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June 11: Point to the Polarissima Cluster
We’re interested in the early-morning sky today as the waning crescent Moon joins up with Mars in Aries. Now just 11% lit, the Moon sits almost directly above the Red Planet as they rise. Above both are the two bright stars of the Ram, Hamal and Sheratan. You may also be able to spot the Pleiades star cluster (M45) in Taurus, which lies to the lower left of Mars. These stars will quickly disappear as twilight grows, but you should be able to capture them early on through binoculars or even a telescope’s finder scope. This young cluster of stars sprawls across more than 100’ of sky, making it impossible to capture all its stars with high magnification.
And even high magnification will not net you any detail on Mars. The Red Planet currently lies some 201 million miles (323 million kilometers) from Earth and its disk appears only 4” across in the sky — too small to visually make out any surface features. The planet is still half a year away from its next opposition, which won’t occur until February 2027. For now, simply enjoy its noticeably orange-red hue, which comes through even when observing with the naked eye.
The Moon will pass 6° north of Mars later today at 5 P.M. EDT.
Sunrise: 5:31 A.M.
Sunset: 8:29 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:59 A.M.
Moonset: 6:06 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (6%)
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 10 P.M. local time from the same location.
