WHAT’S UP?

TUESDAY, JUNE 19: There will be an attractive target for binoculars tonight as bright Venus will appear about a Moon’s width from the Beehive star cluster. Look for a fuzzy patch that should resolve itself into the group of tiny stars also known as Messier 44 and Praesepe, “the manger.”

TUESDAY, JUNE 19: For those who would like to add a bright asteroid to their list of celestial objects, Vesta is now in a great position to oblige. Tonight the fourth largest, but for various reasons the brightest asteroid, will reach opposition in Sagittarius, just above Saturn low in the southern night sky. Though it is the brightest of the “vermin of the sky” as asteroids were once referred to, the target will be about magnitude 5.3, which is near the limit of naked eye observation, though easy with binoculars or a telescope. There is a great finder chart on page 48 of the June issue of Sky & Telescope magazine, which can also be accessed online.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20: This is First Quarter Moon night. As evening sets, the perfectly divided half sphere will already be placed high in the sky to add magic and a certain symmetry to an Okanagan summer evening.

Thursday, June 21: What happened? Despite warm temperatures, the long delayed spring makes it seem unreal that we are already at the Summer Solstice. It seems amazing that starting tomorrow the days will begin to get shorter! But hold on, this is still a time for celebration, according to the Druids. The actual moment of Solstice will be at 3: 07 a.m.

FRIDAY, JUNE 22 - If the sky is clear, get set for a night of observing at the Okanagan Observatory on Big White Road (full directions at www.okanaganobservatory.ca). OC RASC members invite the public to join them for an audio-visual program, a guided tour of the sky, and observing with member telescopes and the club's 25-inch telescope. A go-no go message will be posted by 3 p.m. each Friday on the observatory event phone:250-300-8SKY.

SATURDAY, JUNE 23: Tonight the waxing gibbous Moon will be in the vicinity of bright Jupiter, adding interest to Okanagan summer evening scenes.

This is a free schedule of upcoming celestial events compiled by the Okanagan Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.