This week brings a glowing lineup of lunar and stellar sights. The nearly full moon makes a dramatic pass by Antares, the heart of Scorpius, before reaching full phase on Wednesday, known as the Strawberry Moon. Friday and Saturday offer stellar gems to explore: wish on Arcturus and Vega, and take a closer look at Lyra's famed "Double Double" star system. Whether you're catching moonrise or scanning for bright companions, there's something to spot every evening.
Watch as the nearly full moon glides through the claws of Scorpius. Antares, a red supergiant and the constellation's brightest star, will appear to the moon's lower left after dusk. From parts of the Southern Hemisphere, viewers may even witness the moon occult Antares early Tuesday.
The moon reaches full phase at 3:44 a.m. EDT (0744 GMT). Known as the Strawberry Moon, it rises in the east at sunset and sets at sunrise. Though it won't be pink, the moon will shine brightly in the stars of Sagittarius. Try observing the surface albedo variations with binoculars.
Shortly after sunset, two of the night sky's brightest stars emerge. Arcturus shines yellow-orange high in the south, while blue-white Vega sparkles in the east. These stellar neighbors, only 37 and 25 light-years away, respectively, are perfect "first stars" to wish upon as evening falls.
Look near Vega in Lyra to find Epsilon Lyrae, the famous "Double Double" star. Keen-eyed observers may notice it as a pair with the naked eye, but binoculars or a telescope will show that each is actually two stars — a cosmic double date orbiting each other over centuries.
The best nights to observe the moon this week are June 10 and 11, when the full Strawberry Moon will shine brightly. This month's full moon will appear unusually low in the sky — the lowest it has been since 2006, and it won't dip this low again until 2043. For skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere, the moon will rise in the far southeast, skim along the southern horizon, and set in the southwest near dawn. This rare positioning is part of an ongoing event called a major lunar standstill, a phenomenon that occurs once every 18.6 years and causes the moon's path to swing to its extreme limits in the sky.
Feeling inspired to take a more in-depth moonlit tour of our rocky companion? Our ultimate guide to observing the moon will help you plan your next skywatching venture, whether it be exploring the lunar seas, mountainous terrain, or the many craters that blanket the landscape. You can also see where astronauts, rovers and landers have ventured with our Apollo landing sites observing guide.
Astrophotographer Ronald Brecher captured a striking image of the Knife Edge Galaxy (NGC 5907) during May under a near-full moon from his backyard observatory near the city of Guelph in Canada.
Here are the best star projectors to enjoy a night-sky experience from the comfort of your couch. The prices are often reduced on special occasions, such as Amazon Prime Day, so keep your eyes open.
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