Stargazing in June
Arizona 🏜
What better way to celebrate summer than to head out late at night and look up?
If you've been working too hard or had some extra stresses in your life lately, I cannot recommend stargazing enough. When I travel or take time off, I usually try to fit stargazing into my plans somewhere.
Sometimes finding space for this can be tricky - like if you live in a city. Light pollution and cloudy weather can throw a wet blanket on your plans. Look ahead and plan for celestial events and what the weather is like in your area, and you'll be able to make it happen.
The night sky is not very clear from my home. I drive about an hour away to get a clear sky away from city lights and fog. A bit of a journey, but it's always worth it.
Flagstaff, Arizona, is my favorite place to stargaze, located in Northern Arizona. Flagstaff was named the first International Dark Sky City in 2001.
This is super cool.
This means that they are dedicated to maintaining specific standards regarding light pollution. The city has strict codes on outdoor lighting so that they may preserve their dark sky resource.
Wow!
Flagstaff is home to Lowell Observatory. Pluto was discovered using a telescope that is housed here. Look into visiting this observatory. It sits on top of a hill at the center of town. It's close by and has some fun activities.
What to look for in June
Full moon - June 14th - Strawberry Moon (Rose Moon). This full moon is a super moon because its orbital proximity to earth makes it appear larger and brighter than usual. In the early hours of June 14th, the moon may look 10% larger than average.
Planetary alignments June 19-27. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus all line up and become visible together by June 24th. This alignment is rare. It can take upwards of a decade for them to align like this.
“Each planet circles the sun on its own timetable—Mercury circles the sun every 88 days, while Saturn takes 29 years, for instance—so alignments aren't on a set clock.” - Popular Mechanics Website
No matter what day you decide to head out and look up, you're in for an adventure. A new moon will happen on June 28th. This is when the sky will be the darkest, and you'll be able to see more stars shining.
Remember to bring a blanket or chair, snacks (always), and a friend.
The latest
I'm getting back to Medium this month in a big way, and I'm so thrilled. I will be publishing there about five times a week, and you don't want to miss it.
My favorite post from this week is this one.
It's a fun one, so please enjoy.
Have a fantastic weekend, would you? Pour your favorite drink and pet your pets.
Until next time.
Peace,
Kit
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Kit Campoy is a freelance writer based in Southern California. She's covered cryptocurrency, company profiles, and interview pieces for online publications. Connect with Kit on LinkedIn, DeSo, and Twitter.
Thank you!!!
Do ya recommend any telescope for amateur stargazers? Thank you, I love reading your articles!