Astroblog: Thursday June 4 to Thursday June 11

Wednesday, June 03, 2026

Thursday June 4 to Thursday June 11

The Last Quarter Moon is Monday June 8. In the morning Saturn and Mars form a line and Are joined by the crescent Moon later in the week. Venus is close to Jupiter. On the 4th Venus, Jupiter and the bright star Pollux form an attractive triangle. Between the 8th and 9th Venus is less than 2° from Jupiter and forms a line with Pollux. Mercury returns to the evening sky below Venus and Jupiter.

The Last Quarter Moon is Monday June 8.

Eastern horizon on the morning of Saturday, June 6 as seen from Adelaide at 6:18 ACST (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).

Saturn and Mars form a 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 (60 minutes before sunrise).

Western sky on the evening of Thursday, June 4 as seen from Adelaide at 18:41 ACST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

Venus, Jupiter and the bright star Pollux form an attractive triangle.

The inset shows the telescopic views of Jupiter and Venus at this time.

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

Western sky on the evening of Wednesday, June 8 as seen from Adelaide at 18:11 ACST (60 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Venus Jupiter, Pollux and Castor form a battered line, with Mercury below, very close to epsilon Geminorum.

The inset shows the telescopic views of Jupiter and Venus at this time.

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

Whole sky on Saturday, June 6th as seen from Adelaide at 18:41 ACST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Jupiter and Venus are prominent low in the north-west.

Bright Canopus and Sirius are sinking from the Zenith. Orion is now lost in the twilight as Orion's Nemesis, Scorpius, rises above the south-eastern horizon.

The Southern Cross is rising in the Southern sky. The moon is waning and the fainter clusters and nebula are becoming easier to see.

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

Mercury enters the evening twilight, below Venus and Jupiter. Mercury is very close to epsilon Geminorum on the 8th.

Venus climbs higher in the evening twilight and is now visible when the sky is fully dark. Venus is coming closer to Jupiter. The pair are attractive in the late twilight. On the 4th Venus, Jupiter and the bright star Pollux form an attractive triangle. Between the 8th and 9th Venus is less than 2° from Jupiter and forms a line with Pollux.

Mars is climbing in the twilight.

Jupiter is low above the horizon, setting in the early evening. Jupiter forms a broad triangle with the bright stars Betelgeuse and Procyon, and a narrower triangle with the stars Castor and Pollux. On the 4th Venus, Jupiter and the bright star Pollux form an attractive triangle. Between the 8th and 9th Jupiter is less than 2° from Venus and forms a line with Pollux.

Saturn is climbing in the twilight 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