Constellations by month

Constellations of June

The five constellations at their best in June are Boötes, Circinus, Libra, Lupus and Ursa Minor. The charts show the whole sky at 9 pm on June 15 from 40°N and 35°S.

The sky at 9 pm in mid-June from 40°N BOÖTES LIBRA LUPUS URSA MINOR VIRGO URSA MAJOR HERCULES DRACO CENTAURUS OPHIUCHUS LEO CYGNUS CAMELOPARDALIS AQUILA SERPENS CASSIOPEIA CEPHEUS LYNX CANCER SCORPIUS CANES VENATICI COMA BERENICES SEXTANS LYRA CRATER VULPECULA LEO MINOR LACERTA CORVUS SCUTUM SAGITTA N S E W
From 40°N (the United States, southern Europe, northern China, Japan). North at top; turn the chart so the direction you face is at the bottom.
The sky at 9 pm in mid-June from 35°S BOÖTES LIBRA LUPUS CIRCINUS HYDRA VIRGO HERCULES CENTAURUS OPHIUCHUS LEO SAGITTARIUS PUPPIS AQUILA SERPENS VELA SCORPIUS CARINA CANES VENATICI CAPRICORNUS COMA BERENICES PAVO SEXTANS TUCANA INDUS OCTANS CRATER TELESCOPIUM HYDRUS ANTLIA ARA PYXIS MICROSCOPIUM APUS CORVUS DORADO CORONA BOREALIS NORMA MENSA VOLANS RETICULUM SCUTUM CRUX S N W E
From 35°S (Sydney, Cape Town, Buenos Aires). South at top; the center is overhead and the rim is the horizon.

Bright lines and names: constellations at their best in June. Gold dashes: the ecliptic, where the Moon and planets travel. 9 pm local standard time on June 15; the same view comes an hour earlier at the end of the month and an hour later at the start. Click a name to open its chart.

Boötes, Circinus, Libra, Lupus and Ursa Minor are at their best in June

A constellation is at its best when it stands highest in the evening, due south from the northern hemisphere or due north from the southern. The last two columns give its height above the horizon at 9 pm in mid-June.

ConstellationMeaningHemisphereBrightest starMessierAt 40°NAt 35°S
BoötesHerdsmanNorthernArcturus84°20°
CircinusCompassesSouthernAlpha Circinibelow horizon58°
LibraBalanceSouthernZubeneschamali23°76°
LupusWolfSouthernMen14°82°
Ursa MinorLittle BearNorthernPolaris62°below horizon

Constellations more than 20° high at 9 pm in June

Measured at the center of each constellation. Large constellations can be partly visible when their center is lower.

From 40°N: 23 constellations

From 35°S: 33 constellations

Meteor showers peaking in June

Rates are the zenithal hourly rate, the count one observer would see under a dark sky with the radiant overhead; real counts are lower. Peak dates move by about a day from year to year.

ShowerPeakActiveRate per hourRadiantParent body
Gamma DraconidsJun 1Hercules
June BootidsJun 22Jun 22 - Jul 2Boötes7P/Pons-Winnecke
June LyridsJun 16Draco
OphiuchidsJun 20Ophiuchus
tau HerculidsJun 2Boötes73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3

Video: June stargazing

June Stargazing: Constellations · Watch on YouTube

Constellations month by month

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