BA Sidewalk Astronomer

On Wednesday, June 17, the lunar occultation of Venus can be seen across the United States; in New Mexico it can be seen 12:17 PM- 4:43 PM. During this time, the crescent moon will occult, or cross in front of Venus, temporarily blocking the planet from view. Venus and the moon will be visible during daylight hours, allowing people to see this astronomical event.

Do not look directly at the sun or point binoculars, telescopes, or cameras near the sun without the proper solar safety equipment. If you are near Capulin Volcano, stop by. We will have supplies out for viewing during the occultation.

-Ranger Rachel

Lunar occultation of Venus - In-The-Sky.org

The high altitude of the noon sun on the June solstice is due to the tilt
of Earth's Polar Axis

On June 21,
the northerly direction of Earth's axis reaches its maximum tilt towards the sun.

As evening twilight fades, the planet Mercury is close below the Moon. Brighter Jupiter is to the left or upper left of the Moon; Pollux and Castor, the twins of Gemini, to the upper right; and Venus, the Evening Star, farther to the upper left.

A space volcano? 🌋

These two interacting galaxies almost look like an erupting volcano. Called MCG+12-02-001, this pair is visibly affected by their gravitational interaction, as cosmic material flings out in opposite directions.

Located about 200 million light-years away, these galaxies call the constellation Cassiopeia home: https://go.nasa.gov/3QsN5K6

Image credit: NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration, and A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)

From Yuri Beletsky, twanight.org/beletsky : Venus and Jupiter shining right above the telescopes at Carnegie Las Campanas Observatory in the Atacama desert in Chile 🇨🇱. I took this image soon after sunset, when the colors suddenly fired up high in the sky. Such a serene scene! Although such weather is quite a challenge for us astronomers, it’s moments like this that make it all worth it ✨

NGC 3576, Statue of Liberty Nebula
Credit: Bozon-Navick
Chile

🌙✨ Tonight is the dress rehearsal for one of the best sky shows of the week!

After sunset this evening, the thin crescent Moon joins the planet lineup in the western sky, with brilliant Venus, bright Jupiter, and elusive Mercury all sharing the twilight.

This is a beautiful beginner-friendly skywatching moment because the Moon helps point the way.

Here’s what to look for:
🔭 Venus: the brightest “star” in the western sky
🪐 Jupiter: lower than Venus and still easy to spot
🌙 Thin crescent Moon: sitting between Jupiter and Mercury
✨ Mercury: much lower and trickier to see near the horizon

😲The Moon, Jupiter, and Mercury form a little triangle low in the western twilight, and with Venus shining nearby, you’ll be looking at a beautiful solar system lineup you may even be able to capture with your cellphone camera.

How to see it:
✅ Go outside about 30–60 minutes after sunset
✅ Face west
✅ Find a spot with a clear, open horizon
✅ Spot Venus first- it’s the bright anchor
✅ Then look lower for Jupiter, the crescent Moon, and Mercury
✅ Use binoculars only after the Sun is completely below the horizon

This is a great warm-up for tomorrow’s big Moon-and-Venus event, so don’t miss tonight’s sky!

📸 If you spot the lineup, try taking a photo and drop it in the comments. Where will you be watching from tonight?

SkySafari National Geographic Books

M27: The Dumbbell Nebula Deep Field
Francesco Antonucci
Italy