Here Are All the Astro Events to Watch in June

In addition to bringing us the winter solstice — the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere — June is packed with celestial events, from meteor showers to a Strawberry Moon. Throughout the month, we can expect some fun activities in the sky, space fans.

Here’s a rundown of when you should look up at this month.

Strawberry Moon

This month’s full moon was brightest on June 4 in Australia, though it will be visible for three days in total. The moon won’t actually glow red like the fruit — rather, the name originated with the Algonquian, Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota peoples to mark the harvest of “June-bearing” strawberries.

Look toward the southeastern sky to see the Strawberry Moon rise above the horizon.

Arietid meteor shower peak

Meteor showers that happen during the day are much harder to see, but there’s a chance you could catch the Arietids around sunrise during the first and second weeks of June. The Arietids are believed to be the most active daytime meteor shower running from April 14 to June 24.

For your best shot at a viewing, get out during the last dark hour before dawn on June 11.

Winter solstice

On the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere, we’ll see the least amount of daylight in 24 hours, due to the tilt of the Earth.

Bootid meteor shower max

The Bootid meteor shower doesn’t typically produce much visible activity, but you may be able to catch some around its peak on June 27. The radiant point will be above the horizon all night. Set your location on In The Sky to get exact times for your area.

In Sydney, for example, the best displays are expected at around 9:00 pm AEST.