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An interesting alignment of planets and stars is visible in the
early evening above the western horizon. Planet Venus, growing ever
brighter as it approaches the Earth, dominates the scene. Below it are
the twin stars of Gemini, with planet Mercury to the left. Above
Venus, and slightly right is planet Saturn, and slightly higher still
is Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. The crescent Moon joins the
scene on the evenings of June 18 and 19 (it lies particularly close to
Venus on the 18th).
Elsewhere in the sky, planet Jupiter (not quite as bright as Venus) is
very high over the eastern horizon and appears to lie near the bright
star Antares in Scorpius. The Moon, when almost Full, passes them on
June 28.
The Southern Cross and its accompanying Pointers are currently at
their highest, above the southern horizon. The Pointer star furthest
from the cross is Alpha Centauri, the nearest stellar neighbour to our
Solar System.
The Moon is in the evening sky until June 3 and after June 16.
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