What's up in the night sky this June (2023)What to see in the June night sky, including Moon phases, supermoon, June Solstice, planet guide, summer milky way and deep space objects M8 lagoon nebula and globular cluster M22.
June Moon Phases
Early Native American tribes knew June's full moon as the Strawberry Moon because it signalled the time of year to gather ripening fruit.
Full Moon and New Moon for June 2023
June 2023 Full MoonSun 4th Jun
June 2023 Last QuarterSun 11th Jun
June 2023 New MoonSun 18th Jun
June 2023 First QuarterMon 26th Jun
June 21st is the June Solstice. The June solstice occurs at 14:51 UTC. The North Pole of the Earth will be tilted toward the Sun, reaching its northernmost position in the sky and directly over the Tropic of Cancer at 23.44 degrees north latitude. This is the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and winter (winter solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.
June also marks the start of Noctilucent cloud season.
June Planets
Venus is always brilliant, shining with a steady, silvery light. Mornings in the eastern sky at dawn from early January through to mid-June. Venus will reach its greatest eastern elongation on the 4th and is at its best to be viewed since it will be at its highest point in the sky. Look west after sunset to see it shining brighter than anything else.
Mars is visible in the night sky from January to mid-July, then shifts to the morning sky from mid-Oct to the end of December.
On June 21st, a waxing crescent moon will appear close to Venus and Mars in the same binocular field of view.
Saturn is visible in the mornings from late January to early July and then in the evenings from July to December.
June Deep Space Objects
Summer can be a wonderful time for stargazing; despite the light evenings, there's much to be seen in the night sky at this time of year.
The first stunning summer deep-sky object is the large Milky Way in Sagittarius, Scutum, Ophiuchus and Aquila. It is a particularly awe-inspiring sight, especially from dark sky sites. To get a good view of it from the UK, it is best to travel to a site with a very clear southern horizon.
Nestled within the Milky Way in the constellation of Sagittarius, just above the spout of the Teapot asterism, you'll find the Lagoon Nebula (M8). It's a great object to look at with binoculars and even better in a small telescope.
About 7° to the East of the Lagoon Nebula lies the magnificent globular cluster of M22. You shouldn't have too much trouble picking it out using binoculars, but for a real WOW, try observing it with a large telescope to see it sitting against the glittering starfields of the Galaxy.
There are several other striking summer nebulae in this region of the sky. The Eagle Nebula (M16) and M17 are excellent targets for 6 to 8-inch reflectors in Serpens and Sagittarius, respectively. Not far away in Scutum lies the Wild Duck Cluster, M11.
