I'm Kenna, the new Content Manager here at Space.com. As someone who's been capitvated by, and written about the weird and wonderful objects in space, it's an honor to bring you the most fascinating and timely headlines from our newsroom each day.
Today we've got a good roundup of stories: from giant black hole jets to a new NASA documentary on the James Webb Space Telescope to two pop culture icons teaming up to tell us the universe is absurd. Plus more cosmic curiosities.
"Fast radio bursts shine through the fog of the intergalactic medium, and by precisely measuring how the light slows down, we can weigh that fog, even when it's too faint to see."
This week kicks off with a fiery encounter as Mars brushes past Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. A third quarter moon rises midweek, ushering in dark evening skies for deep space exploration. Early risers are in for a treat, too — the moon mingles with Saturn, Neptune, and Venus across several serene pre-dawn scenes. And don't miss Friday's solstice, when the sun reaches its highest point in northern skies, marking the official start of summer.
Look west after dusk to see Mars passing close to Regulus, the blue-white heart of Leo. The red planet and the star will shine at nearly equal brightness and remain visible together in binoculars until around 11 p.m. local time. Through a telescope, they'll share the view as Mars drifts past the star over the coming nights — a cosmic pass-by spanning weeks.
The moon reaches third quarter at 3:19 p.m. EDT (1919 GMT), appearing half-lit on its western edge. It rises after midnight and lingers into the afternoon sky, leaving the evenings dark and perfect for stargazing. This phase marks a turning point as the moon wanes toward new, and deep-sky views improve each night.
Before sunrise, a waning crescent moon joins Saturn and Neptune low in the southeast. Saturn will sit just right of the moon in binoculars around 2 a.m. local time, with Venus rising later off to the lower left. Watch as Saturn fades with the dawn, leaving Venus and the moon to close out the show.
At 10:42 p.m. EDT (0242 GMT on June 21), the sun reaches its highest point in the sky for northern observers. It's the summer solstice — the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Celebrate the seasonal shift with a sunset watch or some late-night observing.
Early on Saturday morning, a delicate crescent moon will appear above and to the right of Venus in the eastern sky. The two will rise around 3 a.m. local time, glowing close together until sunrise washes them out. It's a lovely photo op — and they'll be even closer the next morning, with the moon switching sides.
If you're up for the challenge, the best moon phase to look out for this week will be on June 21 in the pre-dawn hours (around 3 a.m. local time) when a delicate crescent moon will rise alongside Venus in the eastern sky. The moon will appear to the upper right of Venus and then on the following morning (June 22), the moon will appear just above Venus and slightly to the left. The delightful pairing will make for an interesting photo opportunity.
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.
During the latter part of June, Mars will put on a couple of eye-catching shows, teaming up first with a bright star and then, late this month, with the moon.
