Sunday, June 5, 2011

June Skies and Astro Events

Hey Space Placers!

 Summer begins on June 21st at 1:16 p.m. EDT and marks the longest period of sunshine for the year. With the shorter nights of summer there is still plenty to see in the sky and experience in local area events.


Skywatching Highlights

Mercury will be low in the west-northwest after sunset beginning June 22nd. If you have a clear and unobstructed horizon you should be able to see golden-yellow Mercury. On the 30th Mercury will be lined up with two stars – Castor and Pollux, and will be on the left. This will help zero in on this elusive planet.

Venus is low in the east-northeast and visible about a half hour before sunrise.

Mars is dim in the east-northeast and visible about an hour before sunrise. The thin crescent Moon will be just above and to the right of Mars on the 28th. Use the Moon as a guide to finding Mars.

Jupiter claims its’ title “King of the Planets” as it dominates the eastern sky several hours before sunrise.

Saturn is up in the south sky at sunset. The ringed planet is very close to a famous double star, Porrima (Gamma Virginis) all month long. The two will be closest on June 11th. Saturn is the brighter of the two and both will be visible in a telescope eyepiece – quite a sight with Saturn’s rings and a double star in the same field of view! The Moon glides below this duo on the 9th and 10th.

New Moon is on the 1st, First Quarter Moon is on the 8thth and this month’s Full Moon occurs on the 15th. This month’s Full Moon is called the “Full Strawberry Moon” in recognition of the strawberry harvesting season. Last Quarter Moon is on the 23rd. Just before dawn the waning crescent Moon passes below the Pleiades star cluster on the 28th.

Here are our down to Earth events for this month.

Open House at the Department of Astronomy at the University of Maryland, College Park Campus Observatory, will be at 8 p.m. on the 5th and the 20th.
Read More About It: http://www.astro.umd.edu/openhouse/index.html

The National Capital Astronomers (NCA) have their monthly meeting on the 11th at 7:30 p.m. at the University of Maryland, College Park Campus Observatory. The meeting will be dedicated to Science Fair Winners + Pizza!
Read More About It: http://www.astro.umd.edu/openhouse/programs/NCA.html

The Northern Virginia Astronomy Club (NOVAC) will meet at 7 p.m. at George Mason University (GMU) on the 12th. The speaker is Robert Zimmerman and his topic is “What's Past is Prologue: Predicting the Future of Space Travel”.
Read More About It: http://www.novac.com/meetings/index.php.

NOVAC will hold a public star party at Great Meadows on the 24th from 7:30 to 11:00 p.m.
Read More About It: http://www.novac.com/outreach/gmeadow.php

The United States Naval Observatory (USNO) has Monday night tours but space is limited.
Read More About It: http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/tours-events/tour-information/tour-information-for-usno-washington-dc.

The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) has several space related activities this month.
Read More About It: http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/calendar.cfm.

The TriState Astronomers General Meeting will not have a meeting this month as the Brish Planetarium is closed for the summer.
Read More About It: http://www.tristateastronomers.org/meetings.htm

We have a new addition to our monthly events, the Astronomical Society of Greenbelt (formerly the Greenbelt Astronomy Club). ASG will hold a star party on the 11th and 25th starting at 9 p.m. at the Northway Field and Observatory. ASG will meet on the 30th at 7:30 at the Greenbelt Community Center.
Read More About It: http://www.greenbeltastro.org/events.shtml

Get out and enjoy the sky and the great events this month.

Sky Guy in VA

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