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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the period between June 1 and June 30, 2023. Here are the events happening in the sky of southern California.

Mercury rises due east at 4:34 a.m., PDT, and the sun rises at 5:43 a.m., PDT, one hour nine minutes later, and is 45-percent illuminated and eight arcseconds wide on the 1^st. On the 30^th, Mercury rises at 5:39 a.m., PDT, and the sun rises at 5:45 a.m., PDT, and so the planet is unobservable. Do not observe any planet when it comes close to the sun, for the danger to the eyes is great.

Venus is due west and sets at 11:20 p.m., PDT, on the 1^st, and the sun sets at 8:00 p.m., PDT. Venus is 51-percent illuminated and 23 arcseconds wide. On the 4^th, Venus is at greatest eastern elongation, visually the farthest away from the sun, 45 degrees to the east. On the 30^th, the sun sets at 8:09 p.m., PDT, and Venus sets at 10:36 p.m., PDT, and is 32-percent illuminated and 32 arcseconds wide. Venus continues to increase in brightness and width and to decrease in the percentage of the disk that is illuminated.

Mars moves from Cancer the Crab into Leo the Lion on the 20^th. On the 1^st, Mars sets west-northwest at 11:51 p.m., PDT, and is 93-percent illuminated and 4.7 arcseconds wide, too small to see a disk in most telescopes. On the 30^th, Mars sets at 10:49 p.m., PDT.

Jupiter is in Aries the Ram on the 19^th. On the 1^st, Jupiter rises due east-northeast at 3:46 a.m., PDT. On the 30^th, Jupiter rises at 2:09 a.m., PDT. The disk is 34 arcseconds wide. A magnification of 50x will show the Red Spot, and the four bright Galilean moons may be seen moving back and forth, roughly in a line centered on Jupiter.

Saturn is in Aquarius the Water Bearer. On the 1^st, the planet rises in the east-southeast at 1:18 a.m., PDT, and on the 30^th, the planet rises at 11:21 p.m., PDT. Saturn is 17 arcseconds wide. A magnification of 50x is needed to see the rings and Saturn’s largest moon Titan.

Uranus is in Aries the Ram. On the 1^st, Uranus rises due east-northeast at 4:34 a.m., PDT, and on the 30^th, Uranus rises at 2:45 a.m., PDT.  On the 15^th, Uranus is at Right Ascension 3^h 14^m 30^s and declination of +17° 41ʹ 56ʺ. A magnification of 150x is needed to see its 3.4-arcsecond wide disk.

Neptune is in Pisces the Fishes. On the 1^st, the planet rises toward the east-southeast at 2:11 a.m., PDT. On the 30^th, Neptune rises at 12:17 a.m., PDT. On the 15^th, Neptune is at Right Ascension 23^h 53^m 13^s and declination -2° 3ʹ 52ʺ.  A magnification of 150x is needed to see its 2.3-arcsecond wide disk.

Full moon occurs on the 3^rd, last quarter on the 10^th, new moon on the 17^th, and first quarter on the 26^th.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Summer begins in the northern hemisphere, and winter in the southern hemisphere, at 7:58 a.m., PDT, on June 21. At this precise moment, the sun reaches its northernmost point on the ecliptic.  This point and the time the sun meets it are called the summer solstice. Summer ends with the autumnal equinox on September 22.

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