The Night Sky
June 2021
Summer Solstice (June 21st) is the longest day of the year where the tilt of the Earth (for us) is inclined towards the sun, resulting in over sixteen and a half hour of daylight. You might think that this would wash out most things for us to see this month. In a way that is true, but if you are prepared to stay up a little longer there is plenty to see! No matter what you use to observe there is something for everyone.
Observing with your Eyes.
The morning of 10th June will see a partial solar eclipse across the UK. About 40 % of the disc of the sun will be blocked out by the moon at 10.15am. The next total solar eclipse visible in the UK will be 23rd September 2090!
For about a month either side of the Summer Solstice there is a chance to see something that you cannot see at any other time of the year. They are not common but you may get lucky. These are the very distinctive noctilucent clouds, electric blue and can be seen in a northerly direction (in the direction of Embsay Crag) after sunset when the brightest stars come into view before it gets completely dark.
They are, in fact, ice crystals so high up in the atmosphere (50 miles) that they are still able to catch the sunlight despite the sun having set.
Observing with Binoculars.
The Virgo Cluster is really the best concentration of galaxies for you try to view and each galaxy should have an article dedicated to itself. But here we have over 150 major spiral and elliptical galaxies (roughly 2000 in total).
Some of them will appear to be smudges but they are galaxies just like our own Milky way.
Over time we will look at some galaxies in more detail but for now, like being offered a paper bag full of tasty sweets, gorge yourself!
Observing with a Telescope.
During the time of a new moon is perhaps the best time to observe faint objects and this month it is on 10th June. One of my favourite objects to observe is in the constellation of Lyra.
In Greek mythology a great musician played a lyra when accompanying Jason and the Argonauts. What a great tale immortalised in the sky and many will remember the film usually over Christmas! When I first explored Lyra I saw a very special object that made me gasp. Instead of seeing the usual stars and pinpricks of light, in full view was what appeared to be a polo mint!
What I had stumbled upon was the wonderful Ring Nebula or M57. Around its edges is a distinctive red coating and if you are lucky you may pick out a blueish tint around the inside of the ring. It is quite easy to find as it is close to the bright star Vega. M57 is the result of a massive explosion about 8000 years ago. It is a star like our own in its final stages and what you will see is the aftermath. Its material is blown outwards to reveal a space where a sun like ours used to be. The star has now become a ‘White Dwarf’ so much smaller that only the most powerful telescopes can spot what is left.
Clear Skies
Milan Davidovic
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