The Keystone

The Keystone

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keystone in hercules

The Keystone is an asterism formed by four relatively bright stars in the constellation Hercules: Pi, Eta, Zeta and Epsilon Herculis. The trapezoid-shaped pattern makes it easy for observers to identify the constellation and to find several well-known deep sky objects. On a clear night, the Keystone can be seen between the bright Vega, the brightest star in Lyra, and the stars of Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. The asterism represents Hercules’ torso.
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Highlights of the Night Sky in June

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Messier 13,m13,globular cluster,great globular cluster

Here are some of the highlights of the June sky:

  • 9:30 PM – southern sky – Mars and Saturn rise over the horizon
  • 9:30 PM western sky – Jupiter appears above the horizon, sinks lower toward the end of the month
  • 5 AM eastern sky – Venus appearing above the horizon before sunrise; on June 24, it rises together with the crescent Moon just before dawn
  • 10 PM southern sky – Boötes, the Herdsman, recognizable for its familiar kite shape, with Arcturus, the fourth brightest star in the sky, and the binary star Izar, Epsilon Boötis
  • 10 PM – southeastern sky – Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, visible to the left of Boötes constellation
  • 10 PM eastern sky – Hercules constellation high in the sky, with the prominent Keystone asterism, the Hercules Cluster (Messier 13), and another globular cluster, Messier 92
  • 10 PM northeastern sky – Draco constellation with the double star Nu Draconis

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The Night Sky in June

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HubbleSite.org has released a video with the June night sky highlights: the evening and morning planets, summer constellations, star clusters, brightest stars and a partial solar eclipse on June 1. Watch the clip below.

EVENING & MORNING PLANETS

  • Saturn – southwestern sky – 10 pm
  • Jupiter – eastern sky – 5 am

CONSTELLATIONS
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