SkyEye: June 2002

Welcome to SkyEye, your guide to this month's celestial events. All dates are based on Universal Time (UT).

Brief Calendar of Events

Date		Event
3	Mon	Last Quarter Moon
4	Tue	Moon at apogee
7	Fri	Pluto at opposition
9	Sun	Saturn at conjunction
10	Mon	Annular solar eclipse
10	Mon	New Moon
12	Wed	Moon occults Mars
18	Tue	First Quarter Moon
19	Wed	Moon at perigee
21	Fri	Solstice
21	Fri	Mercury at greatest elongation west (23°)
24	Mon	Penumbral lunar eclipse
24	Mon	Full Moon

The Sun and Moon

Solstice occurs on Earth this month, marking the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere and the start of winter in the south. During the longest days of the summer, observers north of about 50° north latitude never experience true darkness.

As seen from the Earth, the Sun is moving from the constellation Taurus to the constellation Gemini.

The occultation of Mars by the young crescent Moon is a daytime event on 12 June.

The Planets

The word planet is derived from the Greek word for "wanderer." Unlike the background stars, planets seem to move around the sky, keeping mostly to a narrow track called the ecliptic, the path of the Sun across the stars.

Mercury: Mercury soars into the eastern sky just before sunrise, reaching greatest elongation west on 21 June. Southern hemisphere observers will catch the best sight of this elusive planet in the constellation Taurus.
Venus: Until this month, northern hemisphere observers have had the best views of the "evening star" but that favouritism comes to an end. Venus begins to sink back towards the western horizon as viewed from the northern hemisphere but it continues to climb higher in the sky for those seeking it from southern latitudes. Earth's twin can be found in the constellations Gemini and Cancer.
Mars: The red planet is occulted by the Moon on 12 June. Mars shares the constellation Gemini with Jupiter and sets at about the same time.
Jupiter: Found in the western sky after sunset, it is getting increasingly difficult to see as it races towards conjunction with the Sun next month. Jupiter is in the constellation Gemini.
Saturn: Ringed Saturn is at conjunction with the Sun on 9 June and so is lost in solar glare this month. It reappears in morning skies just before sunrise in the constellation Taurus.
Uranus: Verging on the edge of naked-eye visibility, Uranus rises before midnight in the constellation Aquarius.
Neptune: A small telescope will be needed to see faint Neptune in the constellation Capricornus.
Pluto: Because Pluto is at opposition this month, it is up all night in the constellation Ophiuchus. However, because it is so small and faint, a large telescope is always needed to see it.

Minor Planets, Comets and Meteors

Minor Planets: A number of interesting minor planets populate the solar system.
Comets: There are no naked-eye comets visible this month.
Meteors: There are no major meteor showers this month.

The Celestial Sphere

Constellations are patterns of stars in the sky. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognises 88 different constellations. The brightest stars as seen from the Earth are easy to spot but do you know their proper names? With a set of binoculars you can look for fainter objects such as nebulae and galaxies or some of the closest stars to the Sun.

Descriptions of the sky for observers in both the northern and southern hemispheres are available for the following times this month. Subtract one hour from your local time if daylight savings time is in effect. (Note: These times are approximate.)

Northern Hemisphere : 45° N

1730 hours (1830 hours daylight savings)
1930 hours (2030 hours daylight savings)
2130 hours (2230 hours daylight savings)
2330 hours (0030 hours daylight savings)
0130 hours (0230 hours daylight savings)
0330 hours (0430 hours daylight savings)
0530 hours (0630 hours daylight savings)

Southern Hemisphere : 30° S

1730 hours (1830 hours daylight savings)
1930 hours (2030 hours daylight savings)
2130 hours (2230 hours daylight savings)
2330 hours (0030 hours daylight savings)
0130 hours (0230 hours daylight savings)
0330 hours (0430 hours daylight savings)
0530 hours (0630 hours daylight savings)

For More Information...

Consult our online glossary for non-technical explanations of many of the astronomical terms used in these pages.
Blue moons, eclipses, the dates of Easter and much more can be found at the Interactive Astronomy Pages.
For more information about the objects and events described in SkyEye, visit these astronomy-related sites.

Credits

Much of this information can be found in this month's issue of your favourite amateur astronomy magazine available in your local bookshop. Another excellent source is the current edition of the Astronomical Calendar by Guy Ottewell and published by the Universal Workshop at Furman University.

The image of the Sun in the SkyEye banner is courtesy of the SOHO/EIT consortium. SOHO is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA. Used with permission.