Thanks to the weather, you can see Mars and Jupiter over the next week
Clear skies and a bright Mars mean we're in for quite a show.
The dry, crisp air and lack of humidity over the region is going to provide some great night viewing of stars and planets over the next week to 10 days. While heat and humidity remain south and west of New England, we can enjoy blue skies by day and clear skies at night.
This weekend provides a great view of Mars in the evening.
On Saturday night, clouds will hamper the view, but Friday and Sunday look super. Much of next week will also be good for checking out the night sky. Sky and Telescope is a great resource for all of your night-viewing questions.
The night sky on June 10.
If you live in the city, get yourself into a darker spot to see the planets and stars. Beaches, hilltops, and open fields can provide enough darkness to view the brightest objects, but you really need to get several miles away from the brightest lights to enjoy a good night sky. Light pollution is rampant in all of the big cities, and many people have never even seen things like the Milky Way Galaxy because it’s just not dark enough.
If the sky is clear, the International Space Station can also be viewed this weekend.
The chart below lists times for when you can see it and how far above the horizon and in which direction to look.
Viewing information for International Space Station viewing.
Late in May, Mars reached its brightest point in 10 years. Here in the first part of June, it’s still quite visible in the southeastern sky after sunset. Again, you need to be in a dark place with a clear view. Let your eyes adjust for at least 15 minutes, and don’t bother trying to take pictures with your cell phone—they won’t come out, and it’s better to enjoy it live anyway!
If you wait until midnight or later, you can find the moon and also Jupiter.
Late-night highlights for this weekend.
Note that Mars will have gone below the horizon by this time.
Later in the month, the moon and Saturn will also be part of the show. See the image below.
Highlights in the night sky for the third week of June.
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