Here are two asterisms known as the Big and Little Dippers. To find the Little Dipper, use the 2 outer stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper – aka the Pointers – to point to Polaris, the North Star. After locating Polaris – it marks the end of the handle of the Little Dipper – trace out the other stars in the Little Dipper.
Tonight, assuming you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, you can easily find the legendary Big Dipper, called The Plough by our friends in the United Kingdom or The Wagon throughout much of Europe. This familiar star pattern is high in the north at nightfall in June. Find it, and let it be your guide to the Little Dipper.
Indeed, you can find the Big Dipper easily because its shape really resembles a dipper. And it is made up of moderately bright stars. Meanwhile, the Little Dipper isn’t as easy to find. You need a dark sky to see the Little Dipper, so be sure to avoid city lights.
How to find the Dippers
Assuming you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, simply face northward on a June evening and look for a large dipper-like pattern. Which way is north? Rotate around until your left side faces the sunset point. You are now looking toward the north. That easy-to-see pattern high in the sky will be the Big Dipper. Also, notice that the Big Dipper has two parts: a bowl and a handle. The bowl has four stars, and the handle has three. See the two outer stars in the bowl? They’re known as The Pointers because they point to the North Star, which is also known as Polaris.
The Big Dipper stands out in the night sky. Image via Janes Wheeler/ Unsplash. Used with permission.
Polaris is the brightest star of the Little Dipper
Once you’ve found Polaris, you can find the Little Dipper. Polaris marks the end of the handle of the Little Dipper. You need a dark night to see the all of the Little Dipper, because it’s fainter than its larger and brighter counterpart. If your skies are not very dark, you might see only the three brightest stars in the Little Dipper. Those three stars are Polaris and the two end stars in the bowl of the Little Dipper.
By the way, can you see the Big Dipper from Earth’s Southern Hemisphere? Yes, if you’re in the southern tropics. However, much farther south, it gets harder because you are farther south on Earth’s globe. So, the Big Dipper sinks closer and closer to the northern horizon.
Meanwhile, Polaris, the North Star, disappears beneath the horizon once you get south of the Earth’s equator.
Big and Little Dipper in skylore
In his classic book Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning, Richard Hinckley Allen claims the Greek constellation Ursa Minor was never mentioned in the literary works of Homer (9th century BCE) or Hesiod (8th century BCE). That’s probably because this constellation hadn’t been invented yet.
According to the Greek geographer and historian Strabo (63 BCE to about 21 CE), the seven stars we see today as part of Ursa Minor (the Little Dipper) didn’t carry that name until 600 BCE or so. Before that time, people saw this group of stars outlining the wings of the constellation Draco the Dragon.
When the seafaring Phoenicians visited the Greek philosopher Thales around 600 BCE, they showed him how to navigate by the stars. Purportedly, Thales clipped the Dragon’s wings to create a new constellation, possibly because this new way of looking at the stars enabled Greek sailors to more easily locate the north celestial pole.
However, it’s not just our names for things in the sky that change. The sky itself changes, too. In our day, Polaris closely marks the north celestial pole in the sky. In 600 BCE – thanks to the motion of precession – the stars Kochab and Pherkad more closely marked the position of the north celestial pole.
Here are two asterisms known as the Big and Little Dippers. To find the Little Dipper, use the 2 outer stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper – aka the Pointers – to point to Polaris, the North Star. After locating Polaris – it marks the end of the handle of the Little Dipper – trace out the other stars in the Little Dipper.
Tonight, assuming you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, you can easily find the legendary Big Dipper, called The Plough by our friends in the United Kingdom or The Wagon throughout much of Europe. This familiar star pattern is high in the north at nightfall in June. Find it, and let it be your guide to the Little Dipper.
Indeed, you can find the Big Dipper easily because its shape really resembles a dipper. And it is made up of moderately bright stars. Meanwhile, the Little Dipper isn’t as easy to find. You need a dark sky to see the Little Dipper, so be sure to avoid city lights.
How to find the Dippers
Assuming you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, simply face northward on a June evening and look for a large dipper-like pattern. Which way is north? Rotate around until your left side faces the sunset point. You are now looking toward the north. That easy-to-see pattern high in the sky will be the Big Dipper. Also, notice that the Big Dipper has two parts: a bowl and a handle. The bowl has four stars, and the handle has three. See the two outer stars in the bowl? They’re known as The Pointers because they point to the North Star, which is also known as Polaris.
The Big Dipper stands out in the night sky. Image via Janes Wheeler/ Unsplash. Used with permission.
Polaris is the brightest star of the Little Dipper
Once you’ve found Polaris, you can find the Little Dipper. Polaris marks the end of the handle of the Little Dipper. You need a dark night to see the all of the Little Dipper, because it’s fainter than its larger and brighter counterpart. If your skies are not very dark, you might see only the three brightest stars in the Little Dipper. Those three stars are Polaris and the two end stars in the bowl of the Little Dipper.
By the way, can you see the Big Dipper from Earth’s Southern Hemisphere? Yes, if you’re in the southern tropics. However, much farther south, it gets harder because you are farther south on Earth’s globe. So, the Big Dipper sinks closer and closer to the northern horizon.
Meanwhile, Polaris, the North Star, disappears beneath the horizon once you get south of the Earth’s equator.
Big and Little Dipper in skylore
In his classic book Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning, Richard Hinckley Allen claims the Greek constellation Ursa Minor was never mentioned in the literary works of Homer (9th century BCE) or Hesiod (8th century BCE). That’s probably because this constellation hadn’t been invented yet.
According to the Greek geographer and historian Strabo (63 BCE to about 21 CE), the seven stars we see today as part of Ursa Minor (the Little Dipper) didn’t carry that name until 600 BCE or so. Before that time, people saw this group of stars outlining the wings of the constellation Draco the Dragon.
When the seafaring Phoenicians visited the Greek philosopher Thales around 600 BCE, they showed him how to navigate by the stars. Purportedly, Thales clipped the Dragon’s wings to create a new constellation, possibly because this new way of looking at the stars enabled Greek sailors to more easily locate the north celestial pole.
However, it’s not just our names for things in the sky that change. The sky itself changes, too. In our day, Polaris closely marks the north celestial pole in the sky. In 600 BCE – thanks to the motion of precession – the stars Kochab and Pherkad more closely marked the position of the north celestial pole.
The praying mantis is a vicious predator. See more in this video.
The praying mantis is more of a preying mantis, because it’s a ruthless predator. It doesn’t hesitate to eat any insect that comes its way. It can even hunt and eat small reptiles, mammals, amphibians and birds. Not even its own mate is safe. And to top it off, it eats its prey while it’s still alive.
The word mantis comes from the Greek mantikos, which means seer or prophet. These insects look like they’re in holy contemplation, as their front legs fold together as if in prayer. In fact, most mantises are known by their common name, praying mantis.
The praying mantis
These insects measure between 2.3 to 2.7 inches (6 to 7 cm) and have a carnivorous diet. They move ultra-fast when they hunt. There are around 2,400 species of mantises. Some have wings and others don’t.
They have a lifespan of one year and are found in temperate and tropical areas, but you might see them in deserts, too. They’re quite common in Europe, Asia, Africa and almost all of South America. Farmers introduced mantises to North America in the 1800s to help get rid of pests. Now they’ve spread across the entire continent. In fact, the mantis is Connecticut’s official state insect.
The mantis is a ferocious insect. Image via David Clode/ Unsplash.
The impressive vision of the praying mantis
The mantis has enormous compound eyes that allow it to see depth and movement in a wide field of view. The compound eyes are made of thousands of light receptors called ommatidia. Their density increases in the central part of the eye, where its sight is most precise. But the peripheral ommatidium are responsible for perceiving movement. So when a mantis sees moving prey, it quickly turns its head to put the prey in its front visual field. Then it follows the prey to keep the image centered. The head can rotate up to 180 degrees.
Those two little black dots in its eyes that seem to follow you when you move are not pupils but light receptors called pseudopupils. The little black dots absorb all wavelengths of light, which is why they’re black. The light receptors around the black dots reflect specific wavelengths, so the rest of the eye appears green, white, brown or violet.
But the praying mantis also has another three, smaller eyes between the larger two. These small eyes go by the name ocelli. These simple eyes are common in arthropods. The photosensitive cells help the insect perceive light and shadow.
Praying mantises have 2 compound eyes and 3 simple eyes. Image via Andrey Tikhonovskiy/ Unsplash.
3D vision
As if these impressive eyes weren’t enough, the praying mantis is the only invertebrate known to see in 3D.
Mammals use their pupils to focus light on the retina and form an image in their brains. So even though the mantis doesn’t have pupils, but pseudopupils, it can create a 3D image.
In this case, 3D vision is based on movement. For a motionless predator, the background image is almost as important as the movement of the prey. The mantis must consider how far away its prey is without movement that would alert the prey.
Normally, 3D vision is typical of primates and more complex animals. Still, these little insects, which only have a million neurons in their brains – compared to the human brain’s 100 billion – have designed their own way of seeing in 3D.
Phyllocrania paradoxa, or ghost mantis. Image via Mydriatic/ Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Hearing and movement
The praying mantis can detect the ultrasonic frequencies that bats use to hunt. The mantis uses an organ similar to the ear, but it’s not in the insect’s head. Instead, it’s located in the center of the chest, in the thorax. These insects can hear sounds above 20,000 hertz, outside the human hearing range.
Some mantises have wings and fly. When flying species are moving in the air, they can detect the sounds bats use to approach their prey. Consequently, mantises change their flight path to avoid capture.
Praying mantises are primarily diurnal (active in daytime), although some species move at night and may be attracted to artificial lights. Also, mantises jump with extreme precision by contorting their body in the air to land on the objects they want.
You said what? Mantises have an ear in their thorax. Image via Ganna Aibetova/ Unsplash.
What does a praying mantis eat?
Mantises are voracious, carnivorous insects that feed on any other nearby insects, such as flies, crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, moths, butterflies and bees. However, it is not uncommon for larger mantises to devour spiders, birds, small mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Thus, you can see the mantis hunting and eating hummingbirds, mice, frogs, lizards, snakes …
Fortunately for us, the mantis isn’t poisonous and doesn’t have a sting. Additionally, the mantis can provide useful pest control for gardeners, as it eats potentially destructive insects.
The praying mantis uses its strong front legs with spikes to hunt all types of insects, small reptiles, mammals, amphibians and birds. Image via Brahad Kokad/ Unsplash.
How do mantises hunt?
To capture its prey, the mantis camouflages itself in the surrounding area and waits for prey to come within striking distance. Once in position, the mantis uses its front legs to grab the prey. These legs are like saws, with spikes that dig into the prey and prevent it from escaping.
And – here’s why we call it a ruthless predator – mantises don’t inject poison or use other more merciful methods on their prey. Instead, the mantis eats its prey while it’s still alive. Not only that, but mantises have a rather gruesome method of devouring their prey: They start with the head. In many cases, the insects bore into the birds’ heads and feed on their brains. Yuck!
Praying mantises have hunting instincts from birth. From the moment they’re hatched, they’re independent and begin training to look for small prey such as larvae or worms. Later, once their skills improve, their size increases and they become faster, they start hunting larger insects and animals.
If threatened, the mantis stands upright and extends its front legs in defense. Additionally, a mantis species with wings will spread them to appear larger and scare the opponent. If the confrontation persists, the mantis will strike the attacker with its front legs and try to pinch, bite or cut it.
Mantises are not scared of confronting an attacker. Image via Andrey Tikhonovskiy/ Unsplash.
Mating
The adult female emits pheromones to attract males, which helps them locate less-mobile females. The females are much larger than the males. This difference in size is because females must produce hundreds of eggs. In addition, a larger size can help them protect their eggs from predators.
During the breeding season, female mantises can devour their partner. Normally, if other prey is available, the male can rest easy. However, a hungry mantis will devour the male after mating.
The percentage of species that carry out this practice is between 13% and 28%. Why do they eat their mates? The belief is the females need an important supply of amino acids for their eggs, so they can successfully develop.
The mantis begins its life in a slimy mass of eggs called an ootheca. Generally, the ootheca starts out foamy and then hardens to ensure protection. When autumn comes, the mantis creates this mass on a small branch. The eggs hatch from spring to early summer, as warmer temperatures mark the time of hatching.
Wings, colors and camouflage
Some species have bright colors and patterns on their wings, body and the inner surface of their front legs, which can also produce sounds. Some mantises don’t develop wings at all, or they may have small flightless wings. If the mantis is winged, they’re located on its abdomen.
A Pseudocreobotra wahlbergi, or spiny flower mantis. Image via JMK/ Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Normally, it’s more common for females to have a limited ability to fly, because they’re larger than males. On the other hand, males frequently use their wings to search for females or escape them when copulation is over.
Each species has different morphological characteristics. Normally, mantises develop an appearance that resembles their environment in order to camouflage themselves and hide from predators. This also allows them to hunt without being seen.
Empusa pennata, or conehead mantis. Image via Frank Vassen/ Wikipedia (CC BY 2.0).
The perfect example is the orchid mantis (Hymenopus coronatus). When it’s barely born, this expert in the art of camouflaging has a red-and-black color pattern, similar to bedbugs. This is a good trick, since its predators hate the taste and smell of this bug. When it grows and becomes an adult mantis, its colors turn white and pink to camouflage itself among the orchid flowers, handy for stealth hunting.
Bottom line: The praying mantis is a ruthless predator that eats any insect that comes its way. Not even small reptiles, mammals, amphibians, birds or its own mate are safe.
The praying mantis is a vicious predator. See more in this video.
The praying mantis is more of a preying mantis, because it’s a ruthless predator. It doesn’t hesitate to eat any insect that comes its way. It can even hunt and eat small reptiles, mammals, amphibians and birds. Not even its own mate is safe. And to top it off, it eats its prey while it’s still alive.
The word mantis comes from the Greek mantikos, which means seer or prophet. These insects look like they’re in holy contemplation, as their front legs fold together as if in prayer. In fact, most mantises are known by their common name, praying mantis.
The praying mantis
These insects measure between 2.3 to 2.7 inches (6 to 7 cm) and have a carnivorous diet. They move ultra-fast when they hunt. There are around 2,400 species of mantises. Some have wings and others don’t.
They have a lifespan of one year and are found in temperate and tropical areas, but you might see them in deserts, too. They’re quite common in Europe, Asia, Africa and almost all of South America. Farmers introduced mantises to North America in the 1800s to help get rid of pests. Now they’ve spread across the entire continent. In fact, the mantis is Connecticut’s official state insect.
The mantis is a ferocious insect. Image via David Clode/ Unsplash.
The impressive vision of the praying mantis
The mantis has enormous compound eyes that allow it to see depth and movement in a wide field of view. The compound eyes are made of thousands of light receptors called ommatidia. Their density increases in the central part of the eye, where its sight is most precise. But the peripheral ommatidium are responsible for perceiving movement. So when a mantis sees moving prey, it quickly turns its head to put the prey in its front visual field. Then it follows the prey to keep the image centered. The head can rotate up to 180 degrees.
Those two little black dots in its eyes that seem to follow you when you move are not pupils but light receptors called pseudopupils. The little black dots absorb all wavelengths of light, which is why they’re black. The light receptors around the black dots reflect specific wavelengths, so the rest of the eye appears green, white, brown or violet.
But the praying mantis also has another three, smaller eyes between the larger two. These small eyes go by the name ocelli. These simple eyes are common in arthropods. The photosensitive cells help the insect perceive light and shadow.
Praying mantises have 2 compound eyes and 3 simple eyes. Image via Andrey Tikhonovskiy/ Unsplash.
3D vision
As if these impressive eyes weren’t enough, the praying mantis is the only invertebrate known to see in 3D.
Mammals use their pupils to focus light on the retina and form an image in their brains. So even though the mantis doesn’t have pupils, but pseudopupils, it can create a 3D image.
In this case, 3D vision is based on movement. For a motionless predator, the background image is almost as important as the movement of the prey. The mantis must consider how far away its prey is without movement that would alert the prey.
Normally, 3D vision is typical of primates and more complex animals. Still, these little insects, which only have a million neurons in their brains – compared to the human brain’s 100 billion – have designed their own way of seeing in 3D.
Phyllocrania paradoxa, or ghost mantis. Image via Mydriatic/ Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Hearing and movement
The praying mantis can detect the ultrasonic frequencies that bats use to hunt. The mantis uses an organ similar to the ear, but it’s not in the insect’s head. Instead, it’s located in the center of the chest, in the thorax. These insects can hear sounds above 20,000 hertz, outside the human hearing range.
Some mantises have wings and fly. When flying species are moving in the air, they can detect the sounds bats use to approach their prey. Consequently, mantises change their flight path to avoid capture.
Praying mantises are primarily diurnal (active in daytime), although some species move at night and may be attracted to artificial lights. Also, mantises jump with extreme precision by contorting their body in the air to land on the objects they want.
You said what? Mantises have an ear in their thorax. Image via Ganna Aibetova/ Unsplash.
What does a praying mantis eat?
Mantises are voracious, carnivorous insects that feed on any other nearby insects, such as flies, crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, moths, butterflies and bees. However, it is not uncommon for larger mantises to devour spiders, birds, small mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Thus, you can see the mantis hunting and eating hummingbirds, mice, frogs, lizards, snakes …
Fortunately for us, the mantis isn’t poisonous and doesn’t have a sting. Additionally, the mantis can provide useful pest control for gardeners, as it eats potentially destructive insects.
The praying mantis uses its strong front legs with spikes to hunt all types of insects, small reptiles, mammals, amphibians and birds. Image via Brahad Kokad/ Unsplash.
How do mantises hunt?
To capture its prey, the mantis camouflages itself in the surrounding area and waits for prey to come within striking distance. Once in position, the mantis uses its front legs to grab the prey. These legs are like saws, with spikes that dig into the prey and prevent it from escaping.
And – here’s why we call it a ruthless predator – mantises don’t inject poison or use other more merciful methods on their prey. Instead, the mantis eats its prey while it’s still alive. Not only that, but mantises have a rather gruesome method of devouring their prey: They start with the head. In many cases, the insects bore into the birds’ heads and feed on their brains. Yuck!
Praying mantises have hunting instincts from birth. From the moment they’re hatched, they’re independent and begin training to look for small prey such as larvae or worms. Later, once their skills improve, their size increases and they become faster, they start hunting larger insects and animals.
If threatened, the mantis stands upright and extends its front legs in defense. Additionally, a mantis species with wings will spread them to appear larger and scare the opponent. If the confrontation persists, the mantis will strike the attacker with its front legs and try to pinch, bite or cut it.
Mantises are not scared of confronting an attacker. Image via Andrey Tikhonovskiy/ Unsplash.
Mating
The adult female emits pheromones to attract males, which helps them locate less-mobile females. The females are much larger than the males. This difference in size is because females must produce hundreds of eggs. In addition, a larger size can help them protect their eggs from predators.
During the breeding season, female mantises can devour their partner. Normally, if other prey is available, the male can rest easy. However, a hungry mantis will devour the male after mating.
The percentage of species that carry out this practice is between 13% and 28%. Why do they eat their mates? The belief is the females need an important supply of amino acids for their eggs, so they can successfully develop.
The mantis begins its life in a slimy mass of eggs called an ootheca. Generally, the ootheca starts out foamy and then hardens to ensure protection. When autumn comes, the mantis creates this mass on a small branch. The eggs hatch from spring to early summer, as warmer temperatures mark the time of hatching.
Wings, colors and camouflage
Some species have bright colors and patterns on their wings, body and the inner surface of their front legs, which can also produce sounds. Some mantises don’t develop wings at all, or they may have small flightless wings. If the mantis is winged, they’re located on its abdomen.
A Pseudocreobotra wahlbergi, or spiny flower mantis. Image via JMK/ Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Normally, it’s more common for females to have a limited ability to fly, because they’re larger than males. On the other hand, males frequently use their wings to search for females or escape them when copulation is over.
Each species has different morphological characteristics. Normally, mantises develop an appearance that resembles their environment in order to camouflage themselves and hide from predators. This also allows them to hunt without being seen.
Empusa pennata, or conehead mantis. Image via Frank Vassen/ Wikipedia (CC BY 2.0).
The perfect example is the orchid mantis (Hymenopus coronatus). When it’s barely born, this expert in the art of camouflaging has a red-and-black color pattern, similar to bedbugs. This is a good trick, since its predators hate the taste and smell of this bug. When it grows and becomes an adult mantis, its colors turn white and pink to camouflage itself among the orchid flowers, handy for stealth hunting.
Bottom line: The praying mantis is a ruthless predator that eats any insect that comes its way. Not even small reptiles, mammals, amphibians, birds or its own mate are safe.
Venus is passing behind the sun today and tomorrow (June 3 and 4)! SOHO’s LASCO C2 captured Venus about to pass behind the sun (or, in this case, behind the spacecraft imagery equipment’s sun-occulter). The occultation of Venus behind the sun – the “anti-transit” – will start around 14 UTC (9 a.m. central) on June 3 as seen by SOHO’s LASCO 2 imager. Venus will take many hours to go to its deepest point behind the sun. It’ll be most deeply behind the sun on June 4. Meanwhile, Venus will reach its “superior conjunction” – when it and the sun have the same “right ascension” – that is, the same east-west coordinate on the sky’s dome as viewed by us on Earth – at around 16 UTC on June 4. Image via SOHO
Venus superior conjunction June 4
Venus is the brightest planet we see. It orbits the sun one step closer than Earth. So it stays near the sun in our sky and is often called the morning “star” or the evening “star.” When it’s up, you can spot Venus easily. And it’ll catch your eye if it’s near a crescent moon. But where is Venus now? On June 3 and 4, it is passing directly behind the sun.
Prior to early June 2024, Venus spent over eight months as a dazzling morning “star.” It reached greatest elongation – its greatest apparent distance from the sun in our sky – on October 23, 2023. It hung low in the east before sunrise for many months, before slipping away in the morning sunlight in early April. For the past couple of months, it’s been too close to the sun to see. Venus is now traveling behind the sun as viewed from Earth. It’ll reach its superior conjunction – achieving the same east-west coordinate as the sun in our sky – at 16 UTC (11 a.m. central) on June 4, 2024.
And, at this 2024 superior conjunction, Venus is passing behind the sun as seen from Earth! See the image above.
Venus comes to a superior conjunction every 584 days. Usually, it passes above or below the sun in our sky. At every superior conjunction, Venus moves from our morning sky to our evening sky. We can’t see Venus now, at the beginning of June 2024. But it’ll emerge into our evening sky in mid- to late summer. At this time, it’ll appear as a bright light in the western evening twilight: the glittering evening “star.”
When will you see Venus in the evening? Possibly as early as mid-July, and certainly (assuming you have a clear eastern horizon) by late July or early August. It’ll be easier to spot from Earth’s Southern Hemisphere than for us in the north. For all of us, Venus will ascend gradually in the evening twilight throughout July and August, 2024. Overall, at this evening apparition, it’ll spend about eight months as a brilliant light in the evening sky. It’ll disappear again, passing back into the sun’s glare (in front of the sun this time) in March, 2025.
Venus has been invisible in our sky, crossing the sky with the sun, for some weeks. On June 4, 2024, Venus will have the same right ascension – the same east-west coordinate in our sky – in our sky. We call that point a superior conjunction. Venus usually passes above or below the sun in our sky at superior conjunction. But at this 2024 superior conjunction of Venus, the planet will pass behind the sun as seen from Earth. Chart via EarthSky.
Venus behind the sun
During this superior conjunction of Venus, the planet won’t just pass near the sun in our sky. It’ll go briefly behind the sun as seen from Earth. That is, the sun will occult or pass in front of Venus. According to Guy Ottewell in his 2024 Astronomical Calendar:
It ascends through the ecliptic plane on June 6, (2024), so that at the superior conjunction – only a day and a half earlier – it is actually occulted by the sun.
When will you next see Venus?
Venus will emerge in the western evening twilight in mid- to late July. But, as seen from Earth’s Northern Hemisphere, it’ll be setting less than an hour after the sun by month’s end. Luckily, Venus is the brightest planet, so you might be able to spot it low on the horizon. In mid- to late July, look for it about 30 minutes after sunset. It’s so bright, it’ll show even in the bright evening twilight.
In August, Venus will become easier to spot. It’ll be best in 2024 from October through the end of the year. Unfortunately for us in the Northern Hemisphere, the autumn months will feature the ecliptic – or path of the sun, moon and planets – making a narrow angle with the western evening horizon. So, around October, November and December, Venus’ distance from the sun will be mostly sideways with respect to the sun along our western horizon, not up above the sun.
But that will change as 2025 opens. Venus will reach greatest elongation – its greatest apparent distant from the sun – on February 4, 2025. And by then the ecliptic will be beginning to appear more perpendicular with respect to the sunset. So Venus will be respectably high in the sky, even from the northern half of Earth’s globe.
Be sure to watch for Venus in the weeks around February 15, 2025, when it’ll be heading for another greatest brilliancy in our sky.
It’ll disappear from view in the evening not long after that, going between the Earth and sun.
Photos of Venus
On May 22, 2024, LASCO C3 shows Jupiter and Venus getting closer for their planetary conjunction on May 23, 2024. This animation is from the perspective of the imagery equipment aboard the SOHO spacecraft. Venus is racing toward its conjunction with the sun, while Jupiter is racing away from the sun to ascend in the morning twilight by the beginning of June. Image via NOAA.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Vedant Pandey wrote: “I am Vedant Pandey, a 17-year-old amateur astrophotographer from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. I photographed Venus since it appeared in the evening sky in February, 2023. And here are the phases of Venus, from waxing gibbous in February to its crescent phase in August, as seen by my telescope.” Wow! Thank you, Vedant!
Bottom line: Venus reaches superior conjunction – passing between the sun and Earth – at 16 UTC on June 4, 2024, (11 a.m. CDT).
Venus is passing behind the sun today and tomorrow (June 3 and 4)! SOHO’s LASCO C2 captured Venus about to pass behind the sun (or, in this case, behind the spacecraft imagery equipment’s sun-occulter). The occultation of Venus behind the sun – the “anti-transit” – will start around 14 UTC (9 a.m. central) on June 3 as seen by SOHO’s LASCO 2 imager. Venus will take many hours to go to its deepest point behind the sun. It’ll be most deeply behind the sun on June 4. Meanwhile, Venus will reach its “superior conjunction” – when it and the sun have the same “right ascension” – that is, the same east-west coordinate on the sky’s dome as viewed by us on Earth – at around 16 UTC on June 4. Image via SOHO
Venus superior conjunction June 4
Venus is the brightest planet we see. It orbits the sun one step closer than Earth. So it stays near the sun in our sky and is often called the morning “star” or the evening “star.” When it’s up, you can spot Venus easily. And it’ll catch your eye if it’s near a crescent moon. But where is Venus now? On June 3 and 4, it is passing directly behind the sun.
Prior to early June 2024, Venus spent over eight months as a dazzling morning “star.” It reached greatest elongation – its greatest apparent distance from the sun in our sky – on October 23, 2023. It hung low in the east before sunrise for many months, before slipping away in the morning sunlight in early April. For the past couple of months, it’s been too close to the sun to see. Venus is now traveling behind the sun as viewed from Earth. It’ll reach its superior conjunction – achieving the same east-west coordinate as the sun in our sky – at 16 UTC (11 a.m. central) on June 4, 2024.
And, at this 2024 superior conjunction, Venus is passing behind the sun as seen from Earth! See the image above.
Venus comes to a superior conjunction every 584 days. Usually, it passes above or below the sun in our sky. At every superior conjunction, Venus moves from our morning sky to our evening sky. We can’t see Venus now, at the beginning of June 2024. But it’ll emerge into our evening sky in mid- to late summer. At this time, it’ll appear as a bright light in the western evening twilight: the glittering evening “star.”
When will you see Venus in the evening? Possibly as early as mid-July, and certainly (assuming you have a clear eastern horizon) by late July or early August. It’ll be easier to spot from Earth’s Southern Hemisphere than for us in the north. For all of us, Venus will ascend gradually in the evening twilight throughout July and August, 2024. Overall, at this evening apparition, it’ll spend about eight months as a brilliant light in the evening sky. It’ll disappear again, passing back into the sun’s glare (in front of the sun this time) in March, 2025.
Venus has been invisible in our sky, crossing the sky with the sun, for some weeks. On June 4, 2024, Venus will have the same right ascension – the same east-west coordinate in our sky – in our sky. We call that point a superior conjunction. Venus usually passes above or below the sun in our sky at superior conjunction. But at this 2024 superior conjunction of Venus, the planet will pass behind the sun as seen from Earth. Chart via EarthSky.
Venus behind the sun
During this superior conjunction of Venus, the planet won’t just pass near the sun in our sky. It’ll go briefly behind the sun as seen from Earth. That is, the sun will occult or pass in front of Venus. According to Guy Ottewell in his 2024 Astronomical Calendar:
It ascends through the ecliptic plane on June 6, (2024), so that at the superior conjunction – only a day and a half earlier – it is actually occulted by the sun.
When will you next see Venus?
Venus will emerge in the western evening twilight in mid- to late July. But, as seen from Earth’s Northern Hemisphere, it’ll be setting less than an hour after the sun by month’s end. Luckily, Venus is the brightest planet, so you might be able to spot it low on the horizon. In mid- to late July, look for it about 30 minutes after sunset. It’s so bright, it’ll show even in the bright evening twilight.
In August, Venus will become easier to spot. It’ll be best in 2024 from October through the end of the year. Unfortunately for us in the Northern Hemisphere, the autumn months will feature the ecliptic – or path of the sun, moon and planets – making a narrow angle with the western evening horizon. So, around October, November and December, Venus’ distance from the sun will be mostly sideways with respect to the sun along our western horizon, not up above the sun.
But that will change as 2025 opens. Venus will reach greatest elongation – its greatest apparent distant from the sun – on February 4, 2025. And by then the ecliptic will be beginning to appear more perpendicular with respect to the sunset. So Venus will be respectably high in the sky, even from the northern half of Earth’s globe.
Be sure to watch for Venus in the weeks around February 15, 2025, when it’ll be heading for another greatest brilliancy in our sky.
It’ll disappear from view in the evening not long after that, going between the Earth and sun.
Photos of Venus
On May 22, 2024, LASCO C3 shows Jupiter and Venus getting closer for their planetary conjunction on May 23, 2024. This animation is from the perspective of the imagery equipment aboard the SOHO spacecraft. Venus is racing toward its conjunction with the sun, while Jupiter is racing away from the sun to ascend in the morning twilight by the beginning of June. Image via NOAA.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Vedant Pandey wrote: “I am Vedant Pandey, a 17-year-old amateur astrophotographer from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. I photographed Venus since it appeared in the evening sky in February, 2023. And here are the phases of Venus, from waxing gibbous in February to its crescent phase in August, as seen by my telescope.” Wow! Thank you, Vedant!
Bottom line: Venus reaches superior conjunction – passing between the sun and Earth – at 16 UTC on June 4, 2024, (11 a.m. CDT).
The new NASA exoplanet catalog contains 126 newly discovered worlds of a wide variety. It will help astronomers learn more about how exoplanets form and evolve. The catalog will also help them compare exoplanets to planets in our own solar system. Image via W. M. Keck Observatory/ Adam Makarenko/ UC Riverside.
A new catalog contains 126 newly discovered exoplanets. The NASA publication contains 120 confirmed exoplanets and six candidates awaiting confirmation.
The planets range from extreme with searing temperatures and short orbits, to ones that may be potentially habitable.
The discoveries will help astronomers better understand planetary formation and compare the new planets to ones in our own solar system.
New catalog showcases 126 exoplanets
Only a few decades ago, astronomers didn’t know if there were any planets beyond our solar system. Now, thousands of these worlds – called exoplanets – have been discovered. An international team of researchers has published a new NASA exoplanet catalog featuring 126 newly discovered exotic exoplanets. The researchers said on May 23, 2024, that the catalog includes a wide variety of planets. Some are extreme and uninhabitable while others may potentially be able to support life. The detailed measurements will allow astronomers to compare them with the planets in our own solar system.
The astronomers used both NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and the W.M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii. They published their peer-reviewed results in The Astrophysical Journal on May 23, 2024.
126 newly discovered worlds in exoplanet catalog
The catalog contains 120 newly confirmed planets and six candidates. The catalog is unique in that it contains measurements for both the mass and radius of the included exoplanets. Stephen Kane at University of California, Riverside, is an astrophysicist and principal investigator of the TESS-Keck Survey. He stated:
Relatively few of the previously known exoplanets have a measurement of both the mass and the radius. The combination of these measurements tell us what the planets could be made of and how they formed. With this information, we can begin to answer questions about where our solar system fits in to the grand tapestry of other planetary systems.
View larger. | Full graphic depicting the new exoplanets in the new catalog. The available data includes planetary radius, mass, density and temperature. Planets with incomplete data have a question mark. Image via W. M. Keck Observatory/ Adam Makarenko/ UC Riverside.
Strange worlds
As with other exoplanet discoveries over the past few decades, the types of planets in the new exoplanet catalog vary widely. Some are extreme and unlikely to support any life, while others are potentially habitable. The findings further confirm that planets can form and evolve in many diverse ways. Some are similar to planets in our own solar system, while others are unlike any in our sun’s family of planets.
One example is TOI-1386 b. It’s what astronomers call a sub-Saturn, and it orbits a sun-like star. It has a radius and mass between that of Saturn and Neptune. These planets have been difficult to find so far. Co-author Michelle Hill, a graduate student at University of California, Riverside, said:
There is ongoing debate about whether sub-Saturn planets are truly rare, or if we are just bad at finding planets like these. So, this planet, TOI-1386 b, is an important addition to this demographic of planets.
Like many other discovered exoplanets, TOI-1386 b orbits very close to its star. In fact, it completes an orbit in only 26 days. Another planet in the same system takes 227 days to complete one orbit. This one is almost the same mass as Saturn. Hill and her colleagues published their own paper about these two worlds on March 13, 2024, in The Astronomical Journal.
Planets smaller than Neptune the most common
Another planet, TOI-1437 b, also orbits a sun-like star. It’s about half the size of Neptune and orbits once every 19 days. Lead author of that paper, Daria Pidhorodetska, is also a graduate student at University of California, Riverside. As Pidhorodetska noted, such planets are common, even though there are none in our own solar system:
Planets smaller than Neptune but larger than Earth are the most prevalent worlds in our galaxy, yet they are absent from our own solar system. Each time a new one is discovered, we are reminded of how diverse our universe is, and that our existence in the cosmos may be more unique than we can understand.
More planets orbiting sun-like stars
Most of the stars in our galaxy are red dwarfs. And most of the exoplanets found so far are around such stars. So finding new ones orbiting sun-like stars is exciting and scientifically important. It also makes it easier to compare those planets with planets in our solar system. Kane added:
Then we can do apples-to-apples comparisons. That’s the exciting part of the papers produced by Michelle and Daria, because they allow for this.
A planet with a 12-hour year
There are some even more extreme planets in the exoplanet catalog. TOI-1798 c, a super-Earth, orbits its orange dwarf star in only 12 hours. Being so close to their stars, the planets are extremely hot and irradiated. Alex Polanski, lead author of the catalog paper at the University of Kansas, said:
TOI-1798 c orbits its star so quickly that one year on this planet lasts less than half a day on Earth. Because of their proximity to their host stars, planets like this one are also ultra hot, receiving more than 3,000 times the radiation that Earth receives from the sun.
Rocky planets orbiting so close to red dwarfs are in danger of having their atmospheres stripped away by the radiation. The same is true for TOI-1798 c, as Polanski noted:
Existing in this extreme environment means that this planet has likely lost any atmosphere that it initially formed.
View larger. | Artist’s concept of exoplanet TOI-1798 c. This super-Earth orbits its star in less than 12 hours. Image via W. M. Keck Observatory/ Adam Makarenko/ UC Riverside.
Is our solar system unusual?
We’ve come a long way from not knowing if there even are any other planets out there to finding thousands of worlds. Some of them are unlike any ever seen before. In such a huge universe, it seems that planets of almost any conceivable type are possible. Now, astronomers can start to compare these planetary systems with our own, and find out just how unique – or not – our solar system actually is. Kane said:
Are we unusual? The jury is still out on that one, but our new mass catalog represents a major step toward answering that question.
Bottom line: A new NASA exoplanet catalog unveils 126 newly discovered worlds ranging from scorched wastelands to ones that may be able to support life.
The new NASA exoplanet catalog contains 126 newly discovered worlds of a wide variety. It will help astronomers learn more about how exoplanets form and evolve. The catalog will also help them compare exoplanets to planets in our own solar system. Image via W. M. Keck Observatory/ Adam Makarenko/ UC Riverside.
A new catalog contains 126 newly discovered exoplanets. The NASA publication contains 120 confirmed exoplanets and six candidates awaiting confirmation.
The planets range from extreme with searing temperatures and short orbits, to ones that may be potentially habitable.
The discoveries will help astronomers better understand planetary formation and compare the new planets to ones in our own solar system.
New catalog showcases 126 exoplanets
Only a few decades ago, astronomers didn’t know if there were any planets beyond our solar system. Now, thousands of these worlds – called exoplanets – have been discovered. An international team of researchers has published a new NASA exoplanet catalog featuring 126 newly discovered exotic exoplanets. The researchers said on May 23, 2024, that the catalog includes a wide variety of planets. Some are extreme and uninhabitable while others may potentially be able to support life. The detailed measurements will allow astronomers to compare them with the planets in our own solar system.
The astronomers used both NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and the W.M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii. They published their peer-reviewed results in The Astrophysical Journal on May 23, 2024.
126 newly discovered worlds in exoplanet catalog
The catalog contains 120 newly confirmed planets and six candidates. The catalog is unique in that it contains measurements for both the mass and radius of the included exoplanets. Stephen Kane at University of California, Riverside, is an astrophysicist and principal investigator of the TESS-Keck Survey. He stated:
Relatively few of the previously known exoplanets have a measurement of both the mass and the radius. The combination of these measurements tell us what the planets could be made of and how they formed. With this information, we can begin to answer questions about where our solar system fits in to the grand tapestry of other planetary systems.
View larger. | Full graphic depicting the new exoplanets in the new catalog. The available data includes planetary radius, mass, density and temperature. Planets with incomplete data have a question mark. Image via W. M. Keck Observatory/ Adam Makarenko/ UC Riverside.
Strange worlds
As with other exoplanet discoveries over the past few decades, the types of planets in the new exoplanet catalog vary widely. Some are extreme and unlikely to support any life, while others are potentially habitable. The findings further confirm that planets can form and evolve in many diverse ways. Some are similar to planets in our own solar system, while others are unlike any in our sun’s family of planets.
One example is TOI-1386 b. It’s what astronomers call a sub-Saturn, and it orbits a sun-like star. It has a radius and mass between that of Saturn and Neptune. These planets have been difficult to find so far. Co-author Michelle Hill, a graduate student at University of California, Riverside, said:
There is ongoing debate about whether sub-Saturn planets are truly rare, or if we are just bad at finding planets like these. So, this planet, TOI-1386 b, is an important addition to this demographic of planets.
Like many other discovered exoplanets, TOI-1386 b orbits very close to its star. In fact, it completes an orbit in only 26 days. Another planet in the same system takes 227 days to complete one orbit. This one is almost the same mass as Saturn. Hill and her colleagues published their own paper about these two worlds on March 13, 2024, in The Astronomical Journal.
Planets smaller than Neptune the most common
Another planet, TOI-1437 b, also orbits a sun-like star. It’s about half the size of Neptune and orbits once every 19 days. Lead author of that paper, Daria Pidhorodetska, is also a graduate student at University of California, Riverside. As Pidhorodetska noted, such planets are common, even though there are none in our own solar system:
Planets smaller than Neptune but larger than Earth are the most prevalent worlds in our galaxy, yet they are absent from our own solar system. Each time a new one is discovered, we are reminded of how diverse our universe is, and that our existence in the cosmos may be more unique than we can understand.
More planets orbiting sun-like stars
Most of the stars in our galaxy are red dwarfs. And most of the exoplanets found so far are around such stars. So finding new ones orbiting sun-like stars is exciting and scientifically important. It also makes it easier to compare those planets with planets in our solar system. Kane added:
Then we can do apples-to-apples comparisons. That’s the exciting part of the papers produced by Michelle and Daria, because they allow for this.
A planet with a 12-hour year
There are some even more extreme planets in the exoplanet catalog. TOI-1798 c, a super-Earth, orbits its orange dwarf star in only 12 hours. Being so close to their stars, the planets are extremely hot and irradiated. Alex Polanski, lead author of the catalog paper at the University of Kansas, said:
TOI-1798 c orbits its star so quickly that one year on this planet lasts less than half a day on Earth. Because of their proximity to their host stars, planets like this one are also ultra hot, receiving more than 3,000 times the radiation that Earth receives from the sun.
Rocky planets orbiting so close to red dwarfs are in danger of having their atmospheres stripped away by the radiation. The same is true for TOI-1798 c, as Polanski noted:
Existing in this extreme environment means that this planet has likely lost any atmosphere that it initially formed.
View larger. | Artist’s concept of exoplanet TOI-1798 c. This super-Earth orbits its star in less than 12 hours. Image via W. M. Keck Observatory/ Adam Makarenko/ UC Riverside.
Is our solar system unusual?
We’ve come a long way from not knowing if there even are any other planets out there to finding thousands of worlds. Some of them are unlike any ever seen before. In such a huge universe, it seems that planets of almost any conceivable type are possible. Now, astronomers can start to compare these planetary systems with our own, and find out just how unique – or not – our solar system actually is. Kane said:
Are we unusual? The jury is still out on that one, but our new mass catalog represents a major step toward answering that question.
Bottom line: A new NASA exoplanet catalog unveils 126 newly discovered worlds ranging from scorched wastelands to ones that may be able to support life.
Pearls – 1 of 3 choices for the June birthstone – come in many sizes, shapes, and colors. Image via Masayuki Kato/ Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Pearl is a June birthstone
Unlike most gemstones found within the Earth, pearls are organic. Simply, they grow inside the shells of certain species of oysters and clams. Some pearls form naturally in mollusks either in the sea or freshwater such as rivers. But many pearls today are cultured: raised at oyster farms which sustain a thriving pearl industry.
Pearls are made mostly of aragonite, a relatively soft carbonate mineral (CaCO3) that also makes up the shells of mollusks.
A pearl forms when a very small fragment of rock, a sand grain, or a parasite enters the mollusk’s shell. It irritates the oyster or clam, who responds by coating the foreign material with layer upon layer of shell material. Pearls forming on the inside of the shell are usually irregular in shape and have little commercial value. However, those forming within the tissue of the mollusk are spherical or pear-shaped, and are highly sought out for jewelry.
Pearls are one of June’s birthstone and are often a popular accessory worn by brides. Image via Gemrockauctions.com. Used with permission.
Pearls come in several colors
Pearls possess a uniquely delicate translucence and luster that make them one of the most highly valued gemstones. The color of the pearl depends on the species of mollusk that produced it and its environment. Generally, white is the best-known and most common color of pearl. However, pearls also come in delicate shades of black, cream, gray, blue, yellow, lavender, green, and mauve.
Black pearls are found in the Gulf of Mexico and waters off some islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Persian Gulf and Sri Lanka are well-known for exquisite cream-colored pearls called Orientals. Other localities for natural seawater pearls include the waters off the Celebes in Indonesia, the Gulf of California and the Pacific coast of Mexico. The Mississippi River and forest streams of Bavaria, Germany, contain pearl-producing freshwater mussels.
Also popular are beautiful cultured pearls
Japan is famous for its cultured pearls. And everyone familiar with jewelry has heard of Mikimoto pearls, named after the creator of the industry, Kokichi Mikimoto. Cultured pearls grow in large oyster beds in Japanese waters. An “irritant,” such as a tiny fragment of mother-of-pearl, is introduced into the fleshy part of two-to-three-year-old oysters.
The oysters then grow in mesh bags submerged beneath the water and nourished for seven to nine years before they are harvested to remove their pearls. In addition to Japan, Australia and the equatorial islands of the Pacific have cultured pearl industries.
Famous pearls
The largest pearl in the world is believed about 3 inches long and 2 inches across, weighing 1/3 of a pound (.15 kg). Called the Pearl of Asia, it was a gift from Shah Jahan of India to his favorite wife, Mumtaz, in whose memory he built the Taj Mahal.
Many experts consider La Peregrina (the Wanderer) to be the most beautiful pearl. Legend says a slave found it in Panama in the 1500s, who gave it up in return for his freedom. In 1570, the conquistador ruler of the area sent the pearl to King Philip II of Spain. This pear-shaped white pearl, 1 1/2 inches in length, hangs from a platinum mount studded with diamonds.
Then the pearl went to Mary I of England, then to Prince Louis Napoleon of France. And he sold it to the British Marquis of Abercorn, whose family kept the pearl until 1969, when they offered it for sale at Sotheby’s. Finally, actor Richard Burton bought it for his wife, Elizabeth Taylor.
Pearl lore
Pearls, according to South Asian mythology, were dewdrops from heaven that fell into the sea. Then shellfish caught them under the first rays of the rising sun, during a period of full moon. In India, warriors encrusted their swords with pearls to symbolize the tears and sorrow that a sword brings.
Pearls were also widely used as medicine in Europe until the 17th century. Arabs and Persians believed they were a cure for various kinds of diseases, including insanity. Pearls have also been used as medicine in China as early as 2000 BCE, where they were believed to represent wealth, power and longevity. Even to this day, Asia uses ground-up low-grade pearls as medicine.
June’s second birthstone is the moonstone. Moonstones are believed to be named for the bluish white spots within them. When held up to light they project a silvery play of color very much like moonlight. And when the stone moves back and forth, brilliant silvery rays move about within them, like moonbeams playing over water.
Moonstone belongs to the family of minerals called feldspars, an important group of silicate minerals commonly formed in rocks. About half the Earth’s crust is composed of feldspar. This mineral occurs in many igneous and metamorphic rocks, and also constitutes a large percentage of soils and marine clays.
Rare geologic conditions produce gem varieties of feldspar such as moonstone, labradorite, amazonite, and sunstone. They appear as large, clean mineral grains, found in pegmatites (coarse-grained igneous rock) and ancient deep crustal rocks. Feldspars of gem quality are aluminosilicates (minerals containing aluminum, silicon and oxygen), that are mixed with sodium and potassium. The best moonstones are from Sri Lanka. Plus, they are found in the Alps, Madagascar, Myanmar (Burma), and India.
Moonstone lore
The ancient Roman natural historian, Pliny, said that the moonstone changed in appearance with the phases of the moon, a belief that persisted until the 16th century. The ancient Romans also believed that the image of Diana, goddess of the moon, was enclosed within the stone. Moonstones were believed to have the power to bring victory, health, and wisdom to those who wore it.
In India, the moonstone is considered a sacred stone and often displayed on a yellow cloth, yellow being considered a sacred color. The stone is believed to bring good fortune, brought on by a spirit that lives within the stone.
Lastly, June’s third birthstone is the alexandrite. Alexandrite possesses an enchanting chameleon-like personality. In daylight, it appears as a beautiful green, sometimes with a bluish cast or a brownish tint. However, under artificial lighting, the stone turns reddish-violet or violet.
Alexandrite belongs to the chrysoberyl family, which is a mineral called beryllium aluminum oxide in chemistry jargon, that contains the elements beryllium, aluminum and oxygen (BeAl2O4). It is a hard mineral, only surpassed in hardness by diamonds and corundum (sapphires and rubies). The unusual colors in alexandrite come from the presence of chromium in the mineral. Chrysoberyl is found to crystallize in pegmatites (very coarse-grained igneous rock, crystallized from magma) rich in beryllium. They are also found in alluvial deposits, that is, weathered pegmatites, containing the gemstones, that are carried by rivers and streams.
Alexandrite is rare and expensive
Alexandrite is an uncommon stone, and therefore very expensive. Sri Lanka is the main source of alexandrite today, and the stones have also been found in Brazil, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Myanmar (Burma). Meanwhile, synthetic alexandrite, resembling a reddish-hued amethyst with a tinge of green, has been manufactured. The color change in the synthetic stones from natural to artificial lighting is not present. Moreover, the synthetic stones have met with only marginal market success in the United States.
Alexandrite appears with different colors depending on the light. Left: sunlight. Right: incandescent light. Image via David Weinberg/ Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).
History of June birthstone alexandrite
Alexandrite is named after Prince Alexander of Russia, who became Czar Alexander II in 1855. Discovered in 1839 on the prince’s birthday, alexandrite was found in an emerald mine in the Ural Mountains of Russia.
Also, because of its relatively recent discovery, there has been little time for myth and superstition to build around this unusual stone. In Russia, the stone was also popular because it reflected the Russian national colors, green and red, and was believed to bring good luck.
Rough crystal of alexandrite under ultraviolet light. Image via Wikimedia (public domain).
Pearls – 1 of 3 choices for the June birthstone – come in many sizes, shapes, and colors. Image via Masayuki Kato/ Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Pearl is a June birthstone
Unlike most gemstones found within the Earth, pearls are organic. Simply, they grow inside the shells of certain species of oysters and clams. Some pearls form naturally in mollusks either in the sea or freshwater such as rivers. But many pearls today are cultured: raised at oyster farms which sustain a thriving pearl industry.
Pearls are made mostly of aragonite, a relatively soft carbonate mineral (CaCO3) that also makes up the shells of mollusks.
A pearl forms when a very small fragment of rock, a sand grain, or a parasite enters the mollusk’s shell. It irritates the oyster or clam, who responds by coating the foreign material with layer upon layer of shell material. Pearls forming on the inside of the shell are usually irregular in shape and have little commercial value. However, those forming within the tissue of the mollusk are spherical or pear-shaped, and are highly sought out for jewelry.
Pearls are one of June’s birthstone and are often a popular accessory worn by brides. Image via Gemrockauctions.com. Used with permission.
Pearls come in several colors
Pearls possess a uniquely delicate translucence and luster that make them one of the most highly valued gemstones. The color of the pearl depends on the species of mollusk that produced it and its environment. Generally, white is the best-known and most common color of pearl. However, pearls also come in delicate shades of black, cream, gray, blue, yellow, lavender, green, and mauve.
Black pearls are found in the Gulf of Mexico and waters off some islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Persian Gulf and Sri Lanka are well-known for exquisite cream-colored pearls called Orientals. Other localities for natural seawater pearls include the waters off the Celebes in Indonesia, the Gulf of California and the Pacific coast of Mexico. The Mississippi River and forest streams of Bavaria, Germany, contain pearl-producing freshwater mussels.
Also popular are beautiful cultured pearls
Japan is famous for its cultured pearls. And everyone familiar with jewelry has heard of Mikimoto pearls, named after the creator of the industry, Kokichi Mikimoto. Cultured pearls grow in large oyster beds in Japanese waters. An “irritant,” such as a tiny fragment of mother-of-pearl, is introduced into the fleshy part of two-to-three-year-old oysters.
The oysters then grow in mesh bags submerged beneath the water and nourished for seven to nine years before they are harvested to remove their pearls. In addition to Japan, Australia and the equatorial islands of the Pacific have cultured pearl industries.
Famous pearls
The largest pearl in the world is believed about 3 inches long and 2 inches across, weighing 1/3 of a pound (.15 kg). Called the Pearl of Asia, it was a gift from Shah Jahan of India to his favorite wife, Mumtaz, in whose memory he built the Taj Mahal.
Many experts consider La Peregrina (the Wanderer) to be the most beautiful pearl. Legend says a slave found it in Panama in the 1500s, who gave it up in return for his freedom. In 1570, the conquistador ruler of the area sent the pearl to King Philip II of Spain. This pear-shaped white pearl, 1 1/2 inches in length, hangs from a platinum mount studded with diamonds.
Then the pearl went to Mary I of England, then to Prince Louis Napoleon of France. And he sold it to the British Marquis of Abercorn, whose family kept the pearl until 1969, when they offered it for sale at Sotheby’s. Finally, actor Richard Burton bought it for his wife, Elizabeth Taylor.
Pearl lore
Pearls, according to South Asian mythology, were dewdrops from heaven that fell into the sea. Then shellfish caught them under the first rays of the rising sun, during a period of full moon. In India, warriors encrusted their swords with pearls to symbolize the tears and sorrow that a sword brings.
Pearls were also widely used as medicine in Europe until the 17th century. Arabs and Persians believed they were a cure for various kinds of diseases, including insanity. Pearls have also been used as medicine in China as early as 2000 BCE, where they were believed to represent wealth, power and longevity. Even to this day, Asia uses ground-up low-grade pearls as medicine.
June’s second birthstone is the moonstone. Moonstones are believed to be named for the bluish white spots within them. When held up to light they project a silvery play of color very much like moonlight. And when the stone moves back and forth, brilliant silvery rays move about within them, like moonbeams playing over water.
Moonstone belongs to the family of minerals called feldspars, an important group of silicate minerals commonly formed in rocks. About half the Earth’s crust is composed of feldspar. This mineral occurs in many igneous and metamorphic rocks, and also constitutes a large percentage of soils and marine clays.
Rare geologic conditions produce gem varieties of feldspar such as moonstone, labradorite, amazonite, and sunstone. They appear as large, clean mineral grains, found in pegmatites (coarse-grained igneous rock) and ancient deep crustal rocks. Feldspars of gem quality are aluminosilicates (minerals containing aluminum, silicon and oxygen), that are mixed with sodium and potassium. The best moonstones are from Sri Lanka. Plus, they are found in the Alps, Madagascar, Myanmar (Burma), and India.
Moonstone lore
The ancient Roman natural historian, Pliny, said that the moonstone changed in appearance with the phases of the moon, a belief that persisted until the 16th century. The ancient Romans also believed that the image of Diana, goddess of the moon, was enclosed within the stone. Moonstones were believed to have the power to bring victory, health, and wisdom to those who wore it.
In India, the moonstone is considered a sacred stone and often displayed on a yellow cloth, yellow being considered a sacred color. The stone is believed to bring good fortune, brought on by a spirit that lives within the stone.
Lastly, June’s third birthstone is the alexandrite. Alexandrite possesses an enchanting chameleon-like personality. In daylight, it appears as a beautiful green, sometimes with a bluish cast or a brownish tint. However, under artificial lighting, the stone turns reddish-violet or violet.
Alexandrite belongs to the chrysoberyl family, which is a mineral called beryllium aluminum oxide in chemistry jargon, that contains the elements beryllium, aluminum and oxygen (BeAl2O4). It is a hard mineral, only surpassed in hardness by diamonds and corundum (sapphires and rubies). The unusual colors in alexandrite come from the presence of chromium in the mineral. Chrysoberyl is found to crystallize in pegmatites (very coarse-grained igneous rock, crystallized from magma) rich in beryllium. They are also found in alluvial deposits, that is, weathered pegmatites, containing the gemstones, that are carried by rivers and streams.
Alexandrite is rare and expensive
Alexandrite is an uncommon stone, and therefore very expensive. Sri Lanka is the main source of alexandrite today, and the stones have also been found in Brazil, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Myanmar (Burma). Meanwhile, synthetic alexandrite, resembling a reddish-hued amethyst with a tinge of green, has been manufactured. The color change in the synthetic stones from natural to artificial lighting is not present. Moreover, the synthetic stones have met with only marginal market success in the United States.
Alexandrite appears with different colors depending on the light. Left: sunlight. Right: incandescent light. Image via David Weinberg/ Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).
History of June birthstone alexandrite
Alexandrite is named after Prince Alexander of Russia, who became Czar Alexander II in 1855. Discovered in 1839 on the prince’s birthday, alexandrite was found in an emerald mine in the Ural Mountains of Russia.
Also, because of its relatively recent discovery, there has been little time for myth and superstition to build around this unusual stone. In Russia, the stone was also popular because it reflected the Russian national colors, green and red, and was believed to bring good luck.
Rough crystal of alexandrite under ultraviolet light. Image via Wikimedia (public domain).
On May 28, 2024, a Falcon 9 rocket launched 23 more SpaceX Starlink satellites to low-earth orbit. Image via SpaceX.
Upcoming SpaceX Starlink launches in June 2024
Starlink Group 8-5: June 4, 2024, 8:04 p.m. EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 8-8: June 4, 2024, 10:12 p.m. PDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 10-1: June 7, 2024, 6:58 p.m. EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
You can watch a livestream of the Starlink launches on SpaceX’s X account.
Watch this space for updates!
Tentative June Starlink launches
Starlink Group 8-3: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-30: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 8-4: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-19: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-20: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-21: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-22: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-23: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-24: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-25: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-26: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-27: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-28: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-29: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
After launch, look for a train of lights
Following every Starlink launch, the internet buzzes with people asking:
What’s that long line of lights in the sky that looks like a train?
What you’re seeing is the Starlink satellites moving into a higher orbit. You can check to see if they will pass over your area using the Find Starlink website.
Growing numbers amid controversy
According to Wikipedia, as of early March 2024, Starlink consists of over 6,000 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit that communicate with designated ground transceivers. They provide internet access to more than 2 million subscribers.
Love ’em or hate ’em, these Starlink satellites are part of SpaceX’s vision for a global internet communication satellite constellation. They deliver high-speed internet service worldwide, mainly to locations where ground-based internet is unreliable, unavailable or expensive. The private company is well-known for launching batches back-to-back, several times a month, regularly lofting 60 satellites at a time. And SpaceX plans to build up to perhaps as many as 30,000 eventually.
Most thought it was exciting to see the first few Starlink satellites traveling together in the night sky. But then more were launched, and then more. And astronomers began to worry.
Because Starlinks are bright, astronomers say they’re photobombing astronomical images. Therefore, they have the potential to interfere with the professional astronomical observations that have brought us our modern-day view of the cosmos. And although SpaceX has tried to address the issue, they remain far from what astronomers say is acceptable.
Bottom line: Get a list of all the SpaceX Starlink launches for June 2024 from both the West and East Coasts. Find out how to watch the livestream, and get updates, too.
On May 28, 2024, a Falcon 9 rocket launched 23 more SpaceX Starlink satellites to low-earth orbit. Image via SpaceX.
Upcoming SpaceX Starlink launches in June 2024
Starlink Group 8-5: June 4, 2024, 8:04 p.m. EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 8-8: June 4, 2024, 10:12 p.m. PDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 10-1: June 7, 2024, 6:58 p.m. EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
You can watch a livestream of the Starlink launches on SpaceX’s X account.
Watch this space for updates!
Tentative June Starlink launches
Starlink Group 8-3: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-30: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 8-4: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-19: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-20: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-21: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-22: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-23: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-24: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-25: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-26: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-27: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-28: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 7-29: June 2024, DATE/TIME TBD
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
After launch, look for a train of lights
Following every Starlink launch, the internet buzzes with people asking:
What’s that long line of lights in the sky that looks like a train?
What you’re seeing is the Starlink satellites moving into a higher orbit. You can check to see if they will pass over your area using the Find Starlink website.
Growing numbers amid controversy
According to Wikipedia, as of early March 2024, Starlink consists of over 6,000 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit that communicate with designated ground transceivers. They provide internet access to more than 2 million subscribers.
Love ’em or hate ’em, these Starlink satellites are part of SpaceX’s vision for a global internet communication satellite constellation. They deliver high-speed internet service worldwide, mainly to locations where ground-based internet is unreliable, unavailable or expensive. The private company is well-known for launching batches back-to-back, several times a month, regularly lofting 60 satellites at a time. And SpaceX plans to build up to perhaps as many as 30,000 eventually.
Most thought it was exciting to see the first few Starlink satellites traveling together in the night sky. But then more were launched, and then more. And astronomers began to worry.
Because Starlinks are bright, astronomers say they’re photobombing astronomical images. Therefore, they have the potential to interfere with the professional astronomical observations that have brought us our modern-day view of the cosmos. And although SpaceX has tried to address the issue, they remain far from what astronomers say is acceptable.
Bottom line: Get a list of all the SpaceX Starlink launches for June 2024 from both the West and East Coasts. Find out how to watch the livestream, and get updates, too.
On April 28, 2024, a Falcon 9 rocket delivered 23 more SpaceX Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit. Image via SpaceX.
SpaceX Starlink launches in May 2024
Starlink Group 6-64: May 31, 2024, 10:37 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-60: May 28, 2024, 10:24 am EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-63: May 23, 2024, 10:45 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Kennedy Space Center, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-62: May 22, 2024, 10:35 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-59: May 17, 2024, 8:32 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 8-7: May 14, 2024, 11:39 am PDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-58: May 12, 2024, 8:53 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 8-2: May 9, 2024, 9:30 pm PDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-56: May 8, 2024, 2:42 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Kennedy Space Center, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-57: May 6, 2024, 2:14 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-55: May 2, 2024, 10:37 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | SUCCESS
You can watch a livestream of the Starlink launches on SpaceX’s X account.
Watch this space for updates!
After launch, look for a train of lights
Following every Starlink launch, the internet buzzes with people asking:
What’s that long line of lights in the sky that looks like a train?
What you’re seeing is the Starlink satellites moving into a higher orbit. You can check to see if they will pass over your area using the Find Starlink website.
Growing numbers amid controversy
According to Wikipedia, as of early March 2024, Starlink consists of over 6,000 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit that communicate with designated ground transceivers. They provide internet access to more than 2 million subscribers.
Love ’em or hate ’em, these Starlink satellites are part of SpaceX’s vision for a global internet communication satellite constellation. They deliver high-speed internet service worldwide, mainly to locations where ground-based internet is unreliable, unavailable or expensive. The private company is well-known for launching batches back-to-back, several times a month, regularly lofting 60 satellites at a time. And SpaceX plans to build up to perhaps as many as 30,000 eventually.
Most thought it was exciting to see the first few Starlink satellites traveling together in the night sky. But then more were launched, and then more. And astronomers began to worry.
Because Starlinks are bright, astronomers say they’re photobombing astronomical images. Therefore, they have the potential to interfere with the professional astronomical observations that have brought us our modern-day view of the cosmos. And although SpaceX has tried to address the issue, they remain far from what astronomers say is acceptable.
Bottom line: Get a list of all the SpaceX Starlink launches for May 2024 from both the West and East Coasts. Find out how to watch the livestream, and get updates, too.
On April 28, 2024, a Falcon 9 rocket delivered 23 more SpaceX Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit. Image via SpaceX.
SpaceX Starlink launches in May 2024
Starlink Group 6-64: May 31, 2024, 10:37 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-60: May 28, 2024, 10:24 am EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-63: May 23, 2024, 10:45 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Kennedy Space Center, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-62: May 22, 2024, 10:35 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-59: May 17, 2024, 8:32 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 8-7: May 14, 2024, 11:39 am PDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-58: May 12, 2024, 8:53 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 8-2: May 9, 2024, 9:30 pm PDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Station, California | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-56: May 8, 2024, 2:42 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Kennedy Space Center, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-57: May 6, 2024, 2:14 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | SUCCESS
Starlink Group 6-55: May 2, 2024, 10:37 pm EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | SUCCESS
You can watch a livestream of the Starlink launches on SpaceX’s X account.
Watch this space for updates!
After launch, look for a train of lights
Following every Starlink launch, the internet buzzes with people asking:
What’s that long line of lights in the sky that looks like a train?
What you’re seeing is the Starlink satellites moving into a higher orbit. You can check to see if they will pass over your area using the Find Starlink website.
Growing numbers amid controversy
According to Wikipedia, as of early March 2024, Starlink consists of over 6,000 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit that communicate with designated ground transceivers. They provide internet access to more than 2 million subscribers.
Love ’em or hate ’em, these Starlink satellites are part of SpaceX’s vision for a global internet communication satellite constellation. They deliver high-speed internet service worldwide, mainly to locations where ground-based internet is unreliable, unavailable or expensive. The private company is well-known for launching batches back-to-back, several times a month, regularly lofting 60 satellites at a time. And SpaceX plans to build up to perhaps as many as 30,000 eventually.
Most thought it was exciting to see the first few Starlink satellites traveling together in the night sky. But then more were launched, and then more. And astronomers began to worry.
Because Starlinks are bright, astronomers say they’re photobombing astronomical images. Therefore, they have the potential to interfere with the professional astronomical observations that have brought us our modern-day view of the cosmos. And although SpaceX has tried to address the issue, they remain far from what astronomers say is acceptable.
Bottom line: Get a list of all the SpaceX Starlink launches for May 2024 from both the West and East Coasts. Find out how to watch the livestream, and get updates, too.
