it rises in the eastern sky in the Northern Hemisphere, or the northeastern sky if you're in the Southern Hemisphere. A "well-placed" globular cluster—June 2 Missed seeing the "well-placed" globular clusters in May? The Great Hercules Cluster, or Messier 13, reaches its highest point in the night sky on June 2, putting it in a prime viewing position. Discovered in 1714 by English astronomer Edmond Halley, for whom the iconic Halley's Comet is named, the Great Hercules Cluster is a collection of more than 100,000 stars densely packed into a glittering, spheroidic shape. While it can be hard to discern with the naked eye, it's easily visible through binoculars. Daytime Arietids meteor shower peak—June 7 As its name implies, the prolific daytime Arietid meteor shower doesn't peak at night, but during the day. That, of course, makes most of the meteors nearly impossible to see. But there's still a chance of spotting shooting stars in the predawn hours on June 7, just before the estimated peak during the daylight hours. And if you want to "see" the daytime activity, visit the NASA Meteor Shower Portal and look for colored dots—those indicate meteors associated with the active meteor shower. The June full moon, known as the Strawberry Moon, rises over St Paul's Cathedral and The Shard in central London on June 22, 2024. Photograph by Peter Macdiarmid, eyevine/Redux The full Strawberry Moon rises behind the Empire State Building in New York City on June 21, 2024. Photograph by Gary Hershorn, Getty Images This month's full moon, known as the "Strawberry Moon," won't take on the red hue of its namesake fruit, but it is lovely nonetheless. The nickname, popularized by the Farmers' Almanac, is derived from Indigenous traditions in North America that link full moons to annual harvesting and hunting events. In June, that's the ripening of wild strawberries. (Learn about the lunar cycle and the origins of each month's full moon name.) Old European nicknames for the June full moon include the Mead or Honey Moon. According to NASA, this might be tied to the honey harvesting that happens during this month—and it could be the inspiration for the modern honeymoon, as ancient traditions called for June weddings. Mars and Regulus meet, and a "well-placed" Butterfly Cluster—June 16 Mars and the bright star Regulus—known for its colorful twinkling—will have a close encounter on June 16, with peak viewing occurring around 90 minutes after sunset. Regulus is a four-star system, as opposed to a single star, but only three of those four individual stars will be visible during this event through the eye of a telescope. Then, around midnight, the Butterfly Cluster will be "well-placed" in the night sky, reaching its highest point above the horizon. To see this butterfly-shaped open cluster of stars, grab a pair of binoculars. The summer Milky Way filling the night sky at Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada. The pink glow of the Lagoon Nebula can be seen above the horizon, in the Milky Way galaxy's core. Composite Photograph by Alan Dyer, VW Pics/UIG/Getty Images Star clusters aren't the only "well-placed" celestial objects this month. The Lagoon Nebula, or Messier 8, is a swirling cloud of interstellar gas where stars are born, located some 5,200 light years away. It reaches its highest point in the night sky around midnight on June 22. From mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, the Lagoon Nebula can sometimes be seen with the naked eye under ideal viewing conditions. Otherwise, binoculars or a telescope is the best way to spot them. Prime stargazing conditions—June 25 On this night, there's a new moon lunar cycle, which means the sky will be plenty dark for stargazing. While brighter celestial objects like planets and stars are typically visible through the moon's light pollution, dimmer ones like distant galaxies and nebulae will be easier to see during the new moon, particularly through a telescope. (These are the best stargazing sites in North America.) If you're a photographer, this is the perfect time to try your hand at astrophotography. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Milky Way's galactic core rises high in the night sky throughout the summer, making it a prime focal point. A Bootid meteor seen photographed in June 2018. Photograph by Steve Dudrow, Getty Images The Bootids are a notoriously variable meteor shower, producing astonishing displays of hundreds of shooting stars some years, and just a few other years. If you're willing to try your luck, the meteor shower is expected to peak on June 27. And luck is already on your side—the moon will be barely illuminated as a waxing crescent, so it won't impede your view of fainter shooting stars. Close approach of the moon and Mars—June 30 To close out the month, the waxing crescent moon and Mars will put on a little show. Our celestial neighbors will pass within 1°16' of each other; if you hold your arm out fully toward the moon and stick your pinky finger up, your finger's width is about the distance between the pair, so you'll be able to see them simultaneously through binoculars. Keep an eye out for the "earthshine" phenomenon, where light reflected from Earth makes the unlit part of the crescent moon glow faintly. This most commonly happens just after sunset or right before sunrise.
Forbes
16-04-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
Aurora Watch Continues Wednesday For 17 States As Geomagnetic Storm Intensifies
The aurora borealis from Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan, Canada. (Photo by: Alan Dyer /VW ... More PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) The Northern Lights may be visible in the U.S. on Wednesday, April 16, with the possible arrival at Earth or a coronal mass ejection. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, a geomagnetic storm could see aurora in Canada and as many as 18 U.S. states, with Alaska and those on the U.S.-Canada border having the highest chance. It comes in the wake of Earth's magnetic field being struck by a CME on Tuesday and as a meteor shower gets underway this week. As a result of a CME — a cloud of supercharged particles from the sun —arriving at Earth, a geomagnetic storm rated between G1 and G3 could result, according to NOAA. A G3 geomagnetic storm is classified as 'strong' and can lead to auroras appearing at lower latitudes, potentially as far south as 45 degrees. That would mean auroras in Canada and northern-tier U.S. States. "The aurora may become visible over many of the northern states and some of the lower Midwest to Oregon," said a statement from NOAA. "The general public should consider monitoring our webpage for the latest information and updates." It's advised to see NOAA's 30-minute forecast for the latest predictions — which are only accurate around 30 minutes beforehand or use the Glendale App for alerts. The U.S. states that could see the northern lights on Wednesday are Alaska, Washington, northern Oregon, northern Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, northern Iowa, Wisconsin, northern Illinois, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Areas far from light pollution are likely to get the best views, with more northerly states having a much better chance of witnessing a display. While a G3 geomagnetic storm was issued for Wednesday — due to the arrival of multiple coronal mass ejections that left the sun on April 13 — G1 geomagnetic storming conditions are likely to persist into Thursday, according to NOAA. A G1 geomagnetic storm is rated as minor in intensity and doesn't typically cause aurora in the U.S. The geomagnetic storm on May 10, 2024 — the most powerful since 2003 — saw aurora as far south as Florida. It was rated as a G5 geomagnetic storm. The Kp index — which provides a rough guide to the intensity of aurora displays — may reach 6, which will see the auroral oval stretch farther south. According to NOAA, for a Kp in the range of 6 to 7, the aurora can be 'bright and active,' and it may be 'possible to see the aurora from the northern edge of the United States.' If your smartphone has a 'Night Mode' feature, that should be good enough to get a more than impressive souvenir shot of the aurora. It likely means a long exposure of between five and 10 seconds, which will look much better if you do three things: The Northern Lights sometimes occur when charged particles from the sun — carried on the solar wind — interact with Earth's magnetic field, creating luminous displays in the upper atmosphere as particles get excited. Last weekend, the sun was particularly restless, unleashing eight M-class solar flares between Friday and Monday. While solar flares themselves don't directly cause auroras, they often set the stage for them by stirring up solar storms. Unusually, these solar flares didn't come from sunspots — dark patches on the sun's surface indicating intense magnetic activity— but magnetic filaments detaching from the sun. However, they still resulted in the two CMEs responsible for this week's aurora displays. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Forbes
08-04-2025
- Science
- Forbes
In Photos: The Eclipse That Briefly Brought A Nation Together
People embrace while gazing at the sky during totality on April 8, 2024, at Bread and Puppet ... More Theater, Glover, Vermont . (Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse came to North America — and people across 13 U.S. states stood still as one. The longest since 1806, the best since 2017 and the last until 2033 in Alaska and 2044 in Montana and North Dakota, the 'Great North American Eclipse' — the shadow of the moon — began as an eclipse sunrise just south of the equator in Kiribati and ended 9,191 miles (14,790 kilometers) later as an eclipsed sunset in the North Atlantic. The solar eclipse is seen above the Washington Monument on April 08, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo ... More by) As the moon's shadow raced across Earth at an average of 1,500 miles per hour, it caused a brief totality to anyone fortunate or savvy enough to be standing within the (up to) 122 miles (197 kilometers) wide path of totality. This is the sequence of the total eclipse of the Sun over the waters of Lac Brome, in the Eastern ... More Townships of Quebec, Canada, on April 8, 2024. (Photo by: Alan Dyer/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) It crossed about 44 million people on the North American continent, first making land in Mazatlan in northwest Mexico before reaching its peak over Nazas, where totality brought rapidly dropping temperatures and darkness in the day for four minutes and 28 seconds. It was by far the longest totality on land since 2010. Couples view the solar eclipse during totality at a mass wedding at the Total Eclipse of the Heart ... More festival on April 8, 2024 in Russellville, Arkansas. (Photo by) The biggest shock to anyone standing within that path and having clear weather — which certainly wasn't everyone on April 8, 2024 — was the sight of the sun's corona, its wispy white outer atmosphere. Although eclipse glasses were essential to see any other part of the eclipse, totality was strictly a naked eyesight. Solar eclipse of April 8 2024, Nazas, Mexico. (Photo by: Edwin Remsberg/VWPics/Universal Images ... More Group via Getty Images) The path of totality entered the U.S. at Eagle Pass, Texas, the 'It' state for the eclipse because of its greater chance of clear skies. It wasn't to be, with clouds blocking the view for many visitors in the Texas Hill Country, though Dallas — the largest city in the path — had a clear view of its first totality since 1878 and last until 2345. RUSSELLVILLE, ARKANSAS - APRIL 08: A couple kisses while holding a dog during a mass wedding at the ... More Total Eclipse of the Heart solar eclipse festival on April 8, 2024 in Russellville, Arkansas. Millions of people have flocked to areas across North America that are in the "path of totality" in order to experience a total solar eclipse. During the event, the moon will pass in between the sun and the Earth, appearing to block the sun. (Photo by) Largely clear views were had in Arkansas, Indiana and Ohio, while clouds blocked the view for many in Upstate New York. Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and New Brunswick in Atlantic Canada had clear views, with many eclipse chasers relocating in the days and hours before the big moment. The moon passes in front of the sun during a total eclipse in Bloomington, Indiana, the state's ... More first since 1869. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) April 8, 2024's 'Great North American Eclipse' may be the finest of many people's lives, but it will get better. It's part of a family of total solar eclipses that produce very long totalities every 18 years, 11 days and eight hours. That family called a saros (repetition), will peak in 2186 when a seven-minute and 29-second totality will occur in the Atlantic off Brazil — the longest total solar eclipse since 743 B.C. and the longest that has been calculated ever to occur. iss071e002844 (April 8, 2024) —- The Moon's shadow, or umbra, is pictured covering portions of the ... More Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick and the American state of Maine in this photograph from the International Space Station as it soared into the solar eclipse from 261 miles above. The next total solar eclipse in the U.S. will occur on March 30, 2033, in Alaska and the Bering Strait. The next total solar eclipse anywhere on Earth will arrive on August 12, 2026, for eastern Greenland, western Iceland and northern Spain. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
