WEBVTT 00:00:07.490 --> 00:00:10.410 Howdy Star Gazers and welcome to this episode 00:00:10.410 --> 00:00:14.109 of Star Trails. Drew here, and I'll be your guide 00:00:14.109 --> 00:00:17.429 to the night sky for the week starting June 8th 00:00:17.429 --> 00:00:21.289 through the 14th. This week we take a look at 00:00:21.289 --> 00:00:25.089 the Sun's roughly 11 -year cycle in which its 00:00:25.089 --> 00:00:28.589 magnetic field flips, bringing enhanced levels 00:00:28.589 --> 00:00:32.439 of solar activity. We'll also check out a daytime 00:00:32.439 --> 00:00:36.020 meteor shower, and of course this month's full 00:00:36.020 --> 00:00:38.939 moon, which is a little extra special this year. 00:00:39.859 --> 00:00:42.060 Whether you're tuning in from the backyard, the 00:00:42.060 --> 00:00:45.020 balcony, or just your imagination, I'm glad you're 00:00:45.020 --> 00:00:48.700 here. So find a cozy spot, let your eyes adjust, 00:00:49.079 --> 00:00:51.880 and let's see what the sky holds for us this 00:00:51.880 --> 00:00:57.060 week. The night of June 10th marks the appearance 00:00:57.060 --> 00:01:00.380 of this month's full moon, the strawberry moon, 00:01:00.979 --> 00:01:03.600 and this one is unique for a couple of reasons. 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:07.079 The name of this full moon comes from Native 00:01:07.079 --> 00:01:10.200 American tribes, particularly the Algonquin, 00:01:10.620 --> 00:01:14.420 who used the June full moon as a signal to gather 00:01:14.420 --> 00:01:17.780 ripening strawberries. It's not about the moon's 00:01:17.780 --> 00:01:21.260 color, but rather the timing of the harvest season. 00:01:22.030 --> 00:01:25.209 This year's strawberry moon is notable for being 00:01:25.209 --> 00:01:29.510 the lowest full moon in 18 years. Because of 00:01:29.510 --> 00:01:32.549 the moon's orbital path and its position relative 00:01:32.549 --> 00:01:35.849 to the Earth and Sun, it will appear unusually 00:01:35.849 --> 00:01:38.989 close to the horizon, and never get more than 00:01:38.989 --> 00:01:42.290 30 degrees or so at its highest point over the 00:01:42.290 --> 00:01:45.370 horizon. Remember, if you hold your fist out 00:01:45.370 --> 00:01:48.590 at arm's length, that represents about 10 degrees 00:01:48.590 --> 00:01:51.900 in the sky. When the moon is near the horizon, 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:55.400 our brains perceive it as larger than when it's 00:01:55.400 --> 00:01:58.599 higher in the sky, a phenomenon known as the 00:01:58.599 --> 00:02:01.819 moon illusion. So on the evening of June the 00:02:01.819 --> 00:02:04.980 10th, as the strawberry moon rises in the southeast, 00:02:05.400 --> 00:02:08.840 it will appear enormous and golden -hued creating 00:02:08.840 --> 00:02:12.639 a breathtaking sight. For the best experience, 00:02:12.780 --> 00:02:15.599 find a location with an unobstructed view of 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:18.689 the eastern horizon. The moon will rise about 00:02:18.689 --> 00:02:21.930 8 .30 p .m. local time, so be ready with your 00:02:21.930 --> 00:02:25.550 camera to capture this stunning event. Early 00:02:25.550 --> 00:02:28.250 risers may want to catch it just before sunrise, 00:02:28.569 --> 00:02:31.590 as it will be setting in the southwest just before 00:02:31.590 --> 00:02:35.490 dawn. This week offers an array of planetary 00:02:35.490 --> 00:02:38.330 sightings for both evening and early morning 00:02:38.330 --> 00:02:41.409 observers, including a close encounter with Jupiter 00:02:41.409 --> 00:02:45.580 and the elusive Mercury. Starting around June 00:02:45.580 --> 00:02:49.020 12th, Mercury becomes visible low in the western 00:02:49.020 --> 00:02:53.319 sky about 45 minutes after sunset. It reaches 00:02:53.319 --> 00:02:56.819 its best evening elongation mid -month, offering 00:02:56.819 --> 00:03:00.460 a brief but worthwhile viewing opportunity. Tonight, 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:03.800 June 8th, Mercury will be just two degrees north 00:03:03.800 --> 00:03:07.080 of Jupiter, providing a chance to see both planets 00:03:07.080 --> 00:03:11.289 in close proximity shortly after sunset. Visible 00:03:11.289 --> 00:03:13.729 in the early evenings during the first week of 00:03:13.729 --> 00:03:17.550 June, Jupiter shines low in the western sky after 00:03:17.550 --> 00:03:21.030 sunset. However, it quickly descends and becomes 00:03:21.030 --> 00:03:24.330 lost in the sun's glare as the month progresses. 00:03:25.129 --> 00:03:28.430 Mars, the red planet, graces our western sky 00:03:28.430 --> 00:03:31.069 for a couple of hours after sunset throughout 00:03:31.069 --> 00:03:34.770 June. It's gradually descending lower each evening 00:03:34.770 --> 00:03:37.870 but remains a prominent feature in the constellation 00:03:37.870 --> 00:03:42.810 Leo. Notably, next week Mars will pass close 00:03:42.810 --> 00:03:46.370 to Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, appearing 00:03:46.370 --> 00:03:49.169 about a half a degree apart, roughly the width 00:03:49.169 --> 00:03:53.030 of the full moon. Morning observers are still 00:03:53.030 --> 00:03:56.169 being dazzled by our brightest planet, Venus. 00:03:56.710 --> 00:04:00.270 It rises about two hours before the Sun and dominates 00:04:00.270 --> 00:04:03.930 the eastern pre -dawn sky throughout June. It's 00:04:03.930 --> 00:04:06.750 a brilliant beacon that's hard to miss and remains 00:04:06.750 --> 00:04:09.550 the brightest object in the sky after the moon. 00:04:10.590 --> 00:04:13.849 Saturn rises in the southeastern sky around 3am 00:04:13.849 --> 00:04:16.810 in early June. It's a bit fainter than Venus, 00:04:16.910 --> 00:04:20.610 but still noticeable. For those with telescopes, 00:04:21.149 --> 00:04:24.449 Uranus and Neptune are also in the morning sky. 00:04:24.779 --> 00:04:27.139 Near the end of the month, into the middle of 00:04:27.139 --> 00:04:30.259 July, Neptune will appear within one degree of 00:04:30.259 --> 00:04:33.079 Saturn, making it a convenient target for those 00:04:33.079 --> 00:04:36.439 already observing the ringed planet. Be sure 00:04:36.439 --> 00:04:39.579 to consult with a star chart or app to determine 00:04:39.579 --> 00:04:43.060 the exact locations of these icy gas giants. 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:47.579 For an easy deep sky object, check out the butterfly 00:04:47.579 --> 00:04:53.040 cluster, Messier number 6. M6 is an open star 00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:56.079 cluster located in the constellation Scorpius. 00:04:56.660 --> 00:04:59.680 Its name comes from its resemblance to a butterfly, 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:04.319 with stars forming patterns akin to wings. This 00:05:04.319 --> 00:05:07.839 cluster is approximately 1 ,600 light -years 00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:11.259 away from Earth and contains several dozen stars, 00:05:11.839 --> 00:05:15.420 including some bright blue giants. This cluster 00:05:15.420 --> 00:05:18.569 is best viewed in mid -June. Look toward the 00:05:18.569 --> 00:05:22.970 southern horizon after 1130 PM. The cluster will 00:05:22.970 --> 00:05:25.509 be about 20 degrees above the horizon at its 00:05:25.509 --> 00:05:31.089 peak. M6 has an apparent magnitude of 4 .2, making 00:05:31.089 --> 00:05:33.689 it challenging to see with the naked eye under 00:05:33.689 --> 00:05:37.410 light -polluted skies. It's easily visible through 00:05:37.410 --> 00:05:40.829 binoculars. To locate it, find the constellation 00:05:40.829 --> 00:05:45.389 Scorpius and look near the Stinger stars, Shala 00:05:45.389 --> 00:05:49.420 and Lasath. From there, scan slightly northwest 00:05:49.420 --> 00:06:01.819 to spot the cluster. The Areatid meteor shower 00:06:01.819 --> 00:06:05.060 is happening right now, but you're not likely 00:06:05.060 --> 00:06:08.699 to see it. Most meteor showers are best viewed 00:06:08.699 --> 00:06:12.100 under the cover of night, but the Areatids are 00:06:12.100 --> 00:06:15.399 a bit of an oddball. They're a daytime meteor 00:06:15.399 --> 00:06:19.670 shower. Peaking around June the 7th each year, 00:06:19.930 --> 00:06:22.790 the Areatids originate from the constellation 00:06:22.790 --> 00:06:26.550 Aries and are known for their high meteor rates. 00:06:27.069 --> 00:06:29.610 However, because they occur during daylight hours, 00:06:29.870 --> 00:06:32.550 they're notoriously difficult to observe with 00:06:32.550 --> 00:06:36.050 the naked eye. Despite that, there's a brief 00:06:36.050 --> 00:06:38.810 window just before dawn when you might catch 00:06:38.810 --> 00:06:41.949 a glimpse. For those of us in North America, 00:06:41.970 --> 00:06:45.889 that means heading out around 4 .30am or so Looking 00:06:45.889 --> 00:06:49.910 eastward, the radiant point in Aries rises above 00:06:49.910 --> 00:06:52.810 the horizon around this time of year, offering 00:06:52.810 --> 00:06:55.910 a slim chance to see meteors streaking across 00:06:55.910 --> 00:07:00.910 the pre -dawn sky. Radar and radio observations 00:07:00.910 --> 00:07:04.709 have detected up to 200 meteors per hour during 00:07:04.709 --> 00:07:07.870 the Ariatids peak, making them one of the most 00:07:07.870 --> 00:07:11.610 prolific meteor showers, just not for visual 00:07:11.610 --> 00:07:21.980 observers like us. We've talked about meteors 00:07:21.980 --> 00:07:25.339 planets and a full moon But now we're turning 00:07:25.339 --> 00:07:29.000 our gaze towards the star that makes it all possible 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:33.620 the Sun Lately the Sun's been putting on quite 00:07:33.620 --> 00:07:37.600 a show throwing off solar flares launching clouds 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:40.939 of charged particles into space and Lighting 00:07:40.939 --> 00:07:44.600 up the night with spectacular auroras that reached 00:07:44.600 --> 00:07:48.490 far farther south than usual Auroras have been 00:07:48.490 --> 00:07:51.670 spotted in states like Alabama and even parts 00:07:51.670 --> 00:07:56.230 of Texas, not exactly your standard aurora country. 00:07:57.310 --> 00:08:00.230 You may remember around this time last year when 00:08:00.230 --> 00:08:02.910 I reported on catching aurora here in my home 00:08:02.910 --> 00:08:06.569 state, a phenomenon I thought I'd never see here 00:08:06.569 --> 00:08:11.009 in the Deep South. So what's going on up there? 00:08:11.230 --> 00:08:14.089 Well, the short answer is we're heading into 00:08:14.089 --> 00:08:17.829 the peak of the Sun's 11 -year activity cycle. 00:08:18.569 --> 00:08:21.629 And in this episode, I want to unpack what that 00:08:21.629 --> 00:08:24.850 really means, not just for the sky watchers among 00:08:24.850 --> 00:08:28.470 us, but for ham radio operators, satellite tech, 00:08:28.990 --> 00:08:31.750 power grids, and really anyone with a smartphone. 00:08:33.450 --> 00:08:36.769 Let's start with the fundamentals. the Sun goes 00:08:36.769 --> 00:08:39.549 through a natural cycle of magnetic activity 00:08:39.549 --> 00:08:43.950 that repeats roughly every 11 years. Interestingly, 00:08:44.090 --> 00:08:47.389 over that roughly 11 -year period, the Sun's 00:08:47.389 --> 00:08:51.049 magnetic field undergoes a complete flip, meaning 00:08:51.049 --> 00:08:54.370 the Sun's north and south magnetic poles switch 00:08:54.370 --> 00:08:59.110 places. This cycle influences the number of sunspots, 00:08:59.450 --> 00:09:02.769 dark, cooler areas on the Sun's surface caused 00:09:02.769 --> 00:09:06.350 by magnetic activity. At the beginning of a cycle 00:09:06.350 --> 00:09:09.429 called the solar minimum, the sun is relatively 00:09:09.429 --> 00:09:12.990 quiet. You might go weeks without seeing a single 00:09:12.990 --> 00:09:16.990 sunspot. But as the cycle ramps up, those magnetic 00:09:16.990 --> 00:09:20.590 fields become more active, twisting and snapping 00:09:20.590 --> 00:09:23.909 in powerful ways. This leads to the appearance 00:09:23.909 --> 00:09:28.289 of more sunspots and more solar flares and coronal 00:09:28.289 --> 00:09:33.509 mass ejections, or CMEs. These are massive bursts 00:09:33.509 --> 00:09:36.669 of charged particles and magnetic fields hurled 00:09:36.669 --> 00:09:41.789 into space. Eventually we reach the solar maximum, 00:09:42.129 --> 00:09:44.929 the peak of activity, when the Sun's surface 00:09:44.929 --> 00:09:48.230 is crawling with sunspots and popping off flares 00:09:48.230 --> 00:09:52.409 and CMEs on a regular basis. Then gradually things 00:09:52.409 --> 00:09:55.950 calm back down into the next solar minimum, and 00:09:55.950 --> 00:10:00.269 the whole dance starts again. Right now, as we 00:10:00.269 --> 00:10:03.929 speak in June 2025, we're approaching the solar 00:10:03.929 --> 00:10:07.570 maximum. In fact, this cycle, known as Solar 00:10:07.570 --> 00:10:11.049 Cycle 25, is shaping up to be one of the more 00:10:11.049 --> 00:10:14.669 intense in recent memory. Some scientists think 00:10:14.669 --> 00:10:17.710 we may see activity levels not reached since 00:10:17.710 --> 00:10:21.490 the late 1990s, or even the peak of the so -called 00:10:21.490 --> 00:10:25.830 Space Weather Superstorm era of the early 2000s. 00:10:26.700 --> 00:10:30.779 When a CME or solar flare is aimed toward Earth, 00:10:30.899 --> 00:10:34.700 it slams into our planet's magnetic field. Most 00:10:34.700 --> 00:10:37.580 of the time, we're well shielded. Our magnetic 00:10:37.580 --> 00:10:40.460 field does a pretty good job deflecting all that 00:10:40.460 --> 00:10:44.659 charged plasma. But during strong solar storms, 00:10:44.860 --> 00:10:48.259 the energy overwhelms our magnetic defenses and 00:10:48.259 --> 00:10:51.299 flows into the atmosphere near the poles, where 00:10:51.299 --> 00:10:55.570 it excites oxygen and nitrogen molecules. That's 00:10:55.570 --> 00:10:58.529 what creates those famous green and red ribbons 00:10:58.529 --> 00:11:02.169 in the sky, the aurora borealis in the north 00:11:02.169 --> 00:11:07.250 and aurora australis in the south. When the storm 00:11:07.250 --> 00:11:11.009 is especially powerful, the auroral oval expands. 00:11:11.570 --> 00:11:14.409 That's how we get auroras far south of the usual 00:11:14.409 --> 00:11:18.080 high -latitude zones. A couple of months ago, 00:11:18.360 --> 00:11:21.639 folks as far south as Arizona, Georgia, and even 00:11:21.639 --> 00:11:25.019 parts of Mexico saw northern lights with the 00:11:25.019 --> 00:11:29.480 naked eye. Now, if you're an amateur radio operator, 00:11:29.679 --> 00:11:33.100 or ham, you're probably already tracking solar 00:11:33.100 --> 00:11:37.019 activity. For folks in the amateur radio community, 00:11:37.320 --> 00:11:40.740 the sun's cycle isn't just academic. It can make 00:11:40.740 --> 00:11:43.700 or break the ability to make contact around the 00:11:43.700 --> 00:11:47.470 globe. When I became a ham radio operator, we 00:11:47.470 --> 00:11:50.389 were coming out of a solar maximum, and I was 00:11:50.389 --> 00:11:53.129 able to talk to other hams all over the world 00:11:53.129 --> 00:11:56.549 on my 100 watt transceiver. As we approached 00:11:56.549 --> 00:12:00.210 the solar minimum some years ago, the bands seemingly 00:12:00.210 --> 00:12:03.870 went dead. Here's the science in a nutshell. 00:12:04.289 --> 00:12:07.629 When solar activity is high, the Sun pumps out 00:12:07.629 --> 00:12:12.230 more ultraviolet and x -ray radiation. That radiation 00:12:12.230 --> 00:12:15.799 hits Earth's upper atmosphere, specifically the 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:19.299 ionosphere, and charges it up, creating layers 00:12:19.299 --> 00:12:23.240 of ionized gas that can reflect radio waves back 00:12:23.240 --> 00:12:27.139 to the surface. That reflection allows radio 00:12:27.139 --> 00:12:29.840 signals to bounce around the world, especially 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:33.440 on certain high -frequency bands like 10, 15, 00:12:33.639 --> 00:12:37.519 and 20 meters. Essentially, your signal bounces 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:40.840 off the upper atmosphere and lands on the other 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:44.019 side of the planet. The ionosphere acts as a 00:12:44.019 --> 00:12:47.519 powerful mirror and hams can chat with stations 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:51.419 across oceans using just a modest rig and a simple 00:12:51.419 --> 00:12:56.059 wire antenna. Using low bandwidth modes like 00:12:56.059 --> 00:12:59.320 Morse code and some of the newer digital protocols 00:12:59.320 --> 00:13:02.360 intended for weak signal work, communications 00:13:02.360 --> 00:13:06.659 can be copied even farther away. But there is 00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:09.820 a flip side. When solar storms get too strong, 00:13:10.039 --> 00:13:13.460 they can actually overload the ionosphere, causing 00:13:13.460 --> 00:13:17.460 rapid changes in its density. That leads to signal 00:13:17.460 --> 00:13:21.360 fading, distortion, or complete blackouts, especially 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:25.919 on lower frequencies. So for ham operators, it's 00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:29.340 a bit of a Goldilocks situation. A little solar 00:13:29.340 --> 00:13:33.120 activity... Great, a lot is amazing, and too 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:36.100 much all at once means it's time to grab a book 00:13:36.100 --> 00:13:40.360 and wait it out. The sun's temper tantrums don't 00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:43.379 just affect auroras and radio enthusiasts. They 00:13:43.379 --> 00:13:47.559 also impact commercial aviation, GPS, communications 00:13:47.559 --> 00:13:52.200 satellites, and even the electrical grid. A strong 00:13:52.200 --> 00:13:55.659 enough geomagnetic storm can induce electric 00:13:55.659 --> 00:13:59.019 currents and long -distance power lines. potentially 00:13:59.019 --> 00:14:02.740 damaging transformers and causing blackouts. 00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:06.220 Airlines sometimes reroute polar flights during 00:14:06.220 --> 00:14:09.360 solar storms to reduce radiation exposure and 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:12.840 to avoid radio blackouts. Satellite operators 00:14:12.840 --> 00:14:16.019 monitor solar flare alerts because high -energy 00:14:16.019 --> 00:14:19.740 particles can fry electronics or interfere with 00:14:19.740 --> 00:14:23.759 navigation signals. Even your smartphone can 00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:26.860 feel the effects. If GPS seems a little less 00:14:26.860 --> 00:14:30.279 reliable, or satellite -based weather apps are 00:14:30.279 --> 00:14:34.759 lagging, the sun might be to blame. But for most 00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:37.559 of us, all this activity is a reminder that we're 00:14:37.559 --> 00:14:41.960 riding around a very dynamic star. If you're 00:14:41.960 --> 00:14:44.700 a stargazer hoping to catch auroras, keep an 00:14:44.700 --> 00:14:48.559 eye on the KP index, which is a measure of geomagnetic 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:52.860 activity. When it hits 6 or higher, auroras are 00:14:52.860 --> 00:14:56.899 likely to reach mid -latitudes. Apps like Aurora 00:14:56.899 --> 00:15:00.779 Alerts or websites like SpaceWeather .com can 00:15:00.779 --> 00:15:04.919 give real -time forecasts. And if you're a ham, 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:08.480 now's the time to dust off your HF rig and make 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:11.980 some DX contacts that stands for long distance. 00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:15.139 The bands have been hot for more than a year 00:15:15.139 --> 00:15:23.110 now, and we're just along for the ride. If the 00:15:23.110 --> 00:15:25.809 stars spoke to you this week, or if a question's 00:15:25.809 --> 00:15:28.590 been on your mind, I'd love to hear it. Visit 00:15:28.590 --> 00:15:31.909 our website, StarTrails .Show, where you can 00:15:31.909 --> 00:15:35.690 contact me and explore past episodes. Be sure 00:15:35.690 --> 00:15:39.250 to follow us on Mastodon, Blue Sky, and YouTube. 00:15:39.730 --> 00:15:42.529 Links are in the show notes. Until we meet again 00:15:42.529 --> 00:15:45.230 beneath the stars, clear skies, everyone.