The Sky In June 2025 – By Dee Sharples

Poster’s Note: The text for this month’s installment from Dee Sharples, “The Sky In June 2025,” is provided below. Those wishing to listen to the article can click on the audio link below.

The number of daylight hours is increasing every day and culminates on the longest day of the year, the Summer Solstice, which arrives on Friday, June 20 at 10:42 p.m. EDT (Eastern Daylight Time). The Summer Solstice marks the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring when Earth reaches the point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its maximum tilt (about 23.5 degrees) toward the Sun. This results in the longest number of daylight hours and the shortest number of hours of darkness in the calendar year. 

Some people think the Summer Solstice always arrives on June 21^st, but it can occur on the 20^th, 21^st, or 22^nd of June.

Since the year 2000, the Summer Solstice has occurred on June 20^th nine times in the U.S. in states or parts of states observing Eastern Daylight Time. A curious fact is that the number of years it will be on the 20^th is increasing, and starting in the year 2076, the Summer Solstice will fall on June 20^th every year through 2099.

What is quite rare is when the Summer Solstice occurs on June 22^nd. The last time was in 1955.

Three planets will be visible in the evening sky, but only Mars will be easy to find.  On the 1^st of the month, Mars and a crescent Moon will be about 8° apart high in the western sky. The Moon will point the way.  Hold your arm straight out with a closed fist extended toward the Moon. Your fist will block about 10 degrees of the sky. It’s a handy ruler. Mars will look like an average star shining with an orange hue at only magnitude 1.2.  If you miss it on the 1^st, check the western sky again on the 30^th where the Moon will once again show you the way. On that evening, the crescent Moon will be less than 1° away from Mars. Extend your arm and point your index finger at the Moon to find Mars this time only a finger-width away.

Jupiter will be very low in the northwestern sky shining brightly at magnitude -1.9 about 20 minutes after the Sun sets. It will only be 8° above the horizon so you’ll need an unobstructed view free of hills, trees or buildings. On June 8^th shortly after sunset, Mercury will have a very close encounter with Jupiter as seen from our vantage point on Earth. In reality, the two planets are separated by millions of miles.

If you’re an early riser, look for brilliant Venus shining at magnitude -4.4 before the Sun rises. It will be an unmistakable jewel in the eastern sky. Saturn will already be higher in the southeast sky shining at a much dimmer magnitude 1.0. A great way to start a summer day.