Venus and Mars will both be visible in the skies today. Saturn will also have its moment with the moon.
Venus And Mars on Monday (June 5)
The brightest planet, Venus, will continue to rule the western sky after sunset in June as it moves away from the Gemini Twins, Pollux, and Castor. On June 4, Venus will be 45 degrees from the sun at its greatest elongation. As we rapidly depart from Mars in our orbit around the sun, it continues to lose brightness, EarthSky reported.
On June 5, there is a beautiful planet show, with Venus and Mars blazing in the west just after sunset. Those who are still awake can see Saturn, Jupiter, and Mercury in the twilight before morning, per Forbes.
Yes, Venus will shine brilliantly in the west all this week, rising in the dusk and setting a few hours later. You can see a glimpse of Mars by glancing to its upper left. You can watch them becoming closer together if you keep an eye on them each night this week.
Then, on June 12 and 13 evenings, Venus will pass close to the Beehive. Later in the month, by June 21 and 22, the moon will pass by these two inner planets. The white arrow indicates Venus' location on the ecliptic, or path taken by the sun, moon, and planets.
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Saturn and the Moon (June 10)
The last-quarter moon will be near Saturn on June 10 in the early morning hours. This image depicts the scene as seen from London at 3 a.m. BST. The planet and the moon will continue to rise into the sky after leaving the eastern horizon around 2 a.m. until the morning light obscures Saturn approximately an hour and a half later, The Guardian reported.
The moon will be visible in the midday sky until it sets at 11.30 a.m. The fourth and last week of the moon's current phase cycle is set to begin as it approaches the previous quarter. The moon seems to be half-moon-shaped due to illumination in its western hemisphere.
The black spot known as the Oceanus Procellarum, or ocean of storms, dominates this hemisphere. Early astronomers mistook it for a body of water but now know it to be a solidified lava plain.
The moon will continue to wane throughout the upcoming week, rising later and later with less of its near side illuminated. A new moon will appear in the evening sky after passing between Earth and the sun. The southern hemisphere will also be able to see the coupling.
Last Quarter Moon (June 10)
The Last Quarter Moon is rarely visible because it rises after midnight. To gain a different perspective on the shadows cast across the terminator-the line dividing the shadow across the lunar surface-it is always worthwhile to do this. Perhaps tonight, more than ever, since the sixth planet Saturn, a morning object, will rise directly over the Moon when it rises toward the east-southeast. The ringed planet won't be in the best position for nighttime observation until the fall.
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