Naked-Eye Asteroid and More Can't-Miss Sky Events in June
Planetary pairings, a super-bright asteroid, and the astronomical start of a new season offer plenty of reasons to look up this month.
This month promises to be a busy one for sky-watchers, with several dazzling planetary pairings sprinkled around the June solstice. Keen observers will also have the rare opportunity to witness the brightest asteroid in the solar system become visible to the naked eye.
So dust of those binoculars, and turn your gaze toward the heavens.
Mars will brighten dramatically throughout June as we head toward opposition in late July. This is when the planet will make its closest approach to Earth since 2003, offering some of the best views of the ruddy world.
Just as the sun sets, look low to the western sky for the planet Venus to join the twin stars of the Gemini constellation, Pollux and Castor. The
