The Moon is in the west at nightfall. The bright star Regulus, the heart of Leo, the lion, is close by, and stays close as they set, around midnight.
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Last Week's Stargazing Tips
June 15: Moon and Regulus
June 14: Earliest Sunrise
Summer arrives on the solstice, June 20, which is the longest day of the year. But from the latitudes of the United States, the earliest sunrise of the year comes a week or two earlier. The latest sunset occurs a week or more after the solstice.
June 13: Moon and Companions
Two prominent companions huddle near the crescent Moon this evening. Mars is close below the Moon. The Beehive star cluster is about the same distance to the left of the Moon. The view is best after the sky gets fully dark, and binoculars will help.
June 12: Odd Ophiuchus
Half of the constellations of the zodiac line up across the south as night falls this evening. The lineup begins with Gemini, which is low in the west-northwest. Both the crescent Moon and Venus, the Evening Star, are within its borders.
June 11: Moon and Venus
Venus is climbing into the early evening sky. The planet is covered by clouds that make it shine brilliantly as the Evening Star. Tonight, Venus stands next to the crescent Moon.
June 10: New Moon
The Moon is new today as it lines up between Earth and the Sun. (It will partially cover the Sun early in the day, creating a partial eclipse across the northeastern U.S.) It will return to view tomorrow as a thin crescent low in the west-northwest after sunset.
June 9: Annular Eclipse
A “ring of fire” will pass across the top of the world early tomorrow: an annular solar eclipse. The Moon will almost completely cover the Sun, leaving only a thin ring of sunlight. A partial eclipse will be visible across the northeastern United States.