The moon will block the bright double star Dschubba, or Delta Scorpii, in hiding on June 12, 2022. Star observers in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada can see the stars glide behind the moon. (Image credit: Chris Vaughan)
The almost full moon will block a bright double star in the night sky tonight (June 12) and some star observers can see it through binoculars or a telescope.
Weather permitting, star observers in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada can see the double star Delta Scorpii (also known as Dschubba) as it glides behind the moon’s edge for approx. one hour. 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 schedule hours. Our selection of the best star-watching apps can help you with your planning.
“In New York City, the dark, front edge of the moon will cover the two stars at 22:19 EDT. They will come out from behind the bright opposite end of the moon at 23:07 EDT,” writes the geophysicist. Chris Vaughan, an amateur astronomer with SkySafari Software who oversees Space.com’s Night Sky calendar. “Try to start watching a few minutes before each time.”
Related: The brightest planets in the June night sky and how to see them
Delta Scorpii binary star system (Dschubba is the main one) which can be found in the constellation Scorpius. Its concealment by the moon arrives a few days before the full moon, which will occur on Tuesday (June 14).
The full moon of June is known as the full moon of strawberry and will also occur when the moon is near the perigee, or the closest point to the Earth in its monthly orbit. This will make it a supermoon, according to NASA, earning it the nickname of the 2022 strawberry supermoon.
On Tuesday, you can watch a live webcast of the Strawberry Supermoon for free, courtesy of the Virtual Telescope Project led by astrophysicist Gianluca Masi in Ceccano, Italy. During the rest of June, observers of stars rising before dawn can see a rare alignment of five bright planets, with Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn visible in the early morning sky.
If you’re looking for a telescope or binoculars to see the star hides as tonight’s event, our guides to the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals can now help. Our best astrophotography cameras and the best astrophotography lenses to prepare you to capture the next star-watching vision in a photo.
Editor’s Note: If you take a photo of the planetary alignment and want to share it with Space.com readers, please send your photos, comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him at @tariqjmalik. Follow us on @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Instagram.