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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report through the period ending June 30, 2021. Here are the events happening in the sky of southern California.

Mercury is in the early evening sky. On the 1^st, the sun sets at 8:00 p.m., while Mercury sets at 8:54 p.m. Within a week, Mercury passes close to the sun and is unobservable until the last week of June. On the 30^th, Mercury rises in the morning sky at 4:31 a.m., and the sun rises at 5:45 a.m. Never observe Mercury when the sun is in the sky, for the risk of damage to the eyes is great.

Venus is in the evening sky. On the 1^st, the sun sets at 8:00 p.m., and Venus sets at 9:22 p.m. On the 30^th, the sun sets at 8:09 p.m., and Venus sets at 9:48 p.m. Venus presents a wide gibbous phase and is small. Never observe Venus when the sun is in the sky, for the risk of damage to the eyes is great.

Copper-red Mars continues to recede from earth and shrinks slowly. The planet appears too small to reveal anything on its disk, even when viewed through a telescope. Mars starts the month about a third of the way above the western horizon. It sets at 11:04 p.m. on the 1^st and at 10:10 p.m. on the 30^th. On the 22^nd and the 23^rd, Mars will be in front of the large open star cluster M44, nicknamed the Beehive. The planet’s bright orange light will contrast with the white stars of the cluster. Binoculars will be needed to see the cluster.

Jupiter rises in the east at 12:57 a.m. on the 1^st and at 11:04 p.m. on the 30^th. A telescope will reveal features on the disk and the four Galilean moons, which travel in a rough line east to west around Jupiter.

Saturn rises in the east at 12:02 a.m. on the 1^st and at 10:04 p.m. on the 30^th. A telescope will reveal Saturn’s disk, its rings, and perhaps its brightest and largest moon, Titan.

The last quarter moon occurs on the 2^nd, new moon on the 10^th, first quarter on the 17^th, and full moon on the 24^th.

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