In the early hours of Sunday morning (June 19), the waning moon will move to a one-inch-wide width of the asteroid Vesta in the east-southeast sky.
During this close approach, the pair will share their sight in a wide-field telescope eyepiece, according to Chris Vaughan, an amateur astronomer with SkySafari software that monitors Space.com’s night sky calendar. Bright with a magnitude of 6.75, Vesta will be visible the moonis top left.
“The daytime rotation of the sky will raise Vesta above the moon at 4 a.m.,” Vaughan said. Observers in most of Antarctica, the tip of South America and the Falkland Islands can see the hidden moon of Vesta at around 08:00 GMT. “
Related: The brightest planets in the June night sky: how to see them (and when)
The exact time of the event varies depending on your specific location, so you’ll want to check out a sky viewing app like SkySafari or software like Starry Night to confirm your local time to search. Our selection of the best star-watching apps can help you with your planning.
Vesta is the brightest asteroid in the sky and is occasionally visible from Earth a ull nu. It is the second largest body of the asteroid beltonly surpassed by Ceres, which is classified as a dwarf planet.
Feel like taking a good picture of the moon as it approaches Vesta? Our guide to photographing the moon has some helpful tips. If you’re looking for a camera, here’s our overview of the best astrophotography cameras and the best astrophotography lenses. As always, our guides to the best telescopes and binoculars can help you prepare for the next big sky-watching event.
The close approach of the moon and Vesta is not the only sky-watching event to consider this month. Throughout June, a rare “parade of planets” will be visible in the sky before dawn, as the five naked-eye planets line up in their orbital order from the sun. From left to right in the southeastern sky, you can see Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn in a row. (Mercury will be easier to detect as the month matures.)
The best time to see this show may come on June 24, as Mercury should be out about an hour before the sun, according to a Press release (opens in a new tab) from Sky & Telescope.
Throughout June, the moon will travel above the planets in the morning sky. On June 21 it will pass through Jupiter, then pass through Mars on June 22 and Venus on June 26, ending its tour with Mercury on June 27.
Editor’s Note: If you take a large photo of the moon and Vesta wants to share it with Space.com readers, send your photos, comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
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