Aurora Borealis glows on the horizon of NE Minnesota Lake in the Superior National Forest.
It may have shorter nights and fewer bright stars than the winter night sky, but the Northern Hemisphere’s summer offers the best views of our Milky Way. The sight of the Milky Way arcing across the sky in the dark is worth staying up late, as is the Perseid meteor shower in August. There are also more reasons, in 2924, when the sun was close to “solar maximum” and the Northern Lights were more likely to be visible. Add planetary conjunctions and some beautiful moon views, and it promises to be an unforgettable summer for skywatchers.
Here are the night sky highlights for summer 2024 in the Northern Hemisphere – from the June 21 solstice to the September 22 equinox:
1. Conjunction of Saturn and the Moon
When: Before sunrise on Thursday, June 27
Where: eastern sky
Stay up until 1 a.m. or get up early to catch a glimpse of a 68% illuminated waning moon that is very close to Saturn. According to In-The-Sky.org, the moon will occult the ‘ringed planet’ for a few hours as seen from eastern Australia and northeastern New Zealand. You can also see Mars and Jupiter nearby.
2. The Milky Way
When: June-September (between last quarter moon-new moon)
Where: southeast
June through September is the best time of year to see the Milky Way in the dark from the Northern Hemisphere, but only if you have no light pollution during the darkest 10 nights of the month. Don’t make the mistake of going to a Dark Sky Park near a full moon: you won’t see anything! Instead, choose nights between the last quarter and a few nights after the new moon.
3. Occultation of Spica
When: Saturday July 13 to Sunday July 14
Where: Southwestern evening sky, from North and Central America only
One of the brightest stars in the summer night sky – Spica in Virgo – will be eclipsed by the moon in one of the rarest celestial events of 2024 for North and Central America. According to In-The-Sky.org, Spica will be eclipsed by a First Quarter Moon (which appears half-illuminated when viewed from Earth) between 9:40 PM EDT on Saturday, July 13 and 12:58 AM EDT on Sunday, July 14. Here is the timetable:
- Disappearance only: Eastern US states (11:30 PM EDT, low in the Southwest).
- Full Occultation: US Midwestern States (10:00 PM CDT)
- Reappearance only: Northwestern US states (9:00 PM MDT).
4. Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower
When: Tuesday July 30 to Wednesday July 31
Where: the whole sky
The first major meteor shower since April, the Delta Aquariid meteor shower, runs from July 18 to August 21 each year, but peaks around 10 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, July 30, according to the American Meteor Society. Around this time you can expect about 10 to 20 shooting stars per hour. Because the radiation point rises the highest as seen from the southern states of the US, they will likely have the best visibility.
5. Perseid meteor shower
When: Monday August 12 to Tuesday August 13
Where: the whole sky
The peak of the year’s biggest and best display of meteors will occur the night of August 12 through the morning of August 13. The moon sets just before midnight, making for a moon-free night sky at almost the same time the peak is predicted. according to the American Meteor Society. With about 100 “shooting stars” per hour possible from a radiant point rising in the northeast, the 2024 Perseids should be worth staying up late for the entire Northern Hemisphere. The shower is active between July 17 and August 24, 2024,
6. Mars and Jupiter in conjunction
When: Wednesday, August 14
Where: East before sunrise
The next two planets in the solar system after Earth – Mars and Jupiter – will appear just a third of a degree apart this morning, high above the eastern horizon. Both planets are coming into their prime. Earth will move back and forth between the sun and Jupiter in December – something that happens every year – to make the ‘giant planet’ big and bright. The same will happen to Mars in January due to its once-in-26-months opposition.
7. Saturn reaches opposition
When: Sunday September 8
Where: rising in the east
If there’s one astronomy moment everyone remembers, it’s their first look at Saturn through a telescope. It doesn’t have to be a giant telescope. You won’t get a drastically different view from whichever telescope you use. If you can get near a telescope this summer, do so around September 8, when Earth is between the Sun and the sixth planet, making it look at its best.
8. A ‘Super Harvest Moon Eclipse’
When: Tuesday September 17
Where: rising in the east
Probably the most famous full moon of the year is the ‘Harvest Moon’, so called because its light aids (or rather helps) farm workers gather crops late into the night. This one is a little different. It will also appear slightly larger and brighter in the night sky – thanks to its ‘supermoon’ status – and will pass through Earth’s outer shadow in space. The result will be a mild partial lunar eclipse on Earth’s night side, covering North and South America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
9. Aurora all over the planet
When: TB
Where: TB
Did you think the May 10 “solar superstorm” would never be repeated? You could be right, but with the sun predicted to reach its “solar maximum” in late 2024, there’s a decent chance of seeing auroras all over the planet. As the hours of darkness dwindle in June and July, the odds are slim, but as August and September arrive, the game is on. It is often said that the northern (and southern) light is strongest around the equinoxes, when our planet’s magnetic field is best aligned with that of the solar wind. That makes the weeks around the autumnal equinox of September 24 worth planning for a trip to the Arctic Circle (to Alaska or the far north of Europe) or to envision a place in the dark sky where we can drive to when another rare show of global aurora is forecast.
The times and dates given are for mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums such as SkySafari Pro And Stellarium. Bill planet rising/planet setting, Sunrise Sunset And moonrise/moonset times for where you are.
Follow me Twitter/X And Instagram.
Pick up my books Stargazing in 2024, A stargazing program for beginnersAnd When is the next solar eclipse?
I wish you clear skies and big eyes.