June skygazing: A visit to Venus, longest day of the year, sweet summer moon, and asteroids

Planets, solstice and asteroids: 5 stargazing events for June 2026

There will be plenty of celestial events this June, from planetary conjunctions and the summer solstice to a micro full Strawberry Moon.

June Is Packed With Celestial Events—With a Double Planet Display, Meteor Shower, and Milky Way Views

Summer stargazing season kicks off with meteor showers, a supermoon, and brilliant planetary views.The June Strawberry full moon.Credit: Kathy McLean/Getty ImagesWith summer officially arriving this month, June is one of the best times of year to spend an evening under the stars.Whether you're watching from the backyard or experiencing truly dark skies at a remote resort or national park, the month offers a handful of highlights worth staying up…

June skygazing: A visit to Venus, longest day of the year, sweet summer moon, and asteroids

June 9:Conjunction of Jupiter and VenusJune 21:Summer SolsticeJune 29:Full Strawberry MoonJune 30Asteroid Day Summer arrives this month and with it come long, sweltering days along with all-too-brief nights. But if you can dodge the fireflies and stock up on mosquito repellent, there’s still stargazing to be done! This month’s highlight is a conjunction between our solar system’s two biggest show-offs. There’s also the summer equinox to consider…

Minnesota Starwatch for June

In June the nights are short, but this year they pack plenty of astronomical action. The month opens with Jupiter plummeting toward Venus above the sunset horizon. The planets pass each other between June 5 and June 8, but come closest on the 9th. Nearby are the Gemini twin stars Pollux and Castor. On June 16 and June 17, a thin young moon appears close to Jupiter and Venus, respectively. Continuing on eastward, the moon waxes as it glides by Re…

Astro Bob: Planetary trio lights up western sky at dusk

Most of the action this month will be at dusk in the western sky. That’s where Venus and Jupiter will meet in a close conjunction on June 9, with the planet Mercury a stone’s throw away. About a week later, a delicate lunar crescent joins the scene in a wonderful, zigzag planet-moon alignment. To prepare for this multi-act show, find a location with a wide-open view to the west-northwest. Bring bug spray, since the mosquitoes will likely be biti…

Venus and Jupiter set to pair up in the western sky on June 6 and 7

Skywatchers looking west after sunset will have an easy target in early June as Venus and Jupiter draw close together in an eye-catching pairing. The two brightest planets will appear side by side on June 6 and 7, creating what some observers call “spooky eyes” in the twilight sky