06/02/2026
Hello Stargazers!
Here's this Month's Skywatching Tips:
NASA / JPL June 2026 Skywatching Tips:
What's Up: June 2026 Skywatching Tips from Friends of NASA
Skywatching Highlights
June 9: Venus and Jupiter conjunction
June 11–15: Mercury joins Venus and Jupiter after sunset
June 17: Moon passes in front of Venus & close Moon and Venus pairing *** Warning *** - Do Not Look at the SUN!
June 21: June solstice & start of astronomical summer
June: Summer Triangle and deep-sky observing targets rise into view.
Venus and Jupiter appear closest to each other June 8:
(Scroll Down)
On June 17 there's an occultation of Venus by the Moon. In Minocqua, Venus appears behind the moon beginning around 9:40 PM and exiting around 10:20 PM. The western sky will be very bright during this event, and might require binoculars or a small telescope. **** WARNING **** DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN OR POINT BINOCULARS, CAMERAS, or TELESCOPES near the SUN!
Upcoming Events:
June 21, Summer Solstice Solar Observing, Torpy Park, Minocqua, 1-4 PM
The sun remains very active; with good weather we might see large prominences from the sun.
June 24 Kids Space and Astronomy Camp, Northwoods YMCA Rhinelander - 9:30 AM, Rocket Balloons, UV Beads, Moon Phases, Solar System Scale, Meteorites! (Volunteers Welcome!)
July 14, Kids Space and Astronomy Camp, Minocqua Library 1 PM, Rocket Balloons, UV Beads, Moon Phases, Solar System Scale, Meteorites! (Volunteers Welcome!)
Aug 12 Perseid Meteor Shower watch with Oneida and Vilas Counties' Lights-Out Program at Nicolet College. Free. Arrive after 7:30 PM. Program begins around 8PM, observing the stars 8:45 PM until 10 PM. (Volunteers Welcome!)
Aug 15-16 Vilas Co Fair Solar Observing 1-4 PM, Solar Observing and other activities (Volunteers Welcome!)
Aug 17 - Camp American Legion Lake Tomahawk Stargazing - stay Tuned
Check out a Smart Telescope at the Minocqua Library:
NESA has donated a ZWO Seestar S50 smart telescope to the Minocqua Public Library. It soon will be available to check out. It's best for imaging nebulae and other deep sky objects. Similar to most other smart telescopes, it's controlled by a smartphone or tablet.
News from Around the Universe:
Could aliens visit Earth?
From Earthsky.org:
Here are some of the challenges of traversing the almost inconceivably vast distances in our Milky Way galaxy.
- Interstellar travel requires enormous amounts of energy, shielding from radiation and ways to sustain life for generations.
- While there are a number of options for propulsion systems, they all have drawbacks. For example, for rocket fuel, you need fuel to transport your fuel!
- Scientists say advanced propulsion concepts may help someday, but the possibility of aliens visiting Earth seems highly unlikely.
Read why at https://earthsky.org/space/could-aliens-visit-earth-challenges-of-interstellar-spaceflight/
Here's a thought:
There are many techies, billionaires, and futurists who hope someday to place their brains—or at least their minds—into android bodies and live as long as there’s power and technical support. Such beings could last thousands of years or more, depending on the technology, the stability of civilization, and other factors.
What if, someday, we develop a method to map human consciousness into an android so that biology is no longer required? We could send these android explorers into spacecraft with little concern for physical forces. Like the drone‑like UAPs we see today, they could make sharp turns without harm, endure extreme environments, and potentially survive for a million years or more. They wouldn’t experience boredom—only activating when something changes.
If we ever captured one, it might be nothing more than a collection of unfamiliar electronics communicating through an interface.
The galaxy may be full of ancient machine civilizations descended from biological ones. I wonder if these are the UAPS that are showing up over the years!
Blue Origins New Glenn Rocket Blows up During Test ( courtesy of Spaceflight Now): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O90WZJALYc
Visit NASA's site for building a Moonbase: https://www.nasa.gov/moonbase/ Quick Summary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQcNSJc8gEg
Keep Looking up!
