Name: Astronomy Night at Chamberlin Observatory
Start: 2026-06-27T14:30:00-06:00
End: 2026-06-27T17:00:00-06:00
Location: Chamberlin Observatory

Look Here’s a brief look at what’s going on in the Mile High City this week.

June 29:

👀 Look for the waxing gibbous Strawberry Moon in the Teapot, the asterism in the constellation Sagittarius low in the southeastern sky around 10:00PM

June 30 (International Asteroid Day):

🗓️ International Asteroid Day falls on the anniversary of the Tunguska Event. It is the United Nations-sanctioned day of public awareness around planetary defense and the risks that asteroids pose to Earth.
🆓 Get FREE Queso and Chips from QDOBA with the purchase of an entrée in celebration of the Full Moon
🌕 Full Strawberry Moon: 5:56PM
🌕 The Full Strawberry Moon reaches aphelion, when its monthly orbit around the Earth will carry it to its furthest point from the Sun at a distance of 1.0193 AU from the Sun: 10:27PM

July 1:

🖥️ Astrophotography Special Interest Group (ASIG) – General & Beginner Meeting: Free, online, members’ only meeting via Zoom (check membership email and Slack for details: 7:00 PM
🪐 Mercury reaches aphelion, it’s furthest point from the sun in its orbit: 4:00AM

July 2:

🖥️ Standley Lake Stargazing: Weekly Livestream: Free, online program via Zoom: 6:00PM

July 3:

🔭 Northern Colorado Astronomical Society Stargazing: FREE, in-person event at 📍Bobcat Ridge Natural Area (registration required): 8:30PM

July 4 (Independence Day):

Milky Way over Westcliffe, Colorado ©2021 Scott Dankoff

🔭 Westcliffe Public Star Party: Stargaze with Scorpius, Sagittarius, and Ophiuchus!: Free, in-person event at 📍 Smokey Jack Observatory: 9:45PM
🌖 The waxing gibbous Strawberry Moon reaches Ascending Node as it moves from the south to the north of the earth’s plane in its orbit around the sun: 1:51AM

July 5:

👀 Look for Mars between Aldebaran and the Pleiades: catch the red planet and the red giant below the bright open cluster in the constellation Taurus low in the eastern sky around 4:00AM

This Week’s Solar System Summary:

The Sun rises about 5:43 AM at the start of the week and about 5:47 AM by Sunday, while sunset shifts from 8:25 PM to 8:24 PM. Days are slowly becoming shorter following the summer solstice, though Denver still enjoys nearly 15 hours of daylight.
The Moon rises in the afternoon at the start of the week and shifts into the evening hours by the weekend, while moonset moves from the early morning into the late morning and afternoon.
Venus continues to dominate the evening sky, shining brilliantly in the west after sunset and setting between 11:50 PM and midnight.
Mercury remains visible low in the western sky after sunset but is beginning to sink back toward the Sun, making each evening a little more challenging for observers.
Jupiter is now largely lost in the evening twilight and is no longer a practical observing target.
Saturn continues to improve in the predawn sky, rising before midnight and climbing higher each morning. Mars remains low in the eastern morning twilight and is difficult to observe.
Uranus emerges farther from the Sun each morning, rising before dawn and becoming a more accessible telescopic target for early risers.
Neptune rises in the late evening and is well placed for telescopic observation during the hours before dawn, high enough in the southeastern sky for experienced observers.

This Week’s Meteoric Activity:

You can keep track of the activity of meteor showers as well as those beyond the limits of visual observing by visiting the NASA Meteor Shower Portal.

Anthelion (ANT): 1:00 AM in western Virgo: About 2 per hour.
July Pegasids (JPE): Before dawn in Pegasus: Less than 1 per hour. A very weak, long-duration shower producing medium-speed meteors.
Phoenicids (PHE): Before dawn low in Phoenix: Less than 1 per hour. This southern shower is generally not observable from Denver.
ρ-Cygnids (RCY): Before dawn in Cygnus near Sadr: Less than 1 per hour. This minor shower occasionally produces bright meteors.
July ε-Pegasids (JEP): Before dawn in Pegasus: Less than 1 per hour.
β-Taurids (BTA): Before dawn low in Taurus: Less than 1 per hour. Primarily a daytime shower, but an occasional Earthgrazer is possible before sunrise.
Daytime Arietids (ARI): Before dawn low in Aries: Less than 1 per hour. This daytime shower is winding down but may still produce an occasional Earthgrazer.