Astronomy

PATHOF THE

PLANETS

The planets

in the sky

These illustrations show the size, phase, and orientation of each planet and the two brightest dwarf planets at 0h UT

for the dates in the data table at bottom. South is at the top to match the view through a telescope.

The planets in June 2018

CAS

AND

TRI

ARI

CET

CAS

PEG

SCL

SGE

EQU

LAC

AQR

CAP

PsA MIC

GRU

SGR

LY R

CYG

VUL

PER

AUR

LY N

OPH

HER

DRA

CrB

SER

LIB

LUP

PSC

TAU

FOR

ERI

ORI

COL CAE

LEP

PHE

Objects visible before dawnObjects visible before dawn

Moon phases Dawn Midnight

Path

of (^) the
Sun
(eclip
tic)
Path
of (^) the
Sun
(eclip
tic)
Path (^) of (^) th
e Moon
Dawn Midnight
Celestial equator
Uranus
Pluto
Neptune Saturn appears at its best
for the year in June
Asteroid Metis reaches
opposition June 16
Asteroid Amphitrite reaches
opposition June 15
Asteroid Vesta reaches
opposition June 19
Sun
Mars
Juno
15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
30 29 28 27 26 25
Venus
Mars
Mercury
Ceres
Uranus
Saturn
Neptune
Pluto
10"
S
WE
N
Jupiter
40 ASTRONOMY • JUNE 2018
Planets MERCURY VENUS MARS CERES JUPITER SATURN URANUS NEPTUNE PLUTO
Date June 30 June 15 June 15 June 15 June 15 June 15 June 15 June 15 June 15
Magnitude –0.2 –4.0 –1.6 8.7 –2.4 0.1 5.9 7.9 14.2
Angular size 6.5" 14.2" 17.8" 0.5" 43.0" 18.3" 3.4" 2.3" 0.1"
Illumination 63% 76% 93% 97% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Distance (AU) from Earth 1.040 1.177 0.526 2.888 4.580 9.073 20.483 29.794 32.672
Distance (AU) from Sun 0.411 0.720 1.439 2.562 5.401 10.065 19.885 29.942 33.582
Right ascension (2000.0) 8h13.9m 8h14.9m 20h46.3m 10h01.0m 14h47.9m 18h28.2m 1h56.9m 23h10.8m 1 9h28.1m
Declination (2000.0) 21°23' 21°54' –21°55' 22°07' –14°57' –22°25' 11°23' – 6°19' –21°41'