What’s up in the stars for June 2013?  Am talking about astronomy now, and what you can see (mostly with naked eye, and some with small telescopes).

Here’s a video from NASA, that explains all the special features for June 2013.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=164055491   (you can also download this video for your own personal view, at the NASA site! How good are they!)

Summary of video

1. Mercury, Veus & Jupiter

Can be seen just after sunset, in the West-North-West sky (in the constellation of Gemini)

2. Meteor Shower

On 11th June. High in SouthEast sky around 4.30am.  You can see the rare `Gamma Delphinids’ meteo shower  (close to Aquila and Capricornids..is a small constellation called Delphinus).

3. Four major Asteroids

Ceres, Pallas, Vesta & Juno are the first 4 asteroids to have been discovered. All are visible this month. Ceres & Pallas near Gemini, Juno near Aquarius.

4. Asteroid 1998 QE2

This one passed by Earth not so long ago – on 31st May 2013! A medium-large telescope is needed now to see it. Look south after 9pm..in the Constellations of Libra & Ophiucus.

5. Milky Way

By the end of June, Moon is rising very late, by midnight, so that gives plenty of evening / early night  time to look at the night sky..and without the bright light of gthe moon, parts of our galaxy Milk Way can be seen..  (as a fine dust of stars in bands that are obvious to miss. I saw this some years ago and was amazed!)

By the way asteroid Watch in NASA at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch/

-Mani Navasothy

ps. The Butterfly Nebula can not be seen by naked eye or normal telescopes from Earth. I was merely sharing another beautiful image from NASA 🙂