Starwatch: The June night sky

What to look out for in the night sky over the month ahead

Following the opposition of Mars on 22 May, it is Saturn's turn to stand directly opposite the Sun in the sky on 3 June. This places it high in the midnight sky for observers in the southern hemisphere, but inconveniently low down in the S as viewed from Britain.

This is a pity, for Saturn's stunning rings are wide open with their N face tipped 26 to our view and spanning 42 arcsec around the planet's 18 arcsec disc.