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What's Up? - Ohio Skylights June 2025

June 2, 2025

What's Up? - Ohio Skylights June 2025

Aurora Borealis over Alaska

Constellations and Astronomical Events Visible in June 2025!

Happy June! I hope everyone made it through the constant rain from last month. We’re starting June off with a few sunny days, so hopefully that will make for some great night skies! This month we’re only gaining a few minutes of sunlight before we reach the Summer Solstice and days start getting shorter again. We begin the month with sunrise and sunset at 6:04 am and 8:56 pm respectively. At the end of the month we will see the sun rise at 6:06 am and set at 9:04 pm. 

 

As mentioned we are approaching the Summer Solstice, which occurs when the Earth’s axis of rotation is pointed towards the Sun (shown in the image below) causing warmer weather in the northern hemisphere. We will reach the solstice on June 20th, making it the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. In Columbus, the sun will rise at 6:03 am and set at 9:04 pm making for 15 hours and 40 seconds of daylight. From that point on the days will get shorter and shorter until the Winter Solstice in December.

 

The Sun is around the peak of its roughly 11 year cycle of magnetic activity and because of this is just released an intense Coronal Mass Ejection on May 31st! This sends material from the Sun out into space with this solar storm in particular reaching Earth. When this material interacts with Earth’s magnetic field it can lead to a buildup of charged particles in the northern and southernmost regions of the Earth. These particles then interact with the atmosphere creating the northern and southern lights (aurora borealis and aurora australis respectively). Since this solar storm is so severe, the aurorae will be visible much further from the poles. There have been confirmed sightings of the northern lights as far south as California and Missouri. Below is a map of where the northern lights were expected to be seen last night. The chances of seeing them tonight will be lower, but may still be possible even in central Ohio.

 

This month the full moon will be on June 11th and the new moon will be on June 25th. Mercury won’t be visible at the beginning of the month, but it will be in the second half of June. Once Mercury rises in the sky a little, you will be able to find it just above the western horizon as the Sun sets. Venus will be much easier to find in the morning sky before sunrise. Mars will be visible right after sunset in the western sky, but it will fall below the horizon rather quickly. If you go out before midnight to 1:00 am you should be able to spot it. Jupiter will not be visible this month as it is close to the Sun in the sky. Although it won’t be visible, Jupiter will reach solar conjunction, so feel free to celebrate the occasion! Saturn will rise in the eastern sky around 2:00 am to 3:00 am this month giving you a few hours to see it before the Sun rises. 

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