Mercury is too close to the Sun and not visible. Venus is best seen from 9.30 pm to 0.30 am in the constellation of Cancer. Mars is as well too close to the Sun and not visible. Jupiter is best seen from 9.50 pm to 0.40 am in the constellation of Cancer, and after a few days in the constellation of Leo. Saturn is best seen from 10.25 pm to 3.40 am in the constellation of Libra. Towards the end of the week, Venus and Jupiter are getting closer to each other.
New Moon Tuesday 16 June
Sunrise at 4.41 am and Sunset at 9.31 pm.
Wednesday 10 June
The Moon went into Perigee this morning at 5.41 am. Distance Moon centre to Earth centre is 369675.1 km or 231046.9 miles
Look for some meteors tonight. The Ophiuchid meteor shower has its maximum peak. You might see about 5 meteors an hour.
ISS appears at Sun set at 9.29 pm in the Western horizon. Culmination at 9.34 pm in the South at 70° and disappears at 9.39 pm at the Eastern horizon. A nice challenge! An Iridium flare in the West at 10.55 pm at an altitude of 27° in the constellation of Leo. ISS appears once more at 11.05 pm at the Western horizon. ISS passes the bright star Regulus from the constellation Leo with just over 1 degree separation. Culmination at 11.10 pm in the South South West at 43°. ISS disappears at 11.13 pm in the South Est at 12°. And a short ISS appearance of only 4 minutes after midnight at 0.41 am in the West horizon and already disappearing at 0.45 am in the South West at 13°.
Look for the Earthshine on the Moon just before Sunrise on Thursday morning.
Thursday 11 June
Today the 30th Anniversary (1985) of Vega 1. The former USSR planned a Venus Landing with Balloon.
ISS appears for the first time at 10.12 pm at the West horizon. Culmination at 10.17 pm in South South West at 54°. ISS disappears at 10.21 pm East South East at 4° altitude. A second appearance at 11.48 pm at the West horizon. Culmination at 11.53 pm in the South South West at only 20°. ISS disappears at 11.54 pm in the South South West at 18°.
A bright Iridium flare appears after midnight at 0.10 am in the West South West at an altitude of 49° in the constellation of Bootes. At about 3.30 am in the morning, the Moon is close to a few bright stars in the constellation of Pisces. Close to the star called Torcularis Septent with a Limb separation of 4.42° or 8.21 lunar diameters. And close to the star Mu Psc with a Limb separation of only 0.47° or only 0.87 lunar diameters. Look as well for the nice Earthshine on the Moon this early morning
Friday 12 June
An Iridium flare at 10.53 pm in the West North West at an altitude of 25° in the constellation of Leo. ISS appears at 10.54 pm in the Western horizon. Culmination at 11.00 pm in the South South West at an altitude of 28°. ISS disappears at 11.02 pm in the South South East at 13° altitude.
Take a binocular and look at Venus. You might see the open cluster Beehive as well. The planet will cross the open cluster tonight and tomorrow.
Saturday 13 June
Not that you will notice, but for the records; at 2.25 pm the equation of time is zero for our Sun. The apparent solar time is now equal to the mean solar time.
ISS appears at 10.01 pm in the Western horizon. Culmination at 10.06 pm in the South South West at 39° altitude. ISS disappears at 10.10 pm South East at 5°. An Iridium flare at 10.47 pm West North West at altitude of 24° in the constellation of Cancer. Another ISS pass at 11.38 pm in the West horizon. Culmination at 11.42 pm South West at only 12° altitude. ISS disappears at 11.43 pm South South West at 11°.
After midnight, at 0.03 am bright Iridium flare in the West South West at an altitude of 48° in the constellation of Bootes. And at 3.16 am a very bright flare in the East South East at an altitude of 49° in the constellation of Pegasus.
Look for the Moon after 4 am in the early Sunday morning. The Lunar Crescent is visible 58.4 hours before New Moon. The Moon is only 7.4% illuminated and the crescent shows to the left. Moon rises at 3.37 am and only 63 minutes before the Sun.
Sunday 14 June
Today the 30th Anniversary (1985) of Vega 2, the former USSR Venus Landing/Balloon and the 40th Anniversary (1975) of Venera 10, Venus Landing.
David Short died 14 Jun 1768 at the age of 58 (born 10 Jun 1710). British optician and astronomer who produced the first truly parabolic and elliptic mirrors for reflecting telescopes. During his working life of over 35 years, Short made about 1,360 instruments. Not only for customers in Britain but also for export: one is still preserved in Leningrad, another at Uppsala and several in America. Short was principal British collator and computer of the Transit of Venus observations made throughout the world on 6th June 1761. His instruments travelled on Endeavour with Captain Cook to observe the next Transit of Venus on 3rd June 1769, but Short died before this event took place.
ISS appears at 10.44 pm at the Western horizon. Culmination 10.49 pm in the South West at only 18°. ISS disappears at 10.51 pm in the South South East at 10°. At 10.50 pm an Iridium flare in the West North West at an altitude of 21° in the constellation of Cancer. At 11.01 pm on Jupiter Transit of the Great Red Spot. You will need a small telescope or binocular to observe. Just before midnight, at 11.57 pm an Iridium flare at West South West at an altitude of 48° in the constellation of Bootes. Another flare at 4.24 am in North North East at an altitude of only 10° in the constellation of Auriga.
Monday 15 June
You will need a large telescope for the International Space Station passing Venus very close at 8.18 pm. Separation only 0.313° for Tissington in the West South West at an Altitude of 34°. The Sun is still +9° above the horizon and the elongation, the distance of Venus and ISS to the Sun is 45°. ISS will cross the planet Venus when you are positioned in Mapleton, between Ashbourne and Fenny Bentley. Contact me the day before for updated calculations.
The June Lyrids meteor shower peaks tonight. You might see 8 meteors an hour. As we are close to New Moon, the circumstances are good.
Just after Sunset, ISS appears 9.50m pm at the Western horizon. Culmination at 9.55 pm in the South South West at 26°. ISS disappears at 9.59 pm South East.
Tuesday 16 June
Today in the year 0885: The maximum theoretical length for a British total eclipse is 5.5 minutes. The eclipse of June 16, 885 lasted for almost 5 minutes and the same will be true for the Scottish total eclipse of 22 July 2381. Hope you can wait for this one …
At 3.05 pm this afternoon it is New Moon.
At 10.14 an Iridium flare in the North North West at an altitude of 15° in the constellation of Perseus. ISS appears at 10.34 pm West horizon. Culmination at 10.38 pm in the South West at only 11°. ISS disappears at 10.40 pm in the South. Another flare at 10.47 pm in West North West at an altitude of 19° in the constellation of Cancer.
Wednesday 17 June
Total in 1433: In Scotland known as the "Black Hour". Although covering all of Scotland, this eclipse went well into northeast England down to north Yorkshire. Even though the eclipse was nearly four and a half minutes on the centre line (the 6th longest British total eclipse in the period 1 - 3000AD), it must have still been over three minutes in Yorkshire. Some references do mention “Black Hour”, some others “Black Friday”.
A challenge: ISS pass when the Sun sets. Appears at 9.40 pm in the Western horizon (where the Sun sets!). Culmination at 9.45 pm South West at 16°. ISS disappears at 9.49 pm in the South South East. A flare appears at 10.50 pm in the West North West at an altitude of 16° in the constellation of Cancer.