Celestial Events in June

I really hope you saw my last post about the one that happened this morning! I completely forgot about this- the downside of turning my hobby into a business is I get distracted by some of the operational stuff and forget about the stuff that I really would rather be doing- like planning epic shots. There actually isn't much happening this month- so I'll add a few more obscure events that may interest you. 

June 10th- New Moon & Annular Eclipse
Always the best time to stargaze, the New Moon is always when I try to get away from city lights and see deeper into space. Right now is Milky Way Season, so those in darker skies can appreciate the view of the core of the milky way, rising into the sky after sunset and staying there the entire night. Try and see if you can spot nebulae with the naked eye! My favorite to look for is the lagoon nebula, which is right in the core. Through binoculars it is unmistakeable, and easy to identify, but with just your eyes it is more of a challenge. 

The Annular eclipse was only visible in certain parts of the northern hemisphere, near the atlantic (canada, northeast US, parts of Europe). Unlike a total eclipse, the Annular eclipse never completely covers the sun. The moon is too "small" (really too distant) and the sunlight always creeps around it, meaning you can't see it with your naked eyes. I had plans to shoot it, but sadly injured my back on Monday so had to cancel my trip. 

June 11th- Moon and Venus Conjunction
The moon will be a barely visible crescent just after sunset, so make sure you have a clear view of the horizon to see the slim crescent setting with the bright companion Venus right as the sun goes down. They're only 3 degrees apart in the sky (6 moon widths) so makes for a nice view.

June 13th- Crescent Moon and Mars Conjunction
The moon will be easier to spot for this one, since it will be higher in the sky at sunset. Mars on the other hand, is much fainter and more distant than Venus right now, so will look like a slightly reddish star. They will be about 3 degrees apart (6 moon widths).

June 17th- first quarter moon
My favorite time to capture the moon- the first quarter moon is high in the sky right at sunset, and the terminator line perfectly bisecting the moon casts long shadows on the cratered terrain. It looks phenomenal in binoculars or a telescope, and if you have a telephoto lense on a camera you can resolve the most details during this time. 

June 23rd- Mars joins the behive
Mars is drifting along the starry backdrop as it has been for eternity- and on the 23rd it becomes an impostor as it sits among the stars in the behive cluster in the Cancer constellation. 

June 24th- Supermoon
This is the last supermoon of the year. Also known as the strawberry moon (due to timing with the strawberry harvest), this moon is super bright and large in the sky, so bright it will cast shadows. Not a great time to stargaze, but a wonderful time to watch the moon rise on the horizon at sunset. 

June 28th- Jupter/Saturn/Moon Conjunction
The moon will pass betweet Saturn and Jupiter, making a triangle between the two gas giants, which will look like bright stars. It is a waning gibbous moon, so it won't appear until after midnight. 

I'm still working towards turning this hobby into an actual business. My first print sale went successfully from a sales standpoint (everyone came out in droves to support me) but sadly a lot of things broke on the fulfillment side, so I've been working nonstop pretty much every single day to make sure everyone got their orders and ensure the next one goes smoothly, so if you're curious why I haven't had another sale since that one, that's why. If there is anything you'd love to see me add to my next batch of prints, please let me know! I'll make them available as soon as I sort out my issues.