SkyTips: June 2014
The brilliant planet Venus and the fainter planet Mercury shine above the crescent Moon in this photograph from the Paranal Observatory in Chile. Although sunlight illuminates only a fraction of the lunar disk, the rest is illuminated by earthshine, which is sunlight reflected from our own planet.
Stargazing Summary
As spring gives way to summer, the signature star patterns of the new season climb into view during the brief nights. Sagittarius, whose brightest stars outline the shape of a teapot, rises in late evening, with the curving form of Scorpius in the south. They never climb far above the horizon, although their distinctive shapes make them easy to find. Jupiter gets ready to make its exit from the evening sky by month’s end, while bright orange Mars and golden Saturn continue to dazzle in the south during the evening.
More stargazing information »
More stargazing information »
Radio Program Highlights
If you want to start hearing the StarDate program in your area, you can request a station to carry our program by emailing the request to stations@stardate.org.
June 2-8 : Moon Meanderings. The Moon passes several bright stars and planets this week, including Mars and the leading lights of Scorpius and Virgo, and we’ll have details. We’ll also talk about some telescopes that just get better with age.
June 9-15: Cosmic Hailstones. A space rock shattered in the skies above Quebec 20 years ago this week, raining debris across the landscape. Join us for the tale of these and other cosmic hailstones, plus a look at the Summer Triangle and much more.
June 16-22: Monster Stars. Astronomers will be keeping a close watch on one of the most impressive binary star systems in the galaxy, and we’ll tell you why. We’ll also tell you how ancient astronomers kept a close watch on the Sun.
June 23-29: Heading for Space. Space telescopes are fairly common today, but they might not be if not for the efforts of one dedicated astronomer. We’ll talk about Lyman Spitzer and his role in developing space telescopes plus much more.
June 30-July 6: Getting Started. NASA launches many spacecraft to study the universe, but most of the ideas it studies don’t make the cut. We’ll talk about what gets picked and what doesn’t, including details on a mission that’s destined for a hot future.
June program schedule »
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June 2-8 : Moon Meanderings. The Moon passes several bright stars and planets this week, including Mars and the leading lights of Scorpius and Virgo, and we’ll have details. We’ll also talk about some telescopes that just get better with age.
June 9-15: Cosmic Hailstones. A space rock shattered in the skies above Quebec 20 years ago this week, raining debris across the landscape. Join us for the tale of these and other cosmic hailstones, plus a look at the Summer Triangle and much more.
June 16-22: Monster Stars. Astronomers will be keeping a close watch on one of the most impressive binary star systems in the galaxy, and we’ll tell you why. We’ll also tell you how ancient astronomers kept a close watch on the Sun.
June 23-29: Heading for Space. Space telescopes are fairly common today, but they might not be if not for the efforts of one dedicated astronomer. We’ll talk about Lyman Spitzer and his role in developing space telescopes plus much more.
June 30-July 6: Getting Started. NASA launches many spacecraft to study the universe, but most of the ideas it studies don’t make the cut. We’ll talk about what gets picked and what doesn’t, including details on a mission that’s destined for a hot future.
June program schedule »
Hear StarDate every day on more than 300 radio stations nationwide. Find an affiliate »
Coming Up in StarDate Magazine
Our July/August issue brings you excerpts from new books in astronomy and space to help you build your cosmic library. And as always, we’ll bring you the latest astronomy news plus skywatching tips and charts.
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From a Treasure Chest to Superman
We'll post two new Spanish-language Universo programs in June. One will explain how astronomers look through a treasure chest of decades of observations by Hubble Space Telescope to see how stars and other objects have changed. The other will reveal new details about exploding stars — one of which may have helped inspire the story of Superman.
Details »
Details »
Starry Extravaganza at Austin's Bullock Texas State History Museum
Closer and Closer
Progress continues on the HETDEX project, as astronomers prepare to probe the distant universe to learn more about mysterious dark energy. Keep up with the latest details through reports on the HETDEX website.
Details »
Details »
News From the Observatory
Astronomers Find Sun’s ‘Long-Lost Brother,’ Pave Way for Family Reunion
A team of researchers led by University of Texas at Austin astronomer Ivan Ramirez has identified the first “sibling” of the Sun — a star that was almost certainly born from the same cloud of gas and dust as our star. Ramirez’ methods will help other astronomers find other “solar siblings,” work that could lead to an understanding of how and where our Sun formed, and how our solar system became hospitable for life. The work will be published in the June 1 issue of The Astrophysical Journal.
Globular Clusters Rotate at Heart
Astronomers from The University of Texas at Austin and Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) recently found a surprise when studying some of the oldest star clusters in our galaxy. The stars at the centers of these clusters are rotating around a common axis. It was previously thought any central rotation would have been long erased, leaving the central stars to random orbits. The work has been accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
A team of researchers led by University of Texas at Austin astronomer Ivan Ramirez has identified the first “sibling” of the Sun — a star that was almost certainly born from the same cloud of gas and dust as our star. Ramirez’ methods will help other astronomers find other “solar siblings,” work that could lead to an understanding of how and where our Sun formed, and how our solar system became hospitable for life. The work will be published in the June 1 issue of The Astrophysical Journal.
Globular Clusters Rotate at Heart
Astronomers from The University of Texas at Austin and Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) recently found a surprise when studying some of the oldest star clusters in our galaxy. The stars at the centers of these clusters are rotating around a common axis. It was previously thought any central rotation would have been long erased, leaving the central stars to random orbits. The work has been accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
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