Meet Gliese 12 b. It’s a world, orbiting a distant sun. It’s portrayed in this artist’s concept as 3 possible worlds, because we don’t exactly know its size. But its size is comparable to that of Earth or Venus. Image via @NASAAstrobio on X.
Gliese 12 b is a newly discovered rocky exoplanet, between Earth and Venus in size. It orbits a red dwarf star 40 light-years away.
It’s the closest, temperate, transiting, Earth-sized exoplanet found so far.
It’s an ideal target for further study with NASA’s Webb space telescope.
Meet exoplanet Gliese 12 b
Astronomers said on May 23, 2024, that NASA’s TESS space telescope was used to discover an intriguing rocky exoplanet between Earth and Venus in size. The planet is called Gliese 12 b. It orbits a red dwarf star, located in our sky in the direction of the constellation Pisces the Fish. Its distance is only 40 light-years.
“Transiting” means this world passes in front of its star from our earthly perspective. That fact makes it possible to observe with TESS, whose full name is the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite.
The researchers refer to Gliese 12 b as an exo-Venus. That’s because it’s similar in size to Venus and receives a similar amount of energy from its star. But astronomers don’t yet know if this world has an atmosphere, or what kind. One of the researchers, Masayuki Kuzuhara, said in a statement:
We’ve found the nearest, transiting, temperate, Earth-size world located to date. Although we don’t yet know whether it possesses an atmosphere, we’ve been thinking of it as an exo-Venus, with similar size and energy received from its star as our planetary neighbor in the solar system.
If it doesn’t have an atmosphere, computer models indicate its average surface temperature is only around 107 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius). That’s in contrast to Venus, whose average surface temperature is around 870°F (465°C). The researchers said there are various possibilities regarding its atmosphere and subsequent temperature, though. The possibilities range from no atmosphere for Glise 12 b to a thick Venus-like atmosphere.
Astronomers want to know the details of this exoplanet. That’s because worlds like this one might be habitable, perhaps not by earthlings, but possibly by some form of life. And being only 40 light-years away makes it well-suited for follow-up observations with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.
A lot of energy from a small, cool star
The planet’s star is a red dwarf, smaller and cooler than our own sun. The red dwarf is only 27% the size of our sun and emits only 60% as much heat. So why does Gliese 12 b receive almost as much energy from its star – about 85% – as Venus? It’s because it orbits much closer to its star. In fact, it completes an orbit in only 12.8 days. So even though the star is cooler, the planet still receives as much heat from its star as Venus does from our sun.
The distance of Gliese 12 b to its star is just 7% of the distance from Earth to the sun. Being so close means, it receives 1.6 times as much energy from its star as Earth does from our sun.
It’s also easier for astronomers to detect rocky Earth-sized planets around red dwarf stars than larger stars like our sun. That’s due to their lower luminosity. Gliese 12 b is one of the best examples of this found so far. As Dholakia said:
Gliese 12 b represents one of the best targets to study whether Earth-size planets orbiting cool stars can retain their atmospheres, a crucial step to advance our understanding of habitability on planets across our galaxy.
Who made the discovery?
The first team was led by Shishir Dholakia at the Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia and Larissa Palethorpe at the University of Edinburgh and University College London. This team published its peer-reviewed findings in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society on May 23, 2024.
Using NASA's TESS telescope and other facilities, astronomers discovered a new temperate, Earth-sized world that could unlock key questions about habitability and our solar system's evolution. Learn more about Gliese 12 b, which is well-suited for further study by @NASAWebb:… pic.twitter.com/Lkb8qC1v2T
— NASA Astrobiology: Exploring Life in the Universe (@NASAAstrobio) May 24, 2024
Earth-like temperatures or Venus twin?
The researchers don’t yet know what kind of atmosphere Gliese 12 b has, or if it even has one at all. In many cases, a rocky planet so close to a red dwarf star means intense radiation from the star can strip away any atmosphere. Analysis by both teams, however, showed this particular red dwarf isn’t as extreme in its behavior. That could mean Gliese 12 b still has an atmosphere, but only further studies will be able to determine that or not.
The astronomers calculated the planet has an equilibrium temperature of 107 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius). (Equilibrium temperature is when thermal energy radiated balances solar energy absorbed, so the temperature does not change.) So, 107 degrees Fahrenheit is only a bit warmer than Earth on average. But it’s also if the planet has no atmosphere. If it does have an atmosphere, then the type of gases in it, density and so forth will have an impact on temperature. The planet might still be similar to Earth, or it could be a blazing-hot world more like Venus.
Implications for other rocky exoplanets
Finding out what the actual conditions are will help astronomers learn more about other potentially habitable exoplanets as well. Palethorpe explained:
It is thought that Earth’s and Venus’ first atmospheres were stripped away and then replenished by volcanic outgassing and bombardments from residual material in the solar system. The Earth is habitable, but Venus is not due to its complete loss of water. Because Gliese 12 b is between Earth and Venus in temperature, its atmosphere could teach us a lot about the habitability pathways planets take as they develop.
Co-author Michael McElwain, a research astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, added:
We know of only a handful of temperate planets similar to Earth that are both close enough to us and meet other criteria needed for this kind of study, called transmission spectroscopy, using current facilities. To better understand the diversity of atmospheres and evolutionary outcomes for these planets, we need more examples like Gliese 12 b.
View larger. | Artist’s concept of Gliese 12 b, a Venus-sized exoplanet about 40 light-years away. It may have temperate Earth-like temperatures or hot, searing temperatures like Venus. It all depends on what kind of atmosphere it has … if it does have one. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ R. Hurt (Caltech-IPAC).
Bottom line: Two teams of astronomers have discovered a Venus-sized exoplanet 40 light-years away. It may have Earth-like temperatures or be more like a hot Venus.
Meet Gliese 12 b. It’s a world, orbiting a distant sun. It’s portrayed in this artist’s concept as 3 possible worlds, because we don’t exactly know its size. But its size is comparable to that of Earth or Venus. Image via @NASAAstrobio on X.
Gliese 12 b is a newly discovered rocky exoplanet, between Earth and Venus in size. It orbits a red dwarf star 40 light-years away.
It’s the closest, temperate, transiting, Earth-sized exoplanet found so far.
It’s an ideal target for further study with NASA’s Webb space telescope.
Meet exoplanet Gliese 12 b
Astronomers said on May 23, 2024, that NASA’s TESS space telescope was used to discover an intriguing rocky exoplanet between Earth and Venus in size. The planet is called Gliese 12 b. It orbits a red dwarf star, located in our sky in the direction of the constellation Pisces the Fish. Its distance is only 40 light-years.
“Transiting” means this world passes in front of its star from our earthly perspective. That fact makes it possible to observe with TESS, whose full name is the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite.
The researchers refer to Gliese 12 b as an exo-Venus. That’s because it’s similar in size to Venus and receives a similar amount of energy from its star. But astronomers don’t yet know if this world has an atmosphere, or what kind. One of the researchers, Masayuki Kuzuhara, said in a statement:
We’ve found the nearest, transiting, temperate, Earth-size world located to date. Although we don’t yet know whether it possesses an atmosphere, we’ve been thinking of it as an exo-Venus, with similar size and energy received from its star as our planetary neighbor in the solar system.
If it doesn’t have an atmosphere, computer models indicate its average surface temperature is only around 107 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius). That’s in contrast to Venus, whose average surface temperature is around 870°F (465°C). The researchers said there are various possibilities regarding its atmosphere and subsequent temperature, though. The possibilities range from no atmosphere for Glise 12 b to a thick Venus-like atmosphere.
Astronomers want to know the details of this exoplanet. That’s because worlds like this one might be habitable, perhaps not by earthlings, but possibly by some form of life. And being only 40 light-years away makes it well-suited for follow-up observations with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.
A lot of energy from a small, cool star
The planet’s star is a red dwarf, smaller and cooler than our own sun. The red dwarf is only 27% the size of our sun and emits only 60% as much heat. So why does Gliese 12 b receive almost as much energy from its star – about 85% – as Venus? It’s because it orbits much closer to its star. In fact, it completes an orbit in only 12.8 days. So even though the star is cooler, the planet still receives as much heat from its star as Venus does from our sun.
The distance of Gliese 12 b to its star is just 7% of the distance from Earth to the sun. Being so close means, it receives 1.6 times as much energy from its star as Earth does from our sun.
It’s also easier for astronomers to detect rocky Earth-sized planets around red dwarf stars than larger stars like our sun. That’s due to their lower luminosity. Gliese 12 b is one of the best examples of this found so far. As Dholakia said:
Gliese 12 b represents one of the best targets to study whether Earth-size planets orbiting cool stars can retain their atmospheres, a crucial step to advance our understanding of habitability on planets across our galaxy.
Who made the discovery?
The first team was led by Shishir Dholakia at the Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia and Larissa Palethorpe at the University of Edinburgh and University College London. This team published its peer-reviewed findings in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society on May 23, 2024.
Using NASA's TESS telescope and other facilities, astronomers discovered a new temperate, Earth-sized world that could unlock key questions about habitability and our solar system's evolution. Learn more about Gliese 12 b, which is well-suited for further study by @NASAWebb:… pic.twitter.com/Lkb8qC1v2T
— NASA Astrobiology: Exploring Life in the Universe (@NASAAstrobio) May 24, 2024
Earth-like temperatures or Venus twin?
The researchers don’t yet know what kind of atmosphere Gliese 12 b has, or if it even has one at all. In many cases, a rocky planet so close to a red dwarf star means intense radiation from the star can strip away any atmosphere. Analysis by both teams, however, showed this particular red dwarf isn’t as extreme in its behavior. That could mean Gliese 12 b still has an atmosphere, but only further studies will be able to determine that or not.
The astronomers calculated the planet has an equilibrium temperature of 107 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius). (Equilibrium temperature is when thermal energy radiated balances solar energy absorbed, so the temperature does not change.) So, 107 degrees Fahrenheit is only a bit warmer than Earth on average. But it’s also if the planet has no atmosphere. If it does have an atmosphere, then the type of gases in it, density and so forth will have an impact on temperature. The planet might still be similar to Earth, or it could be a blazing-hot world more like Venus.
Implications for other rocky exoplanets
Finding out what the actual conditions are will help astronomers learn more about other potentially habitable exoplanets as well. Palethorpe explained:
It is thought that Earth’s and Venus’ first atmospheres were stripped away and then replenished by volcanic outgassing and bombardments from residual material in the solar system. The Earth is habitable, but Venus is not due to its complete loss of water. Because Gliese 12 b is between Earth and Venus in temperature, its atmosphere could teach us a lot about the habitability pathways planets take as they develop.
Co-author Michael McElwain, a research astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, added:
We know of only a handful of temperate planets similar to Earth that are both close enough to us and meet other criteria needed for this kind of study, called transmission spectroscopy, using current facilities. To better understand the diversity of atmospheres and evolutionary outcomes for these planets, we need more examples like Gliese 12 b.
View larger. | Artist’s concept of Gliese 12 b, a Venus-sized exoplanet about 40 light-years away. It may have temperate Earth-like temperatures or hot, searing temperatures like Venus. It all depends on what kind of atmosphere it has … if it does have one. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ R. Hurt (Caltech-IPAC).
Bottom line: Two teams of astronomers have discovered a Venus-sized exoplanet 40 light-years away. It may have Earth-like temperatures or be more like a hot Venus.
Hercules is a faint constellation. But its mid-section contains the easy-to-see Keystone asterism. You can find Hercules between the bright stars Vega in Lyra the Harp, and Arcturus in Boötes the Herdsman. And once you find the Keystone, you can easily locate M13, the Hercules cluster. Chart via EarthSky .
Use Vega to locate the Keystone in Hercules
In late spring, from mid-northern latitudes, you can easily find the brilliant star Vega in the eastern sky at dusk and nightfall. The brilliant blue-white star Vega acts as your guide star to the Keystone, a wedge-shaped pattern of four stars in the constellation Hercules.
Look for the Keystone asterism – star pattern – to the upper right of Vega. Or hold your fist at arm’s length, it’ll easily fit between Vega and the Keystone.
Also, you can locate the Keystone by using Vega in conjunction with the brilliant yellow-orange star Arcturus. The Keystone is found about 1/3 of the way from Vega to Arcturus, the two brightest stars to grace the Northern Hemisphere’s spring and summertime sky. From mid-northern latitudes this time of year, Arcturus is found quite high in the eastern sky at nightfall and evening. Then, by late evening, Arcturus will have moved high overhead.
Before you can find M13, you need to find the Keystone in Hercules, a pattern of four stars. So as darkness falls, look for the Keystone to the upper right of the brilliant star Vega. Chart via EarthSky .
Use the Keystone to find M13
Furthermore, the Keystone is your ticket to find a famous globular star cluster in Hercules, otherwise known as the Hercules cluster, aka Messier 13 or M13.
Most likely, you’ll need binoculars to see the Hercules cluster. Although sharp-eyed people can see it with the unaided eye in a dark, transparent sky. But through binoculars, this cluster looks like a dim smudge or a somewhat fuzzy star. However, a telescope begins to resolve this faint fuzzy object into what it really is, a great big, globe-shaped stellar city populated with hundreds of thousands of stars!
Then, later in the evening, the Keystone and the Hercules cluster swing high overhead after midnight, and are found in the western sky before dawn.
Can you find the Keystone on this chart? See the compact grouping of 4 stars at the center of Hercules? That’s it. Note the whereabouts of Messier 13 within the Keystone pattern. Also, above the Keystone is another globular cluster, M92, it’s a bit smaller and dimmer than M13, but also easy to pick up in binoculars or a telescope. Image via International Astronomical Union/ Sky & Telescope/ Wikimedia Commons. Used with permission.
Photos of M13 from EarthSky Community Photos
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jeremy Likness captured this image on April 28, 2023, in Florissant, Colorado. He wrote: I was really just testing tracking and focus between shots, but this cluster (Messier 13) came out so clean with only 20 minutes total exposure time I decided it was a keeper!” It’s certainly a keeper. Thank you, Jeremy!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | This isn’t an open star cluster. It’s a globular star cluster, the Hercules cluster, captured by Randall Kayfes in Tucson, Arizona, on June 3, 2022. Randall wrote: “The Hercules star cluster M13 is one giant ball of stars and a favorite go-to star cluster in the summer.” Thank you, Randall!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Ron Haggett in Yuma, Arizona, took this image of a globular cluster on January 5, 2022. Ron wrote: “Messier 13 or the great globular cluster in Hercules. Fortunately for me it is viewable around 5 in the morning!” Thank you, Ron!
Bottom line: Let the bright star Vega guide you to a famous star pattern in Hercules – called the Keystone – and then to the Hercules cluster, aka M13, a famous globular star cluster.
Hercules is a faint constellation. But its mid-section contains the easy-to-see Keystone asterism. You can find Hercules between the bright stars Vega in Lyra the Harp, and Arcturus in Boötes the Herdsman. And once you find the Keystone, you can easily locate M13, the Hercules cluster. Chart via EarthSky .
Use Vega to locate the Keystone in Hercules
In late spring, from mid-northern latitudes, you can easily find the brilliant star Vega in the eastern sky at dusk and nightfall. The brilliant blue-white star Vega acts as your guide star to the Keystone, a wedge-shaped pattern of four stars in the constellation Hercules.
Look for the Keystone asterism – star pattern – to the upper right of Vega. Or hold your fist at arm’s length, it’ll easily fit between Vega and the Keystone.
Also, you can locate the Keystone by using Vega in conjunction with the brilliant yellow-orange star Arcturus. The Keystone is found about 1/3 of the way from Vega to Arcturus, the two brightest stars to grace the Northern Hemisphere’s spring and summertime sky. From mid-northern latitudes this time of year, Arcturus is found quite high in the eastern sky at nightfall and evening. Then, by late evening, Arcturus will have moved high overhead.
Before you can find M13, you need to find the Keystone in Hercules, a pattern of four stars. So as darkness falls, look for the Keystone to the upper right of the brilliant star Vega. Chart via EarthSky .
Use the Keystone to find M13
Furthermore, the Keystone is your ticket to find a famous globular star cluster in Hercules, otherwise known as the Hercules cluster, aka Messier 13 or M13.
Most likely, you’ll need binoculars to see the Hercules cluster. Although sharp-eyed people can see it with the unaided eye in a dark, transparent sky. But through binoculars, this cluster looks like a dim smudge or a somewhat fuzzy star. However, a telescope begins to resolve this faint fuzzy object into what it really is, a great big, globe-shaped stellar city populated with hundreds of thousands of stars!
Then, later in the evening, the Keystone and the Hercules cluster swing high overhead after midnight, and are found in the western sky before dawn.
Can you find the Keystone on this chart? See the compact grouping of 4 stars at the center of Hercules? That’s it. Note the whereabouts of Messier 13 within the Keystone pattern. Also, above the Keystone is another globular cluster, M92, it’s a bit smaller and dimmer than M13, but also easy to pick up in binoculars or a telescope. Image via International Astronomical Union/ Sky & Telescope/ Wikimedia Commons. Used with permission.
Photos of M13 from EarthSky Community Photos
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jeremy Likness captured this image on April 28, 2023, in Florissant, Colorado. He wrote: I was really just testing tracking and focus between shots, but this cluster (Messier 13) came out so clean with only 20 minutes total exposure time I decided it was a keeper!” It’s certainly a keeper. Thank you, Jeremy!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | This isn’t an open star cluster. It’s a globular star cluster, the Hercules cluster, captured by Randall Kayfes in Tucson, Arizona, on June 3, 2022. Randall wrote: “The Hercules star cluster M13 is one giant ball of stars and a favorite go-to star cluster in the summer.” Thank you, Randall!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Ron Haggett in Yuma, Arizona, took this image of a globular cluster on January 5, 2022. Ron wrote: “Messier 13 or the great globular cluster in Hercules. Fortunately for me it is viewable around 5 in the morning!” Thank you, Ron!
Bottom line: Let the bright star Vega guide you to a famous star pattern in Hercules – called the Keystone – and then to the Hercules cluster, aka M13, a famous globular star cluster.
Remember the meteor ducks? That is, the ducks that witnessed the fireball over Portugal? Dexerto on X posted the video above in a tweet on May 21, 2024. Now artists are sharing many renderings of the ducks on social media, adding the hashtag #meteorducks.
On May 18, 2024, a fireball lit up the skies of Portugal, including above a farm where some ducks looked up to see the sky brighten overhead. Now artists are capturing their renditions of that scene. See some of the creations below, and search #meteorducks for many, many more!
Meteor ducks artwork
Check out some of the fun artwork below. And if some of the images look truncated, click on them to see the full version with the fireball in the sky.
Remember the meteor ducks? That is, the ducks that witnessed the fireball over Portugal? Dexerto on X posted the video above in a tweet on May 21, 2024. Now artists are sharing many renderings of the ducks on social media, adding the hashtag #meteorducks.
On May 18, 2024, a fireball lit up the skies of Portugal, including above a farm where some ducks looked up to see the sky brighten overhead. Now artists are capturing their renditions of that scene. See some of the creations below, and search #meteorducks for many, many more!
Meteor ducks artwork
Check out some of the fun artwork below. And if some of the images look truncated, click on them to see the full version with the fireball in the sky.
View larger. | This is a 3-D computer model of the Maat Mons volcano on Venus. Lava flows are clearly visible. The image is derived from data from NASA’s Magellan mission – which launched in 1989 and went on to orbit Venus – studying it from above for several years. Scientists found signs of an active volcano on Venus in Magellan data a year ago (March 2023). Further analysis of Magellan data has now revealed 2 more active Venus volcanoes. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech.
Scientists have found 2 more pieces of direct geological evidence of recent volcanic activity on the planet next-inward from Earth, Venus. This is the second time such evidence has been found in data from the Magellan spacecraft, which mapped 98% of Venus’ surface from 1990 to 1992. The images it generated remain our most detailed of Venus to date. Scientists in Italy analyzed archival data from Magellan. They found surface changes indicating the formation of new rock from lava flows linked to volcanoes that were in eruption while the spacecraft orbited the planet. Davide Sulcanese of d’Annunzio University in Pescara, Italy, who led the study, said,
By analyzing the lava flows we observed in two locations on the planet, we have discovered that the volcanic activity on Venus could be comparable to that on Earth.
This latest discovery builds on the historic 2023 discovery of images from Magellan’s synthetic aperture radar that revealed changes to a vent associated with the volcano Maat Mons near Venus’ equator.
The 2023 radar images proved to be the first direct evidence of a recent volcanic eruption on the planet. By comparing Magellan radar images over time, the authors of that earlier study spotted changes caused by the outflow of molten rock from Venus’ subsurface filling the vent’s crater and spilling down the vent’s slopes.
The 2024 study is published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
Before starting its journey to Venus, NASA’s Magellan spacecraft was released while in Earth orbit by Space Shuttle Atlantis’ STS-30 mission. Captured in this May 4, 1989, photo, Magellan was the 1st planetary spacecraft to be launched from the shuttle. Image via NASA.
Radar backscatter
For the new study, the researchers likewise focused on archival data from Magellan’s synthetic aperture radar. Radio waves sent by the radar traveled through Venus’ thick cloud cover, then bounced off the planet’s surface and back to the spacecraft. Called backscatter, these reflected radar signals carried information about the rocky surface material they encountered.
The two locations studied were the volcano Sif Mons in Eistla Regio and the western part of Niobe Planitia, which is home to numerous volcanic features. By analyzing the backscatter data received from both locations in 1990 and again in 1992, the researchers found that radar signal strength increased along certain paths during the later orbits. These changes suggested the formation of new rock, most likely solidified lava from volcanic activity that occurred during that two-year period. But they also considered other possibilities, such as the presence of micro-dunes (formed from windblown sand) and atmospheric effects that could interfere with the radar signal.
To help confirm new rock, the researchers analyzed Magellan’s altimetry (surface height) data to determine slope of the topography and locate obstacles that lava would flow around. Study co-author Marco Mastrogiuseppe of Sapienza University of Rome said:
We interpret these signals as flows along slopes or volcanic plains that can deviate around obstacles such as shield volcanoes like a fluid. After ruling out other possibilities, we confirmed our best interpretation is that these are new lava flows.
Using flows on Earth as a comparison, the researchers estimate new rock that was emplaced in both locations to be between 10 and 66 feet (3 and 20 meters) deep, on average. They also estimate that the Sif Mons eruption produced about 12 square miles (30 square kilometers) of rock — enough to fill at least 36,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. The Niobe Planitia eruption produced about 17 square miles (45 square km) of rock, which would fill 54,000 Olympic swimming pools. As a comparison, the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa in Hawaii, Earth’s largest active volcano, produced a lava flow with enough material to fill 100,000 Olympic pools.
Scott Hensley, senior research scientist at JPL and co-author of the 2023 study, said:
This exciting work provides another example of volcanic change on Venus from new lava flows that augments the vent change Dr. Robert Herrick and I reported last year. This result, in tandem with the earlier discovery of present-day geologic activity, increases the excitement in the planetary science community for future missions to Venus.
Scientists study active volcanoes to understand how a planet’s interior can shape its crust, drive its evolution, and affect its habitability. The discovery of recent volcanism on Venus provides a valuable insight to the planet’s history and why it took a different evolutionary path than Earth.
Figuring out volcanoes
Hensley is the project scientist for NASA’s upcoming VERITAS mission, and Mastrogiuseppe is a member of its science team.
Short for Venus Emissivity, Radio science, InSAR, Topography, And Spectroscopy, VERITAS is slated to launch early next decade, using a state-of-the-art synthetic aperture radar to create 3D global maps and a near-infrared spectrometer to figure out what Venus’ surface is made of while also tracking volcanic activity. In addition, the spacecraft will measure the planet’s gravitational field to determine its internal structure. Suzanne Smrekar, a senior scientist at JPL and principal investigator for VERITAS, said:
These new discoveries of recent volcanic activity on Venus by our international colleagues provide compelling evidence of the kinds of regions we should target with VERITAS when it arrives at Venus. Our spacecraft will have a suite of approaches for identifying surface changes that are far more comprehensive and higher resolution than Magellan images. Evidence for activity, even in the lower-resolution Magellan data, supercharges the potential to revolutionize our understanding of this enigmatic world.
Bottom line: An analysis of radar data from the Magellan spacecraft has revealed more evidence for active Venus volcanoes. It appears two volcanoes erupted in the early 1990s. This adds to the 2023 discovery of a different active volcano in Magellan data.
View larger. | This is a 3-D computer model of the Maat Mons volcano on Venus. Lava flows are clearly visible. The image is derived from data from NASA’s Magellan mission – which launched in 1989 and went on to orbit Venus – studying it from above for several years. Scientists found signs of an active volcano on Venus in Magellan data a year ago (March 2023). Further analysis of Magellan data has now revealed 2 more active Venus volcanoes. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech.
Scientists have found 2 more pieces of direct geological evidence of recent volcanic activity on the planet next-inward from Earth, Venus. This is the second time such evidence has been found in data from the Magellan spacecraft, which mapped 98% of Venus’ surface from 1990 to 1992. The images it generated remain our most detailed of Venus to date. Scientists in Italy analyzed archival data from Magellan. They found surface changes indicating the formation of new rock from lava flows linked to volcanoes that were in eruption while the spacecraft orbited the planet. Davide Sulcanese of d’Annunzio University in Pescara, Italy, who led the study, said,
By analyzing the lava flows we observed in two locations on the planet, we have discovered that the volcanic activity on Venus could be comparable to that on Earth.
This latest discovery builds on the historic 2023 discovery of images from Magellan’s synthetic aperture radar that revealed changes to a vent associated with the volcano Maat Mons near Venus’ equator.
The 2023 radar images proved to be the first direct evidence of a recent volcanic eruption on the planet. By comparing Magellan radar images over time, the authors of that earlier study spotted changes caused by the outflow of molten rock from Venus’ subsurface filling the vent’s crater and spilling down the vent’s slopes.
The 2024 study is published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
Before starting its journey to Venus, NASA’s Magellan spacecraft was released while in Earth orbit by Space Shuttle Atlantis’ STS-30 mission. Captured in this May 4, 1989, photo, Magellan was the 1st planetary spacecraft to be launched from the shuttle. Image via NASA.
Radar backscatter
For the new study, the researchers likewise focused on archival data from Magellan’s synthetic aperture radar. Radio waves sent by the radar traveled through Venus’ thick cloud cover, then bounced off the planet’s surface and back to the spacecraft. Called backscatter, these reflected radar signals carried information about the rocky surface material they encountered.
The two locations studied were the volcano Sif Mons in Eistla Regio and the western part of Niobe Planitia, which is home to numerous volcanic features. By analyzing the backscatter data received from both locations in 1990 and again in 1992, the researchers found that radar signal strength increased along certain paths during the later orbits. These changes suggested the formation of new rock, most likely solidified lava from volcanic activity that occurred during that two-year period. But they also considered other possibilities, such as the presence of micro-dunes (formed from windblown sand) and atmospheric effects that could interfere with the radar signal.
To help confirm new rock, the researchers analyzed Magellan’s altimetry (surface height) data to determine slope of the topography and locate obstacles that lava would flow around. Study co-author Marco Mastrogiuseppe of Sapienza University of Rome said:
We interpret these signals as flows along slopes or volcanic plains that can deviate around obstacles such as shield volcanoes like a fluid. After ruling out other possibilities, we confirmed our best interpretation is that these are new lava flows.
Using flows on Earth as a comparison, the researchers estimate new rock that was emplaced in both locations to be between 10 and 66 feet (3 and 20 meters) deep, on average. They also estimate that the Sif Mons eruption produced about 12 square miles (30 square kilometers) of rock — enough to fill at least 36,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. The Niobe Planitia eruption produced about 17 square miles (45 square km) of rock, which would fill 54,000 Olympic swimming pools. As a comparison, the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa in Hawaii, Earth’s largest active volcano, produced a lava flow with enough material to fill 100,000 Olympic pools.
Scott Hensley, senior research scientist at JPL and co-author of the 2023 study, said:
This exciting work provides another example of volcanic change on Venus from new lava flows that augments the vent change Dr. Robert Herrick and I reported last year. This result, in tandem with the earlier discovery of present-day geologic activity, increases the excitement in the planetary science community for future missions to Venus.
Scientists study active volcanoes to understand how a planet’s interior can shape its crust, drive its evolution, and affect its habitability. The discovery of recent volcanism on Venus provides a valuable insight to the planet’s history and why it took a different evolutionary path than Earth.
Figuring out volcanoes
Hensley is the project scientist for NASA’s upcoming VERITAS mission, and Mastrogiuseppe is a member of its science team.
Short for Venus Emissivity, Radio science, InSAR, Topography, And Spectroscopy, VERITAS is slated to launch early next decade, using a state-of-the-art synthetic aperture radar to create 3D global maps and a near-infrared spectrometer to figure out what Venus’ surface is made of while also tracking volcanic activity. In addition, the spacecraft will measure the planet’s gravitational field to determine its internal structure. Suzanne Smrekar, a senior scientist at JPL and principal investigator for VERITAS, said:
These new discoveries of recent volcanic activity on Venus by our international colleagues provide compelling evidence of the kinds of regions we should target with VERITAS when it arrives at Venus. Our spacecraft will have a suite of approaches for identifying surface changes that are far more comprehensive and higher resolution than Magellan images. Evidence for activity, even in the lower-resolution Magellan data, supercharges the potential to revolutionize our understanding of this enigmatic world.
Bottom line: An analysis of radar data from the Magellan spacecraft has revealed more evidence for active Venus volcanoes. It appears two volcanoes erupted in the early 1990s. This adds to the 2023 discovery of a different active volcano in Magellan data.
This little critter looks like a sheep with its white face, black eyes and bushy body. But it doesn’t produce wool or milk. And it’s not even a real sheep. This is a leaf sheep sea slug. So it’s a type of gastropod mollusk that scientists call Costasiella kuroshimae.
A leaf sheep sea slug (Costasiella kuroshimae). Image via Christian Gloor/ Wikipedia (CC BY 2.0).
An adorable appearance
Unlike land slugs, sea slugs can be much more colorful and flamboyantly adorned. Sea slugs can be blue, yellow, green, red, purple, white or brown.
Those elongated protrusions near the leaf sheep’s face are not ears. They’re called rhinophores. These are sensory organs of mollusks that serve as chemical sensors. Rhinophores are rod-shaped, as seen in snails, and are the most prominent part of their body. These small organs also have fine hairs that help them detect chemical compounds in the water to find sources of food.
These tiny creatures measure just 0.15 to 0.40 inches (4 to 10 millimeters).
Leaf sheep have rhinophores, which are sensory organs that serve as chemical sensors for finding food. Image via Pascal van de Vendel/ Unsplash.
Feeding habits of the leaf sheep
This animal is one of the few that can perform photosynthesis. But they do it in an unusual way. Leaf sheep feed on algae, and in doing so, they also absorb algae’s chloroplasts. Then they use those chloroplasts to photosynthesize energy from light into food.
The bushy, leaflike appendages all over their body contain the chloroplasts. Additionally, chloroplasts contain chlorophyll, so besides enabling photosynthesis, they also color this animal green. Thus, the body of this small creature looks like a coat of green leaves.
Algae and leaf sheep have a symbiotic relationship, meaning an association between organisms of different species. In most cases, both species help each other, but sometimes one takes advantage of the other. The process in which leaf sheep obtain chloroplasts from algae is known as kleptoplasty, which comes from the Greek root word for “thief.” And it enables leaf sheep to acquire plant-like functions such as photosynthesis.
Sea slugs can feed on algae and also use the sugars produced by chloroplasts, giving them a useful alternative food source. So, although leaf sheep can feed on their own, photosynthesis provides them with extra fuel. If algae are scarce, leaf sheep could survive for a time thanks to chloroplasts producing sugars.
Leaf sheep feed on algae, incorporating their chloroplasts, which enable the photosynthesis process. Image via Alif Abdulrahman/ Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 2.0).
Fun facts about leaf sheep
I never get tired of reading and seeing pictures of these incredible creatures, do you? Here are some other interesting facts. Leaf sheep are bioluminescent due to the absorption of chloroplasts.
These slugs are hermaphroditic organisms, meaning they are both female and male. Also, leaf sheep can lay between 2,000 and 4,000 eggs. The eggs hatch in four days.
Leaf sheep live wherever their favorite food is found. The algae they eat (genus Vaucheria) grow in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. They live in intertidal zones, that is, areas covered during high tides and visible during low tides. So, it could be said that leaf sheep can come out of the water.
The leaf sheep’s scientific name is a combination of Latin and Japanese. Costasiella indicates the genus name and kuroshimae comes from the Japanese island of Kuroshima, located off the coast of Taiwan. It was in these clear waters that the leaf sheep was first discovered in 1993.
Bottom line: These sheep don’t bleat or produce wool or milk. Instead, they live in the water and perform photosynthesis. Find out more about the adorable leaf sheep sea slug.
This little critter looks like a sheep with its white face, black eyes and bushy body. But it doesn’t produce wool or milk. And it’s not even a real sheep. This is a leaf sheep sea slug. So it’s a type of gastropod mollusk that scientists call Costasiella kuroshimae.
A leaf sheep sea slug (Costasiella kuroshimae). Image via Christian Gloor/ Wikipedia (CC BY 2.0).
An adorable appearance
Unlike land slugs, sea slugs can be much more colorful and flamboyantly adorned. Sea slugs can be blue, yellow, green, red, purple, white or brown.
Those elongated protrusions near the leaf sheep’s face are not ears. They’re called rhinophores. These are sensory organs of mollusks that serve as chemical sensors. Rhinophores are rod-shaped, as seen in snails, and are the most prominent part of their body. These small organs also have fine hairs that help them detect chemical compounds in the water to find sources of food.
These tiny creatures measure just 0.15 to 0.40 inches (4 to 10 millimeters).
Leaf sheep have rhinophores, which are sensory organs that serve as chemical sensors for finding food. Image via Pascal van de Vendel/ Unsplash.
Feeding habits of the leaf sheep
This animal is one of the few that can perform photosynthesis. But they do it in an unusual way. Leaf sheep feed on algae, and in doing so, they also absorb algae’s chloroplasts. Then they use those chloroplasts to photosynthesize energy from light into food.
The bushy, leaflike appendages all over their body contain the chloroplasts. Additionally, chloroplasts contain chlorophyll, so besides enabling photosynthesis, they also color this animal green. Thus, the body of this small creature looks like a coat of green leaves.
Algae and leaf sheep have a symbiotic relationship, meaning an association between organisms of different species. In most cases, both species help each other, but sometimes one takes advantage of the other. The process in which leaf sheep obtain chloroplasts from algae is known as kleptoplasty, which comes from the Greek root word for “thief.” And it enables leaf sheep to acquire plant-like functions such as photosynthesis.
Sea slugs can feed on algae and also use the sugars produced by chloroplasts, giving them a useful alternative food source. So, although leaf sheep can feed on their own, photosynthesis provides them with extra fuel. If algae are scarce, leaf sheep could survive for a time thanks to chloroplasts producing sugars.
Leaf sheep feed on algae, incorporating their chloroplasts, which enable the photosynthesis process. Image via Alif Abdulrahman/ Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 2.0).
Fun facts about leaf sheep
I never get tired of reading and seeing pictures of these incredible creatures, do you? Here are some other interesting facts. Leaf sheep are bioluminescent due to the absorption of chloroplasts.
These slugs are hermaphroditic organisms, meaning they are both female and male. Also, leaf sheep can lay between 2,000 and 4,000 eggs. The eggs hatch in four days.
Leaf sheep live wherever their favorite food is found. The algae they eat (genus Vaucheria) grow in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. They live in intertidal zones, that is, areas covered during high tides and visible during low tides. So, it could be said that leaf sheep can come out of the water.
The leaf sheep’s scientific name is a combination of Latin and Japanese. Costasiella indicates the genus name and kuroshimae comes from the Japanese island of Kuroshima, located off the coast of Taiwan. It was in these clear waters that the leaf sheep was first discovered in 1993.
Bottom line: These sheep don’t bleat or produce wool or milk. Instead, they live in the water and perform photosynthesis. Find out more about the adorable leaf sheep sea slug.
May 31 morning: Sneak peak of the lineup of 6 planets
Start watching for the lineup of six planets on May 31, 2024. The thick waning crescent moon will lie near golden Saturn. You can see the moon and Saturn in dark skies before dawn. The moon will visit five more planets (Neptune, Mars, Uranus, Mercury and Jupiter) over the next few days. The moon and Saturn will rise about three hours before sunrise, but to catch all six planets look about 30 minutes before sunrise.
On June 1, 2024, the lineup of six planets will find the waning crescent moon hanging between Saturn and Mars, and it’ll be close to spot where Neptune lies. Just remember, Neptune will require optical aid and dark skies to spot. Look for them before dawn, Saturn and Mars will rise several hours before sunrise. If you look later during morning twilight, Saturn and Mars might be difficult to see, but you might also glimpse Mercury, Jupiter and the spot where Uranus lies low on the horizon.
The moon will reach perigee – its closest point in its elliptical orbit around Earth – at 7 UTC (2 a.m. CDT) on June 2, 2024, when it’s 228,727 miles (368,102 kilometers) away.
June 2 morning: Moon near Mars
The lineup of six planets continues on June 2, 2024, when the lit portion of the waning crescent moon will point to reddish Mars. At the same time, Mercury is dropping down toward the horizon and Jupiter, in anticipation of their upcoming conjunction. And Saturn will be higher in the eastern predawn sky. The moon and Mars will rise about two hours before sunrise. The spots where Neptune and Uranus lie are marked with plus signs. If you want to try and catch all six planets, look about 30 minutes before sunrise
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
June 3 morning: Moon hangs near Mars
The mornings of June 3 and 4, 2024, will probably be the best time to try to catch all six planets at once. Start looking about 40 minutes before sunrise. On June 3, the waning crescent moon will be pointing to Mercury and Jupiter (and the spot where Uranus lies) near the sunrise point. And Mercury and Jupiter will be just a day away from being closest to each other. Meanwhile, Mars, Saturn and Neptune will be higher in the eastern pre-dawn sky.
June 4 morning: Moon moving toward Jupiter and Mercury
On June 4, 2024, the waning crescent moon will be floating above the planets low on the horizon. Mercury and Jupiter will appear closest together in the morning sky when they will be less than a degree apart. And that’s if you can find them in the bright morning twilight! Even though the planets are shining brightly, they’ll be competing with the rising sun’s glow. Look in the morning twilight about 40 minutes before sunrise. Also, look for Mars and Saturn higher in the sky.
In the early morning twilight on June 4, 2024, Mercury will pair up with Jupiter. The largest and smallest planets of our solar system will be 0.1 degrees apart. Look for them very low above the horizon. Binoculars may help spot them about 30 minutes before sunrise.
June 5 morning twilight: Last chance to see all 6 planets
Your last chance to snag all six planets before sunrise is probably on June 5, 2024. Mercury will be descending fast toward the horizon. Jupiter will be ascending, and the whisper-thin waning crescent moon (at just 1.7% lit!) will hover above the planetary pair. Look for them in the morning twilight about 40 minutes before sunrise. Soon, Mercury will be too close to the sun to see. However, Jupiter will be moving higher out of the sunrise’s glow. Mars and Saturn lie higher in the sky and are easier to spot before dawn.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
June 6: New moon
The instant of new moon will fall at 12:38 UTC on June 6, 2024 (7:38 a.m. CDT). That night is a perfect time to enjoy stargazing under dark skies.
Before dawn June 7: Arietids meteor shower
Watch for the Arietids in the dark hours before dawn breaks. There won’t be any moonlight to hinder meteor watching in the morning sky. The Arietids are sometimes said to be the most active daytime meteor shower.
June 7 and 8 evenings: Moon near Gemini’s twin stars
On the evenings of June 7 and 8, 2024, the waxing crescent moon will shine near Pollux and Castor, the twin stars of Gemini. Even though they are called twins, they don’t look alike. Pollux is a bit brighter and shines with a golden light, while Castor is a white star. On both evenings, the unlit portion of the moon will exhibit the lovely glow of earthshine, which is reflected light from Earth. They’ll rise before sunset, travel across the sky’s dome and set before midnight.
On the evening of June 11, 2024, the waxing crescent moon will hang near the bright star Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion. They’ll be visible until around midnight.
The instant of 1st quarter moon will fall at 5:18 UTC on June 14 15, 2024 (12:18 a.m. CDT). A 1st quarter moon rises around noon your local time and sets around midnight. Watch for it high in the sky at sundown.
June 14: Moon reaches apogee
The moon will reach apogee – its farthest distance from Earth in its elliptical orbit around Earth – at 14 UTC (9 a.m. CDT) on June 14, 2024, when it’s 251,081 miles (404,076 kilometers) away.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
June 15 and 16 evenings: Moon near Spica
On the evenings of June 15 and 16, 2024, the fat waxing gibbous moon will hang near the bright star Spica in Virgo the Maiden. They’ll rise before sunset and be visible through several hours after midnight. Locations including Kazakhstan, western Russia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will see the moon pass in front of – or occult – Spica around 18 UTC on June 16. Others may see Spica close to the limb of the moon.
On June 19, 2024, the bright red star Antares in Scorpius the Scorpion will lie close to the the fat waxing gibbous. Also, sky watchers in locations including Papua New Guinea, eastern Indonesia, Solomon Islands and Fiji will see the moon pass in front of – or occult – Antares near 11 UTC on June 20. Other locations may see Antares very close to the limb of the moon.
The full moon will lie near the Teapot – an asterism in Sagittarius the Archer – on the evening of June 21, 2024. You can catch the moon and the Teapot until dawn.
The full moon will occur at 1:08 UTC on June 22, 2024, (8:08 p.m. CDT on June 21). It’ll be visible all night.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
June 27: Moon reaches perigee
The moon will reach perigee – its closest point in its elliptical orbit around Earth – at 12 UTC (7 a.m. CDT) on June 27, 2024, when it’s 229,463 miles (369,286 kilometers) away.
June 27 morning: Moon visits Saturn
In the early morning hours of June 27, 2024, the waning gibbous moon will hang close to Saturn. The bright star Fomalhaut will shine nearby. Also, sky watchers in locations including eastern Australia, northeastern New Zealand, Fiji and New Caledonia will see the moon pass in front of – or occult – Saturn near 15 UTC on June 27.
The instant of last quarter moon will fall at 21:53 UTC (4:53 p.m. CDT) on June 28, 2024. It’ll rise after midnight your local time and will set around noon. Look for it high in the sky before dawn.
June 30 mornings: Moon near Mars
On June 30, 2024, the waning crescent moon will lie close to the reddish planet Mars. The lit portion of the moon will point to the reddish planet. Also nearby will be the bright planet Jupiter and the Pleiades star cluster. The moon and Mars will rise about four hours before sunrise.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
Visible planets in June 2024
June morning planets
In June 2024, Mars will shine at 1st magnitude, and its disk will grow from 5 arcminutes in diameter to 5.4 arcminutes by the end of the month. The waning crescent moon will be near Mars on the mornings of June 2 and 3, 2024. Mars begins the month in the dim constellation of Pisces the Fish. And then it’ll move to the faint constellation Aries the Ram. It’ll rise about two hours before sunrise on June 1 and around three hours before sunrise by the end of June.
Saturn will shine around 1st magnitude in June 2024. Its ring system is closing – they’ll be edge-on in 2025 – and it’s getting farther from Earth. The bright star Fomalhaut shines nearby. Saturn spends the month in the faint constellation of Aquarius the Water Bearer. Saturn ends the month of June with a close pass from the moon. They’ll pair up on June 27. Observers in eastern Australia, northeastern New Zealand, Fiji and New Caledonia will see the moon pass in front of – or occult – Saturn near 15 UTC on June 27. Saturn will rise about three hours before the sun on June 1 and will rise around midnight by month’s end.
Jupiter becomes easier to see as the month progresses. It spends the month in the constellation Taurus the Bull. It’s shining at -1.8 magnitude most of the month, but that bright light is washed out in the morning twilight. Jupiter will rise about 30 minutes before the sun on June 1 and will rise about 2 hours before sunrise by month’s end. It has a close pairing with Mercury on the morning of June 4, however they’ll be challenging to spot in the morning twilight. And, the delicate Pleiades star cluster is nearby. Mars will lie higher in the sky.
Mercury slips away in the glare of the morning sun at the beginning of June. It’ll be shining at magnitude -0.8. It will rise about 40 minutes before the sun. Before Mercury disappears from the morning sky, it’ll have a close pairing with Jupiter in the morning twilight on June 4, 2024. The pair will lie low on the horizon. Mercury will then emerge in the evening twilight by month’s end.
Mercury emerges in the evening sky at the end of June. Binoculars will help spot this little world. It’ll reach its greatest evening elongation on July 22, 2024, when it’s 27 degrees from the sun. It’ll be shining at magnitude 0.6. This will be the best evening apparition of 2024 for Southern Hemisphere observers. Mercury will be in the constellation Gemini the Twins. It’ll set about an hour after the sun by the end of June.
Venus is too close to the sun to be visible this month. It’ll emerge in the evening sky by the end of July.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
Stars and constellations overhead in June
If you’re out stargazing on any June evening, look for these stars and constellations overhead in the sky.
Boötes the Herdsman
Almost overhead on June evenings is bright orange Arcturus. It’s in the constellation Boötes the Herdsman. Boötes has the shape of a kite, and Arcturus is at the point where you’d attach a tail. You can’t miss its distinctive shape.
Ursa Major the Great Bear is home to the Big Dipper. The Big Dipper is an asterism – a well-known group of stars – not an official constellation. You’ll find the Big Dipper high overhead from mid-northern latitudes in the June evening skies. You can use the two outer stars in the Big Dipper’s bowl – sometimes called the Pointers – to find Polaris, the North Star.
Hercules is a faint constellation. But its midsection contains the easy-to-see Keystone asterism. You can find Hercules between the bright stars Vega in Lyra the Harp and Arcturus in Boötes the Herdsman. And once you find the Keystone, you can easily locate M13, the Hercules cluster.
Chart via EarthSky .
Have fun exploring the sky!
Bottom line: Morning planets: Mars and Saturn are up before dawn. Jupiter climbs higher each morning becoming easier to see later in the month. Mercury slips away after the first week of June. Evening planets: Mercury emerges in the evening sky the last few days of the month.
Guys charts to copy
Heliocentric view of solar system, June 2024. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2024 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.Here is the sky dome view for June 2024. It shows what is above the horizon at mid-evening for mid-northern latitudes. The view may vary depending on your location. Image via Guy Ottewell’s 2024 Astronomical Calendar.
To add every few charts:
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
May 31 morning: Sneak peak of the lineup of 6 planets
Start watching for the lineup of six planets on May 31, 2024. The thick waning crescent moon will lie near golden Saturn. You can see the moon and Saturn in dark skies before dawn. The moon will visit five more planets (Neptune, Mars, Uranus, Mercury and Jupiter) over the next few days. The moon and Saturn will rise about three hours before sunrise, but to catch all six planets look about 30 minutes before sunrise.
On June 1, 2024, the lineup of six planets will find the waning crescent moon hanging between Saturn and Mars, and it’ll be close to spot where Neptune lies. Just remember, Neptune will require optical aid and dark skies to spot. Look for them before dawn, Saturn and Mars will rise several hours before sunrise. If you look later during morning twilight, Saturn and Mars might be difficult to see, but you might also glimpse Mercury, Jupiter and the spot where Uranus lies low on the horizon.
The moon will reach perigee – its closest point in its elliptical orbit around Earth – at 7 UTC (2 a.m. CDT) on June 2, 2024, when it’s 228,727 miles (368,102 kilometers) away.
June 2 morning: Moon near Mars
The lineup of six planets continues on June 2, 2024, when the lit portion of the waning crescent moon will point to reddish Mars. At the same time, Mercury is dropping down toward the horizon and Jupiter, in anticipation of their upcoming conjunction. And Saturn will be higher in the eastern predawn sky. The moon and Mars will rise about two hours before sunrise. The spots where Neptune and Uranus lie are marked with plus signs. If you want to try and catch all six planets, look about 30 minutes before sunrise
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
June 3 morning: Moon hangs near Mars
The mornings of June 3 and 4, 2024, will probably be the best time to try to catch all six planets at once. Start looking about 40 minutes before sunrise. On June 3, the waning crescent moon will be pointing to Mercury and Jupiter (and the spot where Uranus lies) near the sunrise point. And Mercury and Jupiter will be just a day away from being closest to each other. Meanwhile, Mars, Saturn and Neptune will be higher in the eastern pre-dawn sky.
June 4 morning: Moon moving toward Jupiter and Mercury
On June 4, 2024, the waning crescent moon will be floating above the planets low on the horizon. Mercury and Jupiter will appear closest together in the morning sky when they will be less than a degree apart. And that’s if you can find them in the bright morning twilight! Even though the planets are shining brightly, they’ll be competing with the rising sun’s glow. Look in the morning twilight about 40 minutes before sunrise. Also, look for Mars and Saturn higher in the sky.
In the early morning twilight on June 4, 2024, Mercury will pair up with Jupiter. The largest and smallest planets of our solar system will be 0.1 degrees apart. Look for them very low above the horizon. Binoculars may help spot them about 30 minutes before sunrise.
June 5 morning twilight: Last chance to see all 6 planets
Your last chance to snag all six planets before sunrise is probably on June 5, 2024. Mercury will be descending fast toward the horizon. Jupiter will be ascending, and the whisper-thin waning crescent moon (at just 1.7% lit!) will hover above the planetary pair. Look for them in the morning twilight about 40 minutes before sunrise. Soon, Mercury will be too close to the sun to see. However, Jupiter will be moving higher out of the sunrise’s glow. Mars and Saturn lie higher in the sky and are easier to spot before dawn.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
June 6: New moon
The instant of new moon will fall at 12:38 UTC on June 6, 2024 (7:38 a.m. CDT). That night is a perfect time to enjoy stargazing under dark skies.
Before dawn June 7: Arietids meteor shower
Watch for the Arietids in the dark hours before dawn breaks. There won’t be any moonlight to hinder meteor watching in the morning sky. The Arietids are sometimes said to be the most active daytime meteor shower.
June 7 and 8 evenings: Moon near Gemini’s twin stars
On the evenings of June 7 and 8, 2024, the waxing crescent moon will shine near Pollux and Castor, the twin stars of Gemini. Even though they are called twins, they don’t look alike. Pollux is a bit brighter and shines with a golden light, while Castor is a white star. On both evenings, the unlit portion of the moon will exhibit the lovely glow of earthshine, which is reflected light from Earth. They’ll rise before sunset, travel across the sky’s dome and set before midnight.
On the evening of June 11, 2024, the waxing crescent moon will hang near the bright star Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion. They’ll be visible until around midnight.
The instant of 1st quarter moon will fall at 5:18 UTC on June 14 15, 2024 (12:18 a.m. CDT). A 1st quarter moon rises around noon your local time and sets around midnight. Watch for it high in the sky at sundown.
June 14: Moon reaches apogee
The moon will reach apogee – its farthest distance from Earth in its elliptical orbit around Earth – at 14 UTC (9 a.m. CDT) on June 14, 2024, when it’s 251,081 miles (404,076 kilometers) away.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
June 15 and 16 evenings: Moon near Spica
On the evenings of June 15 and 16, 2024, the fat waxing gibbous moon will hang near the bright star Spica in Virgo the Maiden. They’ll rise before sunset and be visible through several hours after midnight. Locations including Kazakhstan, western Russia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will see the moon pass in front of – or occult – Spica around 18 UTC on June 16. Others may see Spica close to the limb of the moon.
On June 19, 2024, the bright red star Antares in Scorpius the Scorpion will lie close to the the fat waxing gibbous. Also, sky watchers in locations including Papua New Guinea, eastern Indonesia, Solomon Islands and Fiji will see the moon pass in front of – or occult – Antares near 11 UTC on June 20. Other locations may see Antares very close to the limb of the moon.
The full moon will lie near the Teapot – an asterism in Sagittarius the Archer – on the evening of June 21, 2024. You can catch the moon and the Teapot until dawn.
The full moon will occur at 1:08 UTC on June 22, 2024, (8:08 p.m. CDT on June 21). It’ll be visible all night.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
June 27: Moon reaches perigee
The moon will reach perigee – its closest point in its elliptical orbit around Earth – at 12 UTC (7 a.m. CDT) on June 27, 2024, when it’s 229,463 miles (369,286 kilometers) away.
June 27 morning: Moon visits Saturn
In the early morning hours of June 27, 2024, the waning gibbous moon will hang close to Saturn. The bright star Fomalhaut will shine nearby. Also, sky watchers in locations including eastern Australia, northeastern New Zealand, Fiji and New Caledonia will see the moon pass in front of – or occult – Saturn near 15 UTC on June 27.
The instant of last quarter moon will fall at 21:53 UTC (4:53 p.m. CDT) on June 28, 2024. It’ll rise after midnight your local time and will set around noon. Look for it high in the sky before dawn.
June 30 mornings: Moon near Mars
On June 30, 2024, the waning crescent moon will lie close to the reddish planet Mars. The lit portion of the moon will point to the reddish planet. Also nearby will be the bright planet Jupiter and the Pleiades star cluster. The moon and Mars will rise about four hours before sunrise.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
Visible planets in June 2024
June morning planets
In June 2024, Mars will shine at 1st magnitude, and its disk will grow from 5 arcminutes in diameter to 5.4 arcminutes by the end of the month. The waning crescent moon will be near Mars on the mornings of June 2 and 3, 2024. Mars begins the month in the dim constellation of Pisces the Fish. And then it’ll move to the faint constellation Aries the Ram. It’ll rise about two hours before sunrise on June 1 and around three hours before sunrise by the end of June.
Saturn will shine around 1st magnitude in June 2024. Its ring system is closing – they’ll be edge-on in 2025 – and it’s getting farther from Earth. The bright star Fomalhaut shines nearby. Saturn spends the month in the faint constellation of Aquarius the Water Bearer. Saturn ends the month of June with a close pass from the moon. They’ll pair up on June 27. Observers in eastern Australia, northeastern New Zealand, Fiji and New Caledonia will see the moon pass in front of – or occult – Saturn near 15 UTC on June 27. Saturn will rise about three hours before the sun on June 1 and will rise around midnight by month’s end.
Jupiter becomes easier to see as the month progresses. It spends the month in the constellation Taurus the Bull. It’s shining at -1.8 magnitude most of the month, but that bright light is washed out in the morning twilight. Jupiter will rise about 30 minutes before the sun on June 1 and will rise about 2 hours before sunrise by month’s end. It has a close pairing with Mercury on the morning of June 4, however they’ll be challenging to spot in the morning twilight. And, the delicate Pleiades star cluster is nearby. Mars will lie higher in the sky.
Mercury slips away in the glare of the morning sun at the beginning of June. It’ll be shining at magnitude -0.8. It will rise about 40 minutes before the sun. Before Mercury disappears from the morning sky, it’ll have a close pairing with Jupiter in the morning twilight on June 4, 2024. The pair will lie low on the horizon. Mercury will then emerge in the evening twilight by month’s end.
Mercury emerges in the evening sky at the end of June. Binoculars will help spot this little world. It’ll reach its greatest evening elongation on July 22, 2024, when it’s 27 degrees from the sun. It’ll be shining at magnitude 0.6. This will be the best evening apparition of 2024 for Southern Hemisphere observers. Mercury will be in the constellation Gemini the Twins. It’ll set about an hour after the sun by the end of June.
Venus is too close to the sun to be visible this month. It’ll emerge in the evening sky by the end of July.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
Stars and constellations overhead in June
If you’re out stargazing on any June evening, look for these stars and constellations overhead in the sky.
Boötes the Herdsman
Almost overhead on June evenings is bright orange Arcturus. It’s in the constellation Boötes the Herdsman. Boötes has the shape of a kite, and Arcturus is at the point where you’d attach a tail. You can’t miss its distinctive shape.
Ursa Major the Great Bear is home to the Big Dipper. The Big Dipper is an asterism – a well-known group of stars – not an official constellation. You’ll find the Big Dipper high overhead from mid-northern latitudes in the June evening skies. You can use the two outer stars in the Big Dipper’s bowl – sometimes called the Pointers – to find Polaris, the North Star.
Hercules is a faint constellation. But its midsection contains the easy-to-see Keystone asterism. You can find Hercules between the bright stars Vega in Lyra the Harp and Arcturus in Boötes the Herdsman. And once you find the Keystone, you can easily locate M13, the Hercules cluster.
Chart via EarthSky .
Have fun exploring the sky!
Bottom line: Morning planets: Mars and Saturn are up before dawn. Jupiter climbs higher each morning becoming easier to see later in the month. Mercury slips away after the first week of June. Evening planets: Mercury emerges in the evening sky the last few days of the month.
Guys charts to copy
Heliocentric view of solar system, June 2024. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2024 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.Here is the sky dome view for June 2024. It shows what is above the horizon at mid-evening for mid-northern latitudes. The view may vary depending on your location. Image via Guy Ottewell’s 2024 Astronomical Calendar.
To add every few charts:
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
