5 Amazing Things You Can See in the Night Sky This June

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There’s never really a wrong time of the year to look up at the night sky and take in the sights. But with the weather warming up for summer, June can be one of the most comfortable months for getting cozy outside and spending an evening stargazing . And thankfully, there are even some extraordinary sights in store over the coming weeks. Read on for the amazing things you can see in the night sky this June, according to experts.

READ THIS NEXT: The Next Total Solar Eclipse Will Be the Last Until 2044, NASA Says .

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The moon is far and away the most prominent object you can see overhead on any given night. And this month, experts say it’s worth making a point to see it when it’s at its brightest.

“The full moon in June is known as the Strawberry Moon because it coincides with the strawberry harvest,” Chris Klein , amateur astronomy advisor and founder of AstroRover, tells Best Life . “It’s a beautiful sight rising in the sky on June 4, with its golden glow and large size.”

He also adds that even though you can see it without binoculars or a telescope , using them can help you see its craters and mountains in detail.

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While a lot of what we see twinkling at night is made up of stars that are thousands of lightyears away, some of our closest neighbors also shine prominently. And during June, you’ll have an opportunity to easily spot a pair of them.

“Both Mars and Venus are visible after sunset, low in the west in the constellation of Cancer,” says Valerie Rapson , PhD, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at the State University of New York at Oneonta . “Venus will be the brightest object in the evening sky, aside from the moon. Mars will be the fainter red dot slightly higher in the sky.”

Rapson explains that as June progresses, the two planets will inch closer to each other in the sky and eventually shift into the constellation of Leo.

“Their orbits around the Sun make them appear as if they are headed towards a collision, but in reality, they will always remain many tens of millions of miles apart in space,” she says.

READ THIS NEXT: The 10 Best Destinations for Stargazing in the U.S.

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Meteor showers can be one of the most exciting shows put on by nature. Fortunately, June will offer another opportunity to catch “shooting stars” when the Bootids begin towards the end of the month.

“It’s a meteor shower active from June 26 to July 2, with the peak occurring around June 27 and 28,” says Klein. “While it’s not a strong meteor shower, it’s still worth looking out for because it can produce bright fireballs.”

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You may not realize it, but the stars above change with the seasons. And as summer kicks off, two new additions will become visible to stargazers below.

“Two of the brightest stars in the southern sky are Arcturus and Spica. Arcturus is an evolved red giant star in the constellation Bootes, while Spica is a massive blue star in Virgo that is still fusing hydrogen to helium in its core,” says Rapson.

Fortunately, she says you can use another easily spotted constellation as a guide to locate them.

“Find the Big Dipper’s curved handle, and follow the arc down to the orange star Arcturus. Then keep going along that path until you hit the bright blue star, which will be Spica. The common phrase we tell everyone to remember is that you ‘arc to Arcturus, and sail on down to Spica,’” Rapson says.

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Usually, daylight doesn’t make for a very exciting astronomical event. But Klein says it’s worth commemorating the shortest night of the entire year that’s coming up.

“June 21 marks the beginning of summer and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere,” he explains. “It’s a time of celebration in many cultures and is associated with renewal and fertility. It’s interesting to observe because the sun rises early and sets late, giving you more time to enjoy the outdoors or plan activities.”

The Next Total Solar Eclipse Will Be the Last Until 2044, NASA Says

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Whether you’re a casual stargazer or a devoted amateur astronomer, there’s no denying that there’s something special about witnessing a rare celestial event like a solar eclipse. Besides the fact that they only occur a few times each decade, getting a good view can come down to where you live having the right weather conditions. If you’d love to witness a solar eclipse anytime soon, you may want to mark off your calendars. NASA says the next one will be the last you can see from the U.S. until 2044. Read on for more info on how to catch this unique event.

READ THIS NEXT: NASA Promises Humans Living on the Moon in 10 Years .

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If catching a major cosmic event has been an item on your bucket list, you might want to grab your calendar . On Apr. 8, 2024, North America will have front-row seats to a total solar eclipse for the first time since 2017. But besides being a relatively rare event in and of itself, this will also be the last opportunity to view a full eclipse from within the contiguous United States until Aug. 23, 2044, according to NASA.

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Even though many areas across the U.S. will be treated to at least a partial eclipse, only places that are in the total eclipse’s direct path will get to experience the moon entirely blocking out the sun . The first sight of totality on the continent will start on Mexico’s Pacific Coast before it becomes visible stateside around noon in Texas, according to NASA. From there, the path will continue north through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine before leaving the U.S. in the late afternoon.

Viewers in Canada will be able to experience the eclipse as it begins its path through Southern Ontario and eventually makes its way through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Cape Breton. The eclipse will disappear from North America as it passes off the East Coast of Canada in the early evening.

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So long as weather conditions remain favorable, part of what makes the experience of a total solar eclipse so special is the truly unique conditions it can create for those in its path. During the initial partial eclipse phase—or for those watching in areas outside of the total eclipse’s path—viewers will first notice a crescent blocking out part of the sun as the moon slightly covers the star while wearing the appropriate safety glasses, according to NASA.

For a few fleeting moments before the sun is covered, spectators might also be able to catch sight of Baily’s Beads, which are glimmers of light that form bright spots as sunlight passes through crags, craters, and valleys on the moon. A sharp, bright spot on the edge of the moon’s shadow known as the “diamond ring” will then appear, named for its resemblance to a sparkling piece of jewelry.

The moment the sun is completely blocked out is known as “totality,” marking the only point of the experience you can watch directly without protective glasses. Spectators might be able to make out different parts of the sun’s atmosphere, including a pink ring created by the star’s chromosphere or rays of white light from the corona. But while the view above is spectacular, sights on the ground can be just as surreal as conditions can create “a 360-degree sunset,” planets and bright stars can become briefly visible, the air temperature can drop, and “often an eerie silence will settle around you,” NASA describes.

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If you’re already excited to catch a glimpse of the rare celestial event for the last time until 2044, it might not be a bad idea to start preparing for the experience. Arguably most importantly, NASA warns you’ll need the correct specially designed safe solar viewing glasses or handheld viewer to actually be able to see it . Otherwise, you’ll need to use an indirect viewing technique, such as a pinhole projector.

“Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the moon completely blocks the sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing,” the space agency warns, clarifying that normal sunglasses won’t offer sufficient protection. “Viewing any part of the bright sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.”

And besides ensuring you have the proper equipment, you might also want to consider arranging a place to stay if you have to travel to witness the event. Cities along the path of totality will likely see a large influx of tourists scooping up available lodging, with Ross saying organizers expect anywhere between 375,000 to 500,000 people to descend upon Rochester alone.

“We’ve been starting to spread the word really since 2019 by meeting and also kind of designating everyone as an eclipse ambassador, so everyone watching right now, get ready because all of your out-of-town relatives are coming here [and] they’re gonna want to stay in your house,” Ross told WROC.