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Editors of EarthSky

Earliest sunrises (or sunsets) come before June solstice

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, your earliest sunrises of the year are happening around now. Southern Hemisphere? Your earliest sunsets are around now.

Celebrate World Oceans Day today, June 8, 2025

World Oceans Day is a day to honor our connection to Earth’s oceans and to learn what we can do to protect ocean habitats. Celebrate World Oceans Day on June 8.

June birthstone: Pearl, moonstone or alexandrite

For June babies, pick any of these as your June birthstone: a gleaming pearl, a glowing moonstone, or a colorful and exotic alexandrite. All are lovely choices.

Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 just crashed to Earth

That old, failed Soviet spacecraft - Kosmos 482 - has apparently come back to Earth, likely in the Indian Ocean, according to Roscosmos.

Watch a sungrazing comet’s final death leap

The sungrazing comet appears as a relatively bright and slow-moving dot, heading toward the sun, then suddenly fading away.

Uranus discovered by accident on this date in 1781

William Herschel spotted Uranus in 1781 during a routine survey of the stars. It was the 1st new planet found since ancient times.

Sirius is a future southern Pole Star

Wait, what? It's true. The sky's brightest star, Sirius aka the Dog Star, will come to within 1.6 degrees of the south celestial pole in the year 66270.

Mars closest to Earth on January 12, 2025

The Mars opposition - when Earth flies between the sun and Mars - comes on January 15-16, 2025. But January 12, 2025, finds Mars closest to Earth.

Too cold to snow? Do cold temperatures prevent snow?

Can it ever be too cold to snow? The fact is, no matter how cold a snow-producing cloud is, if it has a source of water, it can build big snowflakes.

Personal solstices from the EarthSky community

Some people like to mark the solstice with a special sunset view, or marking of shadows, or party! Personal solstices from the EarthSky community, here.