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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report through June 20th, 2019. Here’s what’s happening in the skies of southern California.
The planet Mercury is well placed for observation in the west-northwest sky at about 8:40 p.m. It then appears similar to the gleam of bright star against the fading twilight, and it is located about 12 degrees above the west-northwest horizon. At the same time, it is also a few degrees below the bright stars Castor and Pollux of the constellation Gemini the Twins. On the 17th, binoculars will help you to see the orange gleam of planet Mars as it appears only a quarter of a degree to the left of the brighter Mercury.
The brilliance of the moon dominates most of the night hours through the 20th. Its phase is gibbous to except on the 17th, when the moon is full. By the 18th, moonrise occurs after the night has fallen.
The planet Jupiter is the brilliant object visible above the southeast horizon starting at sunset. Located in the direction of the constellation Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer, Jupiter crosses the meridian in the south at its highest at about 12:30 a.m., and sets in the west-southwest before sunrise. Binoculars will reveal the four largest of Jupiter’s many moons as star-like spots clustered close to the planet, in patterns that shift with the moon’s revolutions around the planet from one night to the next. A telescope can reveal the patterns of clouds in Jupiter’s atmosphere, including the colorful oval storm, the Great Red Spot. On the West Coast, the Great Red Spot should be visible at 10:00 p.m. on the 14th, 16th, and 19th. The moon passes Jupiter on the 15th and 16th.
Saturn, in the constellation Sagittarius the Archer, appears low in the southeast by about 11:00 p.m., and it crosses the meridian at about 2:30 a.m. Saturn’s rings are a memorable sight through nearly any telescope. The moon is just below Saturn on the 18th.
Free views of the Sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes from Tuesday through Sunday, before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for the schedule. The next free public star party on the grounds of Griffith Observatory, hosted by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place on Saturday, July 13th between 2:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Follow The Sky Report, All Space Considered, and Griffith Observatory on Twitter for updates on astronomy and space-related events.
From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook, and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.