See Venus at dawn, Mars and Regulus close together, a Saturn-Moon meeting, and the Milky Way lighting up dark skies.
Ray Bradbury, a literary giant who brought science fiction to the mainstream, once said, “We are an impossibility in an impossible universe.” This captures the wonder of looking up at the stars and feeling connected to something greater.
Here’s what to watch this week:
Waning Gibbous Moon (June 13):
Almost full at 97%, the moon shows amazing crater details after sunset. Use binoculars to see shadows along the terminator for a stunning 3D effect.
Pioneer 10 Anniversary (June 13):
Pioneer 10 became the first human-made object to pass Neptune’s orbit in 1983. It’s still traveling beyond our solar system today, among a few spacecraft heading into interstellar space.
Mars & Regulus Close Approach (June 16-17):
Mars and the bright star Regulus in Leo will be just 0.8° apart in the western sky after sunset, creating a beautiful contrast of Mars’ red and Regulus’ blue-white light.
Moon & Saturn Meetup (June 19):
Around 1:30 a.m., the third-quarter moon will appear near ringed Saturn in Aquarius. A telescope will reveal Saturn’s tilted rings—worth waking up early for!
Venus the Morning Star (All Week):
Venus shines brilliantly before sunrise, rising about two hours early. It’s easy to spot and a great guide to the morning sky.
Constellation Spotlight – Leo the Lion:
Look for the backward question mark “sickle” shape marking Leo’s head with Regulus at the base. Mars will be near Regulus this week.
Deep Sky Highlights:
The Milky Way’s core rises late at night, a stunning dense star and gas ring visible in dark skies.
M13 Hercules Globular Cluster looks like a fuzzy ball but reveals thousands of stars through telescopes.
Beehive Cluster (M44) in Cancer is great through binoculars after sunset.
When you gaze at these wonders, remember you’re sharing a timeless human experience of marveling at the cosmos.