One thing you may notice in the sky this week has to do with what happens at the beginning of the day and not the middle of the night. Summer doesn’t arrive until June 21st but the earliest sunrises of the year will occur this week.
It may seem weird that the longest day – in terms of daylight – doesn’t have the earliest sunrise. The reason for this is that a solar day, or the time it takes the Earth to rotate once around it’s axis (meaning the sun appears in the same place in the sky as it did the day before), isn’t exactly 24 hours.
It’s actually a little longer this time of year and hence the earlier sunrises. According to sunrise-sunset.org the earliest sunrises in Columbus will occur at 6:02:36 A.M. on Monday and Tuesday.
If you’re up early on Tuesday you might catch the innermost planet next to the “eye of the bull”. Aldebaran is the brightest star in the constellation of Taurus.
The Red Giant and Mercury will hang low in the sky on the morning of June 12. If you get out early enough, you’re in a dark enough spot and have a good view of the low horizon you may catch the two before the dawn engulfs the two.
Look in the ENE near the horizon around 5:50 a.m. with a set of binoculars for the best chance of seeing the two.
Another planet you’ll find in the sky is Saturn. The planet reaches opposition, on Thursday morning at 6:00 A.M. That means the Earth is between the ringed planet and the sun.
As a result, Saturn will brightest that morning. Look in the south around midnight near Scorpius. While you’re at it see if you can find Mars. It’ll be near the constellation as well.
The moon will also hit its last quarter phase on the Saturday morning. The half-moon will be hard to miss if you’re out enjoying a clear summer night. Happy hunting!
