PAGASA: Lunar eclipse on June 16, meteor shower June 22

Barring cloudy skies and rains, stargazers will have at least two events to look forward to this June: a total lunar eclipse on June 16 and a meteor shower starting on June 22. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the total lunar eclipse will be visible “provided the sky is clear." “A total lunar eclipse will occur on June 16 and will be visible in the Philippines provided that the sky is clear," PAGASA acting administrator Nathaniel Servando said. "The eclipse will begin at 1:23 a.m. Philippine Standard Time (PST) and will end at 7:02 a.m. PST. In Manila, the moon will rise at 6:03 p.m. on 15 June and will set at 4:38 a.m. on 16 June," he added. He added the entire event will be seen from the eastern half of Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and western Australia. However, observers throughout Europe will miss the early stages of the eclipse because they occur before moonrise. “Fortunately, totality will be seen throughout the continent except for northern Scotland and northern Scandinavia. Eastern Asia, eastern Australia, and New Zealand will miss the last stages of eclipse because they occur after moonset," he said. "Even observers in eastern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina will witness totality. However, none of the eclipse will be visible from North America. At mid-eclipse, the Moon is near the zenith for observers from Reunion and Mauritius," he added. Servando also noted that Philippine nights are at their shortest and daytimes are at their longest around the summer solstice, which falls on June 22 at 1:16 a.m. He explained that this is the time when the sun attains its greatest declination of +23.5 degrees and passes directly overhead at noon for all observers at latitude 23.5 degrees north, which is known as the Tropic of Cancer. This event marks the start of the apparent southward movement of the sun in the ecliptic, he said. Meteor shower Servando said the annual June Bootid meteor shower will be worth observing. “Normally, the shower is active from June 22 to July 2. Although the shower peaks on the 28th of June, a little or no activity will be expected this year," he said. The shower is derived from the debris ejected by Comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke. Its radiant will originate from the constellation of Bootes, the Herdsman, which lies nearly overhead when darkness falls. Stargazing Servando said stargazers will appreciate watching the night sky with the famous Summer Triangle of the stars Vega, Deneb and Altair of the constellations Lyra, Aquila and Cygnus, respectively, being well placed in the eastern horizon before midnight. The bowls of the Big and Small Dipper in Ursa Major and Minor, respectively, stands high above the northern horizon with the body of the constellation Draco, the Dragon winding between them. The grouping of a horseshoe shape stars of the constellation Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, lies on the north-south meridian with the head of Draco below it. Also, the constellation of Scorpio is positioned above the east-south eastern horizon, while the constellations of Centaurus, the Centaur and Acrux, the Southern Cross are just above the south direction. Planets In the evening sky, Saturn will be found high in the southwest horizon and will set at the western horizon after midnight. It will be shining at magnitude +0.8 and will be found at about 15 degrees to the lower left side of the blue-white star Spica, the brightest star of the constellation Virgo, the Virgin. “Using a telescope, Saturn’s disk and the rings will measures 18 and 41 seconds of an arc across, respectively. Saturn rings will be inclined at 7 degrees as viewed to our line of sight. Saturn’s biggest and brightest moon, Titan will also be seen through any telescope," Servando said. Naked-eye planets line-up in the eastern horizon before sunrise, he added. Mercury will lie low in the eastern horizon at the beginning of the month and will disappear from view on June 7. Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune will be visible in the eastern sky throughout the month before sunrise. Uranus and Neptune will need a star map and a binocular or a modest-sized telescope for proper viewing. - VVP, GMA News