June 20, 2025: Astronomical Summer begins in the northern hemisphere when the sun is farthest north of the equator.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:16 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:29 p.m. CDT. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program.
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Solstice Today
Astronomical summer begins in the northern hemisphere today when the sun reaches its farthest point north of the equator at 9:42 p.m. Central Time. In addition, it rises and sets at its farthest northern points along the horizon.
The seasons occur from Earth’s tilt causing the northern and southern hemispheres to alternately receive direct sunlight.
Morning sunrise is beginning to increase already this morning. The latest sunset occurs in two morning and continues through July 1st.
Morning Venus and Moon in Eastern Sky
This morning an hour before sunrise, brilliant Venus shines from the eastern sky. It is nearly 15° above the horizon. It is almost 25° to the lower left of the crescent moon, 32% illuminated, that is almost 30° up in the east-southeast.
Look for earthshine on the moon that is sunlight reflected from Earth’s features. This effect is pretty through a binocular and easily photographed with a phone’s camera, if held steadily.
Pleiades are Returning
Use a binocular to spot the Pleiades star cluster, over 10° up in the east-northeast and 17° to Venus’ lower left. If the sky is exceptionally clear, it is visible without the binocular’s optical assist. Venus passes the cluster in a wide conjunction on July 5th.
Uranus, not yet
Uranus is in the same binocular field with the Pleiades, though it is too low for easy visibility. Better views are ahead when the planet is higher in a darker sky.
Saturn in Southeast
Saturn about 20° to the crescent moon’s upper right and over 30° above the southeast horizon.
Neptune , Too Dim in Morning Twilight
Neptune is in the same binocular field of view with Saturn, but the sky is much brighter than the most-distant planet. Look for it later in the summer when the sky is darker.
Find Mercury after Sunset
Look for Mercury after sunset as it emerges from bright evening twilight. At 45 minutes after sundown, the speedy planet is nearly 10° above the west-northwest horizon. Find an unobstructed view toward the planet and use a binocular. It is the brightest starlike body in the sky at this hour, but it is partly veiled by evening’s light.
Fifteen minutes later, Mercury is still visible lower in the sky, when Mars is easier to see over 25° up in the west. It marches eastward in front of Leo, 2.0° to the upper left of Regulus, the Lion’s brightest star. The Mars-Regulus conjunction occurred a few nights ago.
Mars and Leo
Blue-white Regulus is part of a shape, known as the Sickle of Leo, that outlines the Lion’s head. The back legs and tail – Denebola – are dotted by a triangle. We see Leo in silhouette as it leans toward the western horizon.
Mars sets in the west-northwest over three hours after sundown.
Jupiter is near Conjunction
The fifth bright planet, Jupiter, is not visible. It appears near the sun as it approaches its solar conjunction on the 24th. It reappears in the eastern sky later next month. Venus overtakes it during August with a pretty conjunction of the two brightest planets.
On this solstice day, note sunrise and sunset. Find the bright planets and lovely morning moon.
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