A 'Strawberry Moon' and three-planet meetup headline June's night sky
The shortest nights of the year will have intrigue as June features easy-to-see sky events after sunset.
From a trio of planets lining up with a crescent moon to a solstice bringing the beginning of astronomical summer, here are the top astronomy events to mark down on your June 2026 calendar.
June has the shortest night of the entire year across the Northern Hemisphere, but the month will still deliver easy-to-see astronomical events along with warmer nights for stargazing.
From an impressive gathering of planets to the first full moon of the summer, here are the top night sky events in June:
June 16-18: Moon aligns with 3 planets
The most eye-catching planetary gathering of the month will unfold in mid-June, when Mercury, Jupiter and Venus cluster low in the western sky after sunset.
The crescent moon will join the planets for a three-night event between June 16 and June 18, when the moon aligns with the trio.
Venus and Jupiter are especially prominent, while Mercury will be much tougher to spot because it sits lower and shines less brightly.
The planets will remain visible into late June, though Jupiter and Mercury will become harder to spot as they sink lower in the evening twilight.
June 21: Summer solstice
Astronomical summer will kick off on Father's Day weekend, with the new season starting on the solstice at 4:24 a.m. EDT on Sunday, June 21.
In the Northern Hemisphere, it marks the longest day and shortest night of the year, when the sun’s most direct rays are over the Tropic of Cancer. South of the equator, the June solstice marks the start of astronomical winter and the shortest day of 2026.
June 29: Strawberry Moon
The first full moon of summer will rise on Monday, June 29, and it will be one of the smallest of the entire year.
June’s full moon is traditionally known as the Strawberry Moon, a name tied to the short strawberry harvest season. Other nicknames include the Green Corn Moon, Blooming Moon and Birth Moon, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac.
It will also be a "micromoon," the smaller counterpart to the popular supermoon.
The full moon of June also known as Strawberry Moon rises over the Four Towers Business area skyscrapers in downtown Madrid. (Photo by Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
As the moon orbits the Earth, there are points when it is closer to the planet, appearing slightly larger in the sky, and times when it is a little farther away, making it seem a bit smaller. The upcoming full moon on June 29 takes place shortly after the moon reaches its farthest point from the Earth, when it will be 252,441 miles from the planet, according to TimeandDate. On average, the moon is around 238,800 miles away.
The next micromoon will not occur until July 2027.
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