Strawberry moon to Bootid meteor shower: 5 astronomical events you must see in June 2026

The summer is upon us and so is the chance to spend warm nights stargazing with your friends and family, awaiting celestial miracles. From a strawberry moon to the Bootid meteor shower, the month of June is bringing along some spectacular astronomical events, that will have astronomy enthusiasts awaiting the nights with bated breath. Here are 5 astronomical events you must watch out for this month:An hour before sunrise on June 11, Mars, the moon, and Saturn will form a diagonal line above the east horizon. Viewers excited to see the conjunction will need clear views around a large lake or grassland with minimal horizonal obstructions. Summer is one of the best times to admire the Milky Way with clear skies all around. The new moon, which restarts the lunar cycle, is the prime time for spotting it. The lack of lunar light helps the cluster of millions of stars pop up to the naked eye. This month, the new moon arrives on June 15, giving the best night to stargaze.Caused by lingering debris from a passing comet, the Bootid meteor shower features a few shooting stars per hour. It peaks on June 27, and could bring in 100 or so meteors in a given hour. While it is not the most exciting one of the lot, if you find yourself with clear skies outside, watch for streaking meteors near the Bootes constellation in the northern sky.The first official moon of the summer is known as the "strawberry moon." It will occur around 8 pm ET on June 29. Native American communities gave the title due to the sweet strawberries that are harvested in early summer. While the moon might not take a reddish hue, it might arrive with a tint. During moonrise and moonset, it may turn a brilliant orange, due to the way light travels through Earth's atmosphere at this angle.Two of the most colourful members of the might sky will meet up in late June. An orange-tinged Mars and pale-blue Pleiades star cluster known for its seven easily visible stars will appear around 4 to 5 degrees or three finger widths from each other. The prime dates for viewing are around June 27 to 30, above the eastern horizon for around 90 minutes before sunrise.Celestial events present an anomaly that enthrals many. The separation or meet up, appearance or disappearance of objects due to an enigmatic cycle or power has many eyes hooked to the skies, all in the hopes of catching miracles live.