Astroblog: Thursday June 25 to Thursday July 2

Monday, June 22, 2026

Thursday June 25 to Thursday July 2

The Full Moon is Tuesday June 30. In the morning Saturn and Mars form a long line. Mars and Uranus are close together in binoculars and the pair are also midway between the Pleiades and Hyades clusters. In the evening, Venus Jupiter and Mercury form a line. On the 25th Mercury and Jupiter are close in the twilight. On June 28 the Moon occults the bright star Antares (East coast only early morning).

The Full Moon is Tuesday June 30. The Moon is at apogee, when it is furthest from the earth, on June 28.

Eastern horizon on the morning of Saturday, June 27 as seen from Adelaide at 5:54 ACST (90 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).

Saturn and Mars form a long line in the twilight. Saturn is now high enough for telescopic observation, and its rings are widening.

The inset shows the telescopic view of Saturn at this time.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes before sunrise).

Eastern horizon on the morning of Thursday, July 2 as seen from Adelaide at 5:54 ACST (90 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).

Mars is close to Uranus ahead of the close apposition of the pair next week and between the Hyades and Pleiades clusters.

The inset shows the binocular view of Mars, Uranus and the Pleiades at this time.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes before sunrise).

Western sky on the evening of Thursday, June 25 as seen from Adelaide at 18:12 ACST (60 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

Mercury and Jupiter are at their closest, with Venus above. Venus is coming closer to the bright star Regulus (Alpha Leonis).

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset).

Western sky on the evening of Saturday, June 27 as seen from Adelaide at 18:13 ACST (60 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

Venus is coming closer to the bright star Regulus. Jupiter and Mercury are sinking towards the horizon.

The inset is the telescopic view of Venus at this time.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset).

The western sky at 02:22 AEST Sunday, June 28, as seen from Canberra. The Moon is about to occult the bright star Antares.
The inset shows the telescopic view at the time. (click to embiggen). Click to embiggen.

for more details and times from other cities, see my Antares occultation page.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time

Whole sky on Saturday, June 27th as seen from Adelaide at 18:42 ACST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Venus is prominent low in the north-west.

Bright Canopus and Sirius are sinking into the west. Scorpius, is readily seen above the south-eastern horizon.

The Southern Cross is at its zenith in the Southern sky. The Moon is waxing and the fainter clusters and nebula are becoming harder to see to see.

Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).

Mercury starts lowering in the evening twilight, below Jupiter and Venus. On the 25th Mercury and Jupiter are close in the twilight.

Venus climbs higher in the evening twilight and is now visible when the sky is fully dark. Venus is drawing away Jupiter in the evening sky. Venus is coming closer to the bright star Regulus (Alpha Leonis).

Mars is climbing in the twilight. Mars is close to Uranus ahead of the close apposition of the pair next week and between the Hyades and Pleiades clusters.

Jupiter is low above the horizon, setting around astronomical twilight. On the 25th Mercury and Jupiter are close in the twilight.

Saturn is climbing higher in the morning sky above Mars.

Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm ACST, Western sky at 10 pm ACST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.

Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/

Labels: weekly sky