Stargazer
June 2025
Compiled by John Panek
Monthly Highlights
Every 44 minutes, the object ASKAP J1832-0911 emits both radio waves and x-rays. This unusual behaviour was discovered by a team of astronomers using the ASKAP radio telescope in Australia, who correlated their observations with the Chandra X-ray Observatory coincidentally observing the same region of the sky. Long Period Transients (LPTs) are a recently discovered phenomenon, with only 10 objects discovered since 2022. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09077-w
ESA's Proba-3 mission has created an artificial eclipse with their pair of formation flying spacecraft. Controlling the relative positions of the Occulter and the Coronagraph to within 1 mm while flying 150m apart, images of the Sun's corona were revealed. Having a much longer path length than instruments mounted on a single spacecraft allows for much finer detail to be revealed in the inner corona with low levels of stray light. https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/Proba-3/Proba-3_s_first_artificial_solar_eclipse
SCAS CELEBRATES
HONOR THE NIGHT
Ancient cultures measured time by the Moon's phases, the days of each cycle counted out. They knew when the Moon would wax and wane. Who today is aware whether the Moon is crescent, full or gibbous? We no longer honor the night sky. On a retreat with preteen students, far enough from city lights to see the cosmos, on a night when bright Venus cast a shadow, we asked them to turn off their flashlights, let their eyes adjust, Trust their steps in starlight. We honored the night sky.
Juliane Mc Adam, retired middle school language teacher, CA
Lunar Timetable
Last Quarter June 18
New Moon June 25
First Quarter June 3
Full Moon June 11SOUTHERN CROSS OBSERVATION PAD
The popular free SOUTHERN CROSS OBSERVATION PAD HAS RE-OPENED in MIAMI-DADE BILL SADOWSKI Park! Come visit with us 7:30-10 p.m. Saturday's weather permitting. Bring `scopes & binocs, chairs, family, friends, colleagues, students, and bug repellent. Our SCAS Astros have introduced thousands to the awesome beauty of our seasonal night skies since 1986. Please dim headlights at the Park entrance SW 176 St./SW 79 Ave. 1/2 mile west of Old Cutler Road, Palmetto Bay 33157. The small parking lot is near the deck. Face masks are optional. Check the SCAS Facebook for weather/Holiday cancellations.
For astrophotography instruction visit our free D'AURIA outdoor observatory, Saturdays from dusk -10 P.M. 23325 SW 217 Avenue, Homestead 33031. Park outside the gate. No white lights, lanterns, lasers. litter, alcohol, or pets at both sites. For membership open www.scas.org
ENJOY SCAS PUBLIC STAR PARTIES: Weather permitting!
Saturday evenings dusk- 10 p.m.
SCAS Observation Pad in Miami-Dade Bill Sadowski Park SW 176 St./SW 79 Ave. Palmetto Bay 33157 free
D'Auria Observatory 23325 SW 217 Ave.dusk-10 p.m. astrophotograqphy information free No white lights, lanterns, lasers, litter, alcohol, or pets at either location.
METEOR SHOWERS THIS MONTH
No Active showers this month
Open the link: News and Information about Meteor Showers
Here are some tips on how to maximize your time looking for meteors and fireballs during any meteor shower:
- Get out of the city to a place where the city and artificial lights do not impede your viewing
- If you are out viewing the shower during its peak, you will not need any special equipment. You should be able to see the shower with your naked eyes.
- Carry a blanket or a comfortable chair with you - viewing meteors, just like any other kind of stargazing is a waiting game, and you need to be comfortable. Plus, you may not want to leave until you can't see the majestic celestial fireworks anymore.
In case you missed it......
The 41st annual Winter Star Party was a great success! Many sleep-deprived but happy astronomers report: BEST PARTY EVER! Don't take my word for it, read the first hand accounts over on Cloudy Nights: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/941985-winter-star-party-2025/page-3
BRIGHT COMETS THIS MONTH
Nothing visual or Binocular
According to https://cometchasing.skyhound.com, dismal news. "We've been doing this page for 20 years, and have never seen so few comets available in amateur telescopes" Your editor reminds you it's always darkest before the dawn, so hopefully we'll get something amazing soon!
SCAS EVENTS
SCAS HAM RADIO
Recently, member Dan Zuckerman replaced and upgraded his ham equipment. He was chatting with folks in Europe.
Do we have some retired, or new SCAS ham operators who would like to establish a SCAS radio dept?
It could become very convenient, or necessary in certain future conditions. Consider the astronomy information shared and maybe international SCAS members!
Contact Barb if you wish to link up with Dan. barbyager@aol.com.
SOLAR VIEWING
Weather permitting SCAS needs solar telescopes at the "front door" to ZooMiami 12400 SW 152nd st, starting this month
There will be large crowds of families. Please contact barbyager@aol.com ASAP if you can bring equipment, We are restoring our popular solarviewing events at ZooMiami.
Plans need to be made in advance. Updates will be sent out to members soon.
Interested to join our new solar team? Contact: barbyager@aol.com . If you have solar equipment or want to help, please send an email to Dr. Lester Shalloway with your information: drlester3@aol.com.
IN THE SKY
Mercury is visible starting around mid-month, low on the horizon about 40 minutes after sunset
Venus and Saturn join each other in the morning sky
Neptune lies within a degree of Saturn from late June to mid July
Jupiter crosses behind the Sun, reaching superior conjunction June 24
NASA/SPACE NEWS
NASA's ISS is set to receive a private Astronaut mission Ax-4. After postponements to address an oxygen leak on the launch vehicle and a pressure signature on the ISS, the mission is planned to launch June 19 https://spacenews.com/nasa-sets-new-potential-launch-date-for-ax-4-mission-to-iss/
ESA's Solar Orbiter mission has revealed the first-ever images of the Sun's south pole. The Extreme Ultraviolet Imager instrument took the images while the observatory pointed at the Sun from an angle of 17 degrees below the Sun's equator https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Solar_Orbiter/Solar_Orbiter_gets_world-first_views_of_the_Sun_s_poles
ISS - Miami Track
ISS Passes for Miami – 11 good ones in June, 1 of them in the evening and 10 in the mornings
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Open the Link: News and Information about ISS passes over Miami.
Contribute
Have something interesting and astronomy related you would like to contribute? Send a brief 1-2 paragraph article to our Stargazer editor: 350.john@gmail.com
Clear Sky Clock
Evening
June 8 Mercury is 2 degrees north of Jupiter, just a few degrees above the horizon after sunset
Morning
June 16 4:21am Titan's full shadow begins transiting Saturn. If you miss this one, it will re-occur about every 16 days until October 6. This cycle repeats every 15 years, only when the planet's rings are edge-on to Earth. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/observing-news/titan-shadow-transit-season-underway/
Constellations
(See https://noirlab.edu/public/education/constellations/ for excellent images and finder charts)
Bootes, the Herdsman, is home to a brilliant and well-known star Arcturus at -0.05 magnitude, the 4th brightest in the entire night sky. In Greek mythology he is the son of Zeus and Callisto. In other myths he invents the plow, seen as the nearby Big Dipper.