📝 Steven Burr

The Moon

Strawberry Moon - 📸 Steven Burr

The last quarter moon arrives on the 8th of June followed by the moon passing in front of the Pleiades on the 13th just prior to sunrise.  On Monday the 15th we have a new moon.  With the warm temperatures now upon us, this is a great opportunity to stay outside late to see the Milky Way arching overhead from the southeast to the northwest in a moonless sky.  The first quarter moon arrives on the summer solstice, 21st of June.  The full Strawberry Moon arrives on the 29th. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the name originates from the gathering of strawberries during the month.  Other names include: Berries Ripen Moon (Haida), Blooming Moon (Anishinaabe), and Hatching Moon (Cree). 

The Planets

Venus is becoming prominent in the evening twilight as its angle from the sun increases.  From the 7th to the 12th, Venus and Jupiter are in close conjunction visible in the west just after sunset in the constellation of Gemini.  In the early evening of the 19th, Venus clips the Beehive Cluster (M44) in the constellation of Cancer.  Mars remains close to the sun and is visible in the early morning just prior to sunrise.  Jupiter is now low on the western horizon just after sunset and will continue to decrease its elongation from the sun.  On the 16th to 17th of the month, Jupiter, Venus and Mercury are visible in close proximity low on the western horizon just after sunset.

Summer Solstice

The summer solstice arrives at 04:25 am on June 21st for the Quinte area.  The word solstice originates from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still).  In other words, it is the time the sun appears to standstill at its most northerly or southerly point relative to the land based observer.  In Mesopotamia, the summer solstice was the time of death.  The sun was at its highest and strongest resulting in drought and plague, making it appear that nature itself had become barren.  It was believed that the veil between life and death was at its thinnest.  Festivals commemorated their ancestors who were invited back to feast at their descendant’s homes.  Rituals included lighting torches and braziers (open pan for cooking, heating or rituals) to guide the departed ancestors back from the underworld.

Solstice at Sandbanks - 📸 Steven Burr

Constellation Ursa Major

Ursa Major is Latin for the Great Bear.  It has an easily recognizable shape of a big dipper which can be seen year round in the northern hemisphere.  According to Greek mythology, it is the nymph Callisto who consorted with Zeus and bore a child Arcas.  Some say Artemis turned her into a bear out of jealousy while others say Hera, Zeus’s wife turned her into a bear out of anger, while others still say it was Zeus himself who turned her into a bear to conceal his misbehaviour.  In the end, it is said that Zeus placed both Callisto and Arcas in the sky, Callisto as Ursa Major and Arcas as the bear guard or Bootes (the Ox-driver).  For the earlier Babylonians, this constellation represented the Wagon, an instrument of power.  Located in the north and perpetually circling the celestial pole, it became the symbol of eternity and the celestial marker of the north wind.  Goddess Ninlil (Lady of the winds) is the regent of the wagon. She along with her husband Enlil, were chief deities of the Babylonian pantheon.  Located within the constellation of Ursa Major is the M101 Pinwheel galaxy positioned near the end of the big dipper’s handle.  This is a spiral galaxy thought to contain a trillion stars and situated 21 million light-years from earth.  In 2023 Supernova SN2023ixf exploded on the scene and was visible to amateur astronomers (see pic).

M101 Pinwheel Galaxy - 📸 Steven Burr

Ursa Major Urania's Mirror-1825

Astronomy Events

South Shore Fest  

13 June 2026 - Mariners Park Museum

Booth and Solar viewing - 9 am to 3 pm

Laser Guided Sky Tour - 9 pm to 11 pm (RSVP here)

Meet with members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) to learn about the night sky, light pollution and our closest star, the sun.  See the sun up-close and safely utilizing the RASC equipment.  Later in the evening, return to take advantage of a laser guided night sky tour and peer through club telescopes to see deep sky objects. 

South Shore Fest - 2025

Summer Solstice Event

21 June 2026 - Sandbanks Provincial Park

Sunset at the Lakeshore Lodge - 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Join with members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) as we celebrate the Summer solstice. Afterwards, stay as the sky darkens to take advantage of the telescopes on hand.  You’ll be amazed by the deep sky objects in our night sky!

References for June/July blog posts:

Boeckmann, Catherine, Full Moon Names 2026 [online]. Almanac, updated 31 December 2025 [cited 3 January 2026]. Available from: https://www.almanac.com/full-moon-names

Edgar, James S. ed., RASC Observer’s Handbook 2026, ed. by James S. Edgar (Toronto: Marquis Book Printing, 2025)

Hard, Robin, Eratosthenes & Hyginus: Constellation Myths (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015)

Mortillaro, Nicole, Night Sky Guide 2026 (Richmond Hill: Firefly Books, 2025)

Prince Edward County – Sunrise, Sunset & Moon [online], Timeanddate, 2026, [cited 4 January 2026]. Available from: https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/@6113354

White, Gavin, Babylonian Star-Lore: An Illustrated Guide to the Star-Lore & Constellations of Ancient Babylonia (London: Solaria Publications, 2014)