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What's in the Night Sky Tonight: June 2024 | BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal what's in the night sky this month, including how to find Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, how to locate the T Coronae Borealis nova event, Ceres at opposition and noctilucent clouds.
Nebula RCW 36 in Vela: Cloudy with a Chance of Dust | ESO
This cloud-strewn new image of RCW 36 (or Gum 20) was captured by the European Southern Observatory’s Focal Reducer and low dispersion Spectrograph (FORS). It shows one of the sites of massive-star formation closest to our Solar System, about 2,300 light-years away. Located in the constellation of Vela (The Sails), the RCW 36 emission nebula is only part of an even larger star formation complex, known as the Vela Molecular Ridge.
Areas in the clouds of RCW 36 are dense enough to block out background light, creating patches and wisps of inky black. Despite the dark appearance of these clouds, they are the only places in the Universe in which star formation occurs; clumps of molecular hydrogen and cosmic dust collapse and come together to form stars encircled by small families of planets, as in our own Solar System.
FORS is mounted on European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), one of the world's most advanced astronomical observatories. This image was selected as part of the ESO Cosmic Gems program, an initiative that produces images of scientifically interesting and visually attractive objects using ESO telescopes for the purposes of education and public outreach. The program makes use of telescope time that cannot be used for science observations. All data collected may also be suitable for scientific purposes, and are made available to astronomers through ESO’s science archive.
Van den Bergh 93 Nebula in Monoceros | Kitt Peak National Observatory
Curtains of gas and dust dramatically open here to reveal the inner region of this star-forming region. Unceremoniously named, bright star SAO 152320 shines with intense light in the center of this field. Clouds of gas glow strongly and dust shrinks quickly under its radiative prowess. This vista lies some 4,000 light years away in the Milky Way galaxy towards the constellation of Monoceros. This is a portion of a much larger nebula called Gum 1.
This image was taken as part of Advanced Observing Program (AOP) program at Kitt Peak Visitor Center during 2014.
The Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) is a United States astronomical observatory located on Kitt Peak of the Quinlan Mountains in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert on the Tohono Oʼodham Nation, 88 kilometers (55 mi) west-southwest of Tucson, Arizona. With more than twenty optical and two radio telescopes, it has one of the largest installations of astronomical instruments in the Earth's northern hemisphere.
Kitt Peak National Observatory was founded in 1958. It is home to what was the largest solar telescope in the world, and many large astronomical telescopes of the late 20th century in the United States.
The observatory was administered by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) from the early 1980s until 2019, after which it was overseen by NOIRLab.
Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Bill Uminski and Cyndi Kristopeit/Adam Block
Rotating The Moon | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
No one, presently, sees the Moon rotate like this. This is because the Earth's moon is tidally locked to the Earth, showing us only one side. Given modern digital technology, however, combined with many detailed images returned by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), a high resolution virtual Moon rotation movie has been composed. The featured time-lapse video starts with the standard Earth view—the near side of the Moon. Quickly, though, Mare Orientale, a large crater with a dark center that is difficult to see from the Earth, rotates into view just below the equator.
From an entire lunar month condensed into 24 seconds, the video clearly shows that the Earth side of the Moon contains an abundance of dark lunar maria, while the lunar far side is dominated by bright lunar highlands. Currently, over 32 new missions to the Moon are under active development from multiple countries and companies, including NASA's Artemis program. They aim to land people on the Moon again within the next few years.
This year, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) celebrates its 15th anniversary orbiting the Moon (2009-2024). This mission has given scientists the largest volume of data ever collected by a planetary science mission at NASA. Considering that success and the continuing functionality of the spacecraft and its instruments, NASA awarded the mission an extended mission phase to continue operations. This is LRO's 5th extended science mission (ESM5). LRO continues to be one of NASA's most valuable tools for advancing lunar science.
Video Credit: NASA, LRO, Arizona State University (ASU)
China's Chang'e-6 Probe Returns First Data from South Pole on Moon's Far Side
The first batch of scientific data has been sent back from China's Chang'e-6 lander-ascender spacecraft after its successful landing in Apollo crater of the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin on the far side of the Moon on Sunday morning, June 2, 2024. After the landing, the probe is scheduled to complete sampling within two days. It has two methods for Moon sampling: using a drill to collect subsurface samples and grabbing samples on the surface with a robotic arm. The Chang'e-6 mission is supported by China's two lunar communications satellites—Queqiao-1 and Queqiao-2, launched in 2018 and 2024, respectively.
At the same time, scientific explorations including on-site investigations and analysis of the landing area on the far side of the Moon and the structure of lunar soil will be carried out to deepen the understanding of the Moon's origin and evolutionary history. For the first time in human history, the Chang’e-6 lunar mission, as part of the China Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP), will collect far side lunar soil samples and return them to Earth, as well as conduct scientific measurements of the lunar environment.
The SPA basin (43°±2° south latitude, 154°±4° west longitude) is a large impact crater on the far side of the Moon. At roughly 2,500 km (1,600 mi) in diameter and between 6.2 and 8.2 km (3.9–5.1 mi) deep, it is the largest, oldest, and deepest basin recognized on the Moon.
Chang'e-6 consists of an orbiter, a returner, a lander and an ascender. Since its launch on May 3 this year, it has gone through several stages, such as Earth-moon transfer, near-moon braking, lunar orbiting and landing descent. The lander-ascender combination separated from the orbiter-returner combination on May 30 said the China National Space Agency (CNSA).
Upon receiving the data from Chang'e-6, Chinese scientific research personnel at the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) have been analyzing and researching them.
"There are two pictures on the screen. One was captured during the landing process, and the other was taken after the safe landing by the landing camera, one of the essential instruments of Chang'e-6. This camera was installed at the bottom of the lander and began working during the descent phase. Through automatic exposure, it took a photo every second, capturing data that ensured a safe landing and documented the entire landing process technically. Scientifically, the data obtained by the landing camera can help us analyze the geological background and landforms of the landing area, providing rich background information for analyzing the returned samples," said Liu Jianjun, deputy commander of the Chang'e-6 mission.
Additionally, Chang'e-6 carries three other instruments to facilitate scientific research.
"There are three other scientific payloads installed on the Chang'e-6 lander. One is the foreground camera, which captures high-definition images of the landing and sampling areas. Another is the mineral spectral analysis instrument, which obtains spectral data at the sampling area to aid in analyzing the mineral composition there. The last one is the structural detector, installed at the bottom, which detects the structure of the soil beneath the moon's surface and provides information for further drilling and sampling procedures," said Zuo Wei, chief engineer of the Chang'e-6 mission.
Video Credit: China Central Television (CCTV) Video News Agency
China's Chang'e 6 Probe Lands Successfully at South Pole on Moon's Far Side
The lander-ascender combination of China's Chang'e-6 probe successfully landed in the Apollo crater at the designated landing area in the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin on the far side of the Moon on Sunday morning, June 2, 2024 at 22:23 UTC (2 June, at 06:23 China Standard Time). Here is the footage the Chang'e-6 probe transmitted back to Earth via Queqiao-2—China's second lunar relay satellite. For the first time in human history, the Chang’e-6 lunar mission, as part of the China Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP), will collect far side lunar soil samples and return them to Earth, as well as conduct scientific measurements of the lunar environment.
The SPA basin (43°±2° south latitude, 154°±4° west longitude) is a large impact crater on the far side of the Moon. At roughly 2,500 km (1,600 mi) in diameter and between 6.2 and 8.2 km (3.9–5.1 mi) deep, it is the largest, oldest, and deepest basin recognized on the Moon.
The Chang'e-6 spacecraft was launched on May 3, 2024, and entered lunar orbit on May 8. The landing went smoothly, as planned.
The Chang'e-6 mission features scientific payloads from France, Italy, Sweden, and Pakistan. The international scientific payloads carried by the Chang'e-6 mission include the French radon gas detector (CNES), the European Space Agency/Swedish ion analyzer, and the Italian laser corner reflector (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana).
In 2020, Chang'e-5 was the first lunar sample-return mission since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 in 1976. The mission made China the third country to return samples from the Moon after the United States and the Soviet Union.
Video Credits: China Global Television Network (CGTN)/China National Space Administration (CNSA)/China Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP)
The lander-ascender combination of China's Chang'e-6 probe successfully landed in the Apollo crater at the designated landing area in the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin on the far side of the Moon on Sunday morning, June 2, 2024 at 22:23 UTC (2 June, at 06:23 China Standard Time). Here is the footage the Chang'e-6 probe transmitted back to Earth via Queqiao-2—China's second lunar relay satellite. For the first time in human history, the Chang’e-6 lunar mission, as part of the China Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP), will collect far side lunar soil samples and return them to Earth, as well as conduct scientific measurements of the lunar environment.
The SPA basin (43°±2° south latitude, 154°±4° west longitude) is a large impact crater on the far side of the Moon. At roughly 2,500 km (1,600 mi) in diameter and between 6.2 and 8.2 km (3.9–5.1 mi) deep, it is the largest, oldest, and deepest basin recognized on the Moon.
The Chang'e-6 spacecraft was launched on May 3, 2024, and entered lunar orbit on May 8. The landing went smoothly, as planned.
The Chang'e-6 mission features scientific payloads from France, Italy, Sweden, and Pakistan. The international scientific payloads carried by the Chang'e-6 mission include the French radon gas detector (CNES), the European Space Agency/Swedish ion analyzer, and the Italian laser corner reflector (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana).
In 2020, Chang'e-5 was the first lunar sample-return mission since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 in 1976. The mission made China the third country to return samples from the Moon after the United States and the Soviet Union.
Credit: China Global Television Network (CGTN)/China National Space Administration (CNSA)/China Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP)
Though the nights are shorter in June, they are filled with fine sights. Look for the Hercules constellation. It will lead you to a globular star cluster with hundreds of thousands of densely packed stars. You can also spot Draco the dragon, which will point you to the Cat’s Eye Nebula. Keep watching for space-based views of globular star clusters and the nebula.
“Tonight’s Sky” is a monthly video of constellations you can observe in the night sky. The series is produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute, home of science operations for the Hubble Space Telescope, in partnership with NASA’s Universe of Learning.
Video Credit: Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)
What's Up for June 2024 | Skywatching Tips from NASA (Northern Hemisphere)
Here are examples of skywatching highlights for June 2024?
Saturn and Mars continue to dominate the morning sky, but they are joined by Jupiter as the month goes on. We offer tips for identifying commonly seen objects in the night sky.
0:00 Intro
0:14 Moon & planet highlights
1:03 Identifying common objects
4:14 June Moon phases
"Planet Parade" note: Online sources have shared excitement about a "parade of planets" visible in the morning sky in early June. In reality, only two of the six planets supposedly on display will actually be visible. Jupiter and Mercury will be at or below the horizon in morning twilight and not visible; Uranus and Neptune are far too faint to see without a telescope, especially as the morning sky brightens. The real planet parade will be June 29, when Saturn, the Moon, Mars, and Jupiter will line up across the morning sky.
We will talk more about that lineup in the July "What's Up" video.
Nebula Cederblad 90 in Canis Major | Kitt Peak National Observatory
This is an emission and reflection nebula located in the constellation Canis Major. This image was taken as part of Advanced Observing Program (AOP) program during 2014 at Kitt Peak Visitor Center. The vibrant hydrogen alpha atoms mix with dust particles reflected by the bright star SAO 152349 to produce a pink hue with delicate traces of blue nebulosity.
The Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) is a United States astronomical observatory located on Kitt Peak of the Quinlan Mountains in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert on the Tohono Oʼodham Nation, 88 kilometers (55 mi) west-southwest of Tucson, Arizona. With more than twenty optical and two radio telescopes, it has one of the largest installations of astronomical instruments in the Earth's northern hemisphere.
Kitt Peak National Observatory was founded in 1958. It is home to what was the largest solar telescope in the world, and many large astronomical telescopes of the late 20th century in the United States.
The observatory was administered by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) from the early 1980s until 2019, after which it was overseen by NOIRLab.
Strong Solar X1.1 Flare Erupts from Sun | NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory
The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 6:03 p.m. ET on May 31, 2024. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) watches the Sun constantly and captured an image of the event.
The Sun, shown in red, appears against a black background. Several bright yellow active regions appear across the Sun. A bright flash of yellow and white light can be seen in the lower left part of the Sun.
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare—as seen in the bright flash on the left—on May 31, 2024. The image shows a subset of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares and which is colorized in red.
Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.
Sunspot AR3664 (a.k.a. AR3697) has decayed, but it is still potent. This flare is classified as an X1.1 flare. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength.
The most famous sunspot in decades had its name changed. AR3664 caused the great May 10, 2024, superstorm. It has been re-numbered AR3697 following a 2-week trip around the farside of the Sun. This is an old tradition in solar physics that started long ago when astronomers had no way to track the continuity of farside sunspots.
To see how such space weather may affect Earth, please visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center https://spaceweather.gov/, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts.
NASA works as a research arm of the nation’s space weather effort. NASA observes the Sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere, and to the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth.
NASA's Boeing Starliner Crew Departs for ULA Atlas V Launch
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams, wearing Boeing spacesuits, are seen as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral to board the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for the Crew Flight Test launch, Saturday, June 1, 2024, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, wearing Boeing spacesuits, are seen as they depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral to board the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for the Crew Flight Test launch, Saturday, June 1, 2024, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test is the first launch with astronauts of the Boeing CFT-100 spacecraft and United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. The flight test, targeted for launch at 12:25 p.m. EDT on June 1, 2024, serves as an end-to-end demonstration of Boeing’s crew transportation system and will carry Wilmore and Williams to and from the orbiting laboratory.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program works with the American aerospace industry to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station on American-made rockets and spacecraft launching from American soil.
Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:
Boeing Starliner on ULA Atlas V Rocket | International Space Station
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket and Boeing's Starliner sit on Space Launch Complex-41 (SLC-41) at sunset at Cape Canaveral ahead of the Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Pad teams will perform final checks before the launch scheduled for 12:25 p.m. ET on June 1, 2024.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program works with the American aerospace industry to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station on American-made rockets and spacecraft launching from American soil.
Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:
Boeing Starliner Moved to Pad for Crew Launch | International Space Station
Boeing's Starliner and United Launch Alliance's Atlas V have returned to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex-41 for the Crew Flight Test. On May 30, 2024, teams rolled the 172 ft (52 m) tall stack at a pace of ~1 mph (1.6 km/h) along tracks from ULA's Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad.
Pad teams will perform final checks before the launch scheduled for 12:25 p.m. ET on June 1. Starliner will transport NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program works with the American aerospace industry to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station on American-made rockets and spacecraft launching from American soil.
Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:
