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July full moon 2025: The Buck Moon joins Mars and Saturn
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The full moon of July, also called the Buck Moon, will rise on July 10. A full moon occurs when the moon is on the opposite side of Earth from the sun; the night side Earth sees a fully-illuminated moon. Generally the moon rises near the time of sunset, and that will vary with latitude and season. The exact moment of full moon occurs at 4:37 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (2037 UTC) on July 10, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. In New York City, moonrise is at 8:54 p.m. EDT on July 10; sunset is at 8:28 p.m. on that day. In the northern mid-latitudes (New York, Chicago, San Francisco, London, Paris or Tokyo) the days are longer, so the moon rises later (and the sun sets later). The time the moon is above the horizon is also shorter, because in the summer months the full moon is in the sun's wintertime position – low in the sky. In New York, moonset is at 5:57 a.m. on July 11 – putting the moon above the horizon nine hours and three minutes. The situation is reversed in the Southern Hemisphere. In Melbourne, Australia, for example, the full moon occurs at 6:37 a.m. on July 11. July is during the winter months there, so the moon rises early – at 5:26 p.m. on that day. Moonset is at 8:40 a.m. the next morning, which means the moon is visible for 15 hours and 14 minutes. The varying length of time the moon is above the horizon also affects how high in the sky it gets – in New York, when the moon crosses the meridian at 12:28 a.m. July 11 (and is basically due south) it will reach an altitude of 20 degrees, whereas in Melbourne (and cities of similar latitude such as Cape Town or Santiago, Chile) the moon will reach 79 degrees above the horizon at 12:14 a.m. July 11 – nearly directly overhead. On the evening of July 10, from the latitudes of New York City, Mars will be moving towards the southwestern horizon. In New York the planet sets at 11:09 p.m.; civil twilight (when the sun is six degrees or less below the horizon) ends at 9:01 p.m., but Mars won't be easily visible until a bit later (how much later depends on the weather; clearer skies offer easier spotting). By 10 p.m. Mars is setting in the west, about 12 degrees high. The next visible planet is Saturn, which rises at 11:51 p.m. in New York. It reaches the meridian – and its highest altitude – after sunrise at 5:50 a.m. July 11. Saturn is relatively easy to spot because the region of sky it is in has few bright stars; in darker sky locations one can see the "Circlet" – an asterism made up of five fainter stars that is one of the fish in the constellation Pisces, the Fishes. TOP TELESCOPE PICK: Want to see the full moon up close? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 4SE review. Venus rises on July 11 at 2:49 a.m. in New York. It doesn't get far above the horizon until about 4 a.m., when it is 12 degrees high in the east. The planet will form a pair with Aldebaran, the brightest star in Taurus, the Bull, and from mid-northern latitudes it will appear to be above the star. Aldebaran is distinctly orange-red, so distinguishing the two is relatively easy to do. Jupiter follows at 4:39 a.m. Eastern but from the Northern Hemisphere it is lost in the glare of the sun, which comes up less than an hour later; by sunrise (5:39 a.m) Jupiter is only about 8 degrees high. Mercury is above the western horizon at sunset, but only barely so at the latitude of New York City. For those watching the sky from further south, some planets are easier to see. Mercury, which is effectively unobservable from New York, is slightly more visible in Miami, where at sunset is at 8:16 p.m. Eastern; civil twilight ends there at 8:41 p.m. on July 10 and Mercury will be 12 degrees high in the west; Mercury sets there at 9:39 p.m. If one has a clear horizon and the weather is clear one can just catch it. In Honolulu, Mercury sets earlier, at 8:44 p.m., but sunset is also earlier, at 7:17 p.m., and civil twilight ends at 7:48 p.m. By 8 p.m. Mercury is 8 degrees high in the west and can be faintly seen against the darkening sky. Once one gets to the equator prospects improve even more; in Singapore, Mercury sets at 8:53 p.m. July 11, and sunset is at 7:15 p.m. By 8 p.m. the innermost planet is still 12 degrees high in the west and should be distinct as the stars and constellations around it (the planet is in Cancer) are relatively faint. From further south, as in Melbourne, Australia, Mercury is slightly closer to the horizon but still easier to see than in the Northern Hemisphere. At sunset (5:17 p.m. on July 11) Mercury is 20 degrees high in the west; by about 6 p.m. it is about 13 degrees high and will be just visible against the twilight sky. The planet sets in Melbourne at 7:20 p.m. With the longer nights Mars and Saturn are both higher in the sky than in New York, and thus visible longer. From Melbourne, Mars is still 37 degrees high at 6 p.m., and does not set until 9:45 p.m., keeping it above the horizon for a full four and a half hours, as opposed to two and a half hours in New York. Saturn rises in Melbourne at 11:05 p.m. July 11, and crosses the meridian at 5:11 a.m. at an altitude of 53 degrees; more than halfway up to the zenith from the horizon at due north. In the Southern Hemisphere the planet is above the Circlet in Pisces, and by 7:00 a.m. as sunrise approaches (it is at 7:34 a.m. July 12) Saturn is still at 45 degrees. Venus rises at 4:26 a.m. July 12 in Melbourne, and by sunrise is 27 degrees above the northeastern horizon. As in the Northern Hemisphere it forms a pair with Aldebaran, though it will appear to be below and to the left of the star as opposed to above it due to the "flipped" orientation of the sky. Jupiter, as for Northern Hemisphere observers, will be lost in the solar glare; it will emerge in the coming months. By 10 p.m. in the mid-northern latitudes, one will see summer constellations near the moon; the moon itself is in Sagittarius, and bright enough that the stars of said constellation may be hard to spot, but look to the right of the moon and one might be able to see the "teapot" shape that marks the constellation. From the continental U.S. or Europe at 10 p.m. the moon won't be more than seven to 10 degrees high, so Sagittarius will be similarly low in the sky. Turning further to the right (southwards) one encounters Scorpius, the Scorpion, recognizable by the bright reddish star Antares. At 10 p.m. Antares is almost due south; from New York its altitude is about 22 degrees. On the right side of Antares one can see the three fainter stars in a vertical line that are the claws, looking slightly left and down one can follow a curving line of stars to the tail. Looking to the east, above and to the left of the moon, is the Summer Triangle, an asterism consisting of Vega, or Alpha Lyrae, Deneb (Alpha Cygni) and Altair (Alpha Aquilae). Vega is the highest of the three; at about 10 p.m. it is 63 degrees high in the east. Go down and to the left and the next bright star one sees – it will be about two thirds as high as Vega – is Deneb, the tail of Cygnus the Swan. Look to the right (imagine a right triangle with Deneb at the 90 degree corner) and one will see Altair, which will be about a third of the way up to the zenith from the horizon. Turn left of Deneb and you are facing north; Deneb is almost exactly northeast. The Big Dipper will be on the left side of the sky – the end of the handle will be pointing upwards, with the bowl downwards from there. One can use the "pointers" of the Dipper's bowl to find Polaris, the Pole star, and if one continues towards the right and downward one touches the "W" shape of Cassiopeia, the Queen, which will be close to the horizon on the right side of Polaris. One can use the handle of the Big Dipper to "Arc to Arcturus", the brightest star in Boōtes, the Herdsman, which will be some 54 degrees high in the southwest. Arcturus is recognizable because it looks slightly reddish or orange. Look left of Arcturus (eastwards) and one can see a bright circlet of stars, this is Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. Keep going left – towards Vega – and one encounters a group of four medium-bright stars in a square, which is the "keystone" – the center of the constellation Hercules. Continuing the "arc" from Arcturus ends at Spica, the alpha star of Virgo, which is nearly setting at this point in the year. In the mid-southern latitudes, the sky will be dark by 7 p.m. and one will see the moon in the east, with Antares above it and slightly to the left. Sagittarius will be above the moon, and Scorpius above that; Antares is some 53 degrees high in the east from the latitudes of Melbourne or Santiago, Chile. Looking to the southwest, one can see Canopus, the brightest star in Carina, the Keel of the Ship about 15 degrees high. Turning almost due south (left) and two thirds of the way to the zenith one can spot the Southern Cross, which points to the southern celestial pole (though there is no equivalent of Polaris to mark it). To the left of the Cross are Hadar and Rigil Kentaurus, or Alpha Centauri; Hadar is closer to the Cross while Alpha Centauri is level with it and further to the left. In the Old Farmer's Almanac, the full moon of July is also referred to as the Thunder Moon, reflecting the fact that in much of North America thunderstorms are more common in the hotter months. While the full moon names are sometimes adapted from local Native peoples that the settlers encountered, many Native nations don't use the same terms at all — the Ojibwe people, would call it the Raspberry Moon. The Woodland Cree call the July lunation the Feather Molting Moon. In the Chinese lunar calendar the July full moon is in the sixth month, called Lotus Month or Héyuè. The Chinese lunar calendar adds what is known as a leap month every few years to keep the lunar calendar in line with the seasons of the year; this means that the August full moon will also be in the sixth month. For some Hindus, Buddhists and Jainists, the July full moon is the festival of Guru Purnima, in the lunar month of Ashadha, which celebrates spiritual teachers (called gurus); it is also a time for academics and scholars to pay respects to their own mentors and teachers. For some Buddhists, it is a day to honor the Buddha, who gave his last sermon on this day. Jainists see this day as starting a four-month period of special devotion to teachers and gurus, and in Nepal the day is used to honor teachers. In Laos, the full moon will start the Boun Khao Phansa Festival, which is the beginning of a three-month period of devotion for monks (which also corresponds with the rainy season). Many people will leave small necessities at Buddhist temples for the monks; it is also a period when many novice monks are initiated. Editor's Note: If you capture an amazing full moon or night sky photo and want to share it with for a story or gallery, please send images and comments to spacephotos@
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
New moon of June 2025 sees Mercury climb to its highest point in the sky
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The new moon occurs on June 25. A day later, Mercury reaches its highest point in the evening sky, and on June 27, the young moon will make a close pass to the planet. The exact moment of the new moon phase occurs at 6:31 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (1031 UTC), in New York, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. A new moon describes the moment when the sun and moon share a celestial longitude (called right ascension by astronomers), a projection of Earth's longitude lines on the sky measured eastward from the point where the sun crosses the celestial equator. This position is also called a conjunction, and it can only happen when the moon is directly between Earth and the sun. Sometimes the sun, moon and Earth line up perfectly, and the result is a solar eclipse. No eclipse is scheduled for this new moon, though – the next one is due on Sept. 21. Outside of solar eclipses, new moons are not visible. Lunar phases are determined by the moon's position in its orbit around Earth, so they occur at the same time everywhere; the difference in the hour is solely due to one's time zone. The new moon thus occurs at 3:31 a.m. in Los Angeles, 11:31 a.m. in Paris, and 7:31 p.m. local time in Tokyo. On June 25 the sun sets at 8:31 p.m. in New York, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory; just five days after the solstice (June 20), so in the Northern Hemisphere days are still quite long. The sky starts to get dark enough to see bright objects by about 9:15 p.m. At that point, one can see Mercury if there is a clear horizon. From New York City the planet will be about 8 degrees above the horizon; tricky to spot, but still possible if conditions are right. On June 26, Mercury reaches its highest elevation for Northern Hemisphere observers; at 9:15 it is still about 8 degrees high; that day the moon will be a thin crescent on the right side of the planet. On June 27, in the wee hours of the morning in New York (2:03 a.m.), the moon passes within 3 degrees of Mercury; while the conjunction itself won't be visible (both the moon and Mercury are below the horizon) by the evening the moon will appear to the left of the planet and above it. Mars, meanwhile, will be low in the west, as the planet sinks a bit each day towards the evening sun; by August, Mars will be lost in the solar glare. One can spot it easily by its reddish color; while the planet is not as bright as it can be (it is at a point in its orbit where it is further from Earth) the color remains distinct. Saturn rises after midnight at 12:48 a.m. EDT, (June 26) followed by Venus at 2:56 a.m. By sunrise at 4:53 a.m. Saturn is at 40 degrees and Venus at about 23 degrees; a good exercise is to see how close to sunrise one can still spot the two planets. For those located closer to the equator, Mercury is a bit higher; from Bridgetown, Barbados, it is at 22 degrees at sunset (6:28 p.m.) and won't be visible until about a half hour later. The planet sets at 8:10 p.m. June 25. The June 27 conjunction with the moon is more visible as one goes far westwards from New York; in Honolulu, Hawaii, the conjunction is at 8:03 p.m. and Mercury will still be 12 degrees above the western horizon with the thin crescent moon above it at about 22 degrees. In the tropics, the effect of seasons on day length is much less pronounced – sunset on June 25 in Honolulu is at 7:17 p.m., rather earlier than in New York. From the Southern Hemisphere, Mars will be in the northwest after sunset. As it is the austral winter, sunsets are early. In Santiago, Chile, for example, sunset is at 5:43 p.m. local time on June 25. By 6:30 p.m. local time Mars is 40 degrees above the northwestern horizon in the constellation Leo. Closer to the horizon is Mercury which, as in the Northern Hemisphere, is a challenge to observe, but it is slightly higher for austral sky watchers; about 10 degrees high, so with a clear horizon and no trees or buildings one can catch it. Mercury sets in Santiago by 7:33 p.m. local time. In Santiago, Saturn rises on June 26 at 12:48 a.m. Venus rises at 4:20 a.m.; by 6 a.m. Saturn is about 53 degrees high in the north-northeast and Venus is at 20 degrees in the northeast. Sunrise isn't until 7:47 a.m., by 7 a.m. as the sky is getting light one can see Venus in the northeast and Saturn just west of north. In June in the Northern Hemisphere, the sky doesn't get fully dark until about 10 p.m. at the latitude of New York, Denver, San Francisco or Tokyo. In New York City, astronomical twilight, when the sun is between 12 and 18 degrees below the horizon and the last of the daylight disappears, is between 9:47 and 10:37 p.m. on June 25. At 10 p.m., as one can look south and see the red star Antares, about 21 degrees high; one can distinguish it from Mars because the planet will be in the west (to the right). Another way to know the difference immediately is that on nights when stars visibly twinkle planets shine with a steady light. At this time of year one can see the entirety of Scorpius, the Scorpion, from mid-northern latitudes, though the very end of the Scorpion's tail is brushing the horizon and is only visible if there's nothing in the way. That said, one can easily catch the three stars to the right of Antares that mark the claws. Turning eastwards (left) and even closer to the horizon one can see the "teapot" shape of Sagittarius the Archer rising; it gets more visible as the night progresses and gets to its highest altitude (about 20 degrees) by about 1 a.m. June 26. Further left, almost due east at 10 p.m. and about 23 degrees high is Altair, the eye of Aquila the Eagle, which is the southernmost point of the Summer Triangle. The other two are Vega, or Alpha Lyrae, which is upwards and to the left of Altair, more than halfway to the zenith in the east-northeast. The third star is Deneb, the brightest star in Cygnus, the Swan, located a bit higher than Altair and towards the northeast. All three stars form a right triangle shape with the 90-degree corner at Deneb and are bright enough that they are visible even in light-polluted areas. The Big Dipper, which is a common orientation point for Northern Hemisphere sky watchers, is in the northeast, about two thirds of the way to the zenith from the horizon. At 10 p.m. it will be to the left as one faces north, almost vertical with the bowl on the downward side. On the bottom side of the bowl in this orientation are the stars called Dubhe and Merak that point to Polaris. Dubhe will be on the right; one finds Polaris, the Pole Star, by making a line between the two and continuing until one reaches it. The Big Dipper is not a constellation in itself; it is part of the larger group that is the constellation Ursa Major, the Great Bear. Polaris is the end of the handle of the Little Dipper, the asterism that makes up most of Ursa Minor, the Little Bear. Following the handle of the Dipper one can "arc to Arcturus" –a sweeping motion along the curve of the handle gets you there, to the brightest star in Boötes, the Herdsman. Continuing that arc one hits Spica, the brightest star in Virgo. If one draws a line between Dubhe and Merak away from Polaris one reaches Leo, the Lion. Arcturus is high at 10 p.m. – 62 degrees above the southwestern horizon. Looking a bit to the left, one can see an arc of stars with a brighter one at the halfway point of the arc; this is Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. The bright star Alpha Corona Borealis is called Alphecca; at this point one is looking almost directly overhead. Further left (east) from Corona Borealis is a square of fainter stars that makes up the central part of Hercules. The square is sometimes called the Keystone. If one moves south (toward the horizon) one meets Ophiuchus, the Serpent Holder, a large and faint constellation above Scorpius. Ophiuchus makes a large, narrow, five-sided shape – rather like a tall A-frame house. Starting with Antares, if one looks up and to the left of it, there is a star called Pi Ophiuchi, or Sabik, that is the bottom left corner of the main body of Ophiuchus, and to the right and above that is Zeta Ophiuchi. Look slightly to the left and upwards and one sees Kappa Ophiuchi, the right upper corner of the "box" that is Ophiuchus' body (think of it as his shoulder). Look leftward and one sees the slightly brighter star Ras Alhague, Alpha Ophiuchi, the head, and to the left and downward is the other shoulder, Beta Ophiuchi or Cebalrai (pronounced with a hard C). In the Southern Hemisphere, the sky gets dark enough to see stars by 7:00 p.m. Observers in mid-southern latitudes can see Scorpius 40 degrees high in the east; by 11 p.m. the constellation is almost directly overhead. Looking due south and upwards – two thirds of the way to the zenith – is Crux, the Southern Cross. The cross will be upright, so the bottom star is Acrux (Alpha Crucis), while on the left is Mimosa (Beta Crucis), the top is Gacrux (Gamma Crucis) and the right point is Imai (Delta Crucis). Draw a line between Imai and Mimosa to the left and one hits Hadar, the second brightest star in Cetaurus, the Centaur. To the left of that and slightly downward is Alpha Centauri, also called Rigil Kentaurus, our nearest stellar neighbor. Turning right towards the southwest, one can see Canopus at about 25 degrees high; it's the brightest star in Carina, the Ship's Keel. Above Canopus is a large ring of about seven stars (nine from a darker sky location) that is Vela, the Sail.
The Hindu
21-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Is it a moon? Is it a dwarf planet? Well, it's Charon, and it could well be both!
Charon's discovery The story of Charon's discovery takes us back to 1978 – a time when even astronomers were still thinking that Pluto was a planet. Little was known about Pluto and its system, but all that was about to change in the decades that followed. On the morning of June 22, American astronomer James Christy already had his head whirling around. If you were under the impression that he was zeroing in on the solution for an astronomical problem, you couldn't be further from the truth. Christy was sharpening his plans to move his house, getting ready for a week's leave from the U.S. Naval Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona – his workplace. It was under these circumstances that Robert Harrington, his boss, handed him a set of six photographs of Pluto. Christy and Harrington were looking to refine Pluto's orbit around the sun – a journey that takes Pluto 248 Earth years. Pluto's average distance from the sun is 5.9 billion km. The technology available at that time meant that even the best photographs of it hardly revealed anything. What's more, these six images – acquired in pairs over three nights in the month between April 13 and May 12 – were labelled as 'defective.' Odd blobs The reason why these pictures were labelled thus owed to the fact that they revealed Pluto to be oddly elongated. Viewing them under a microscope, Christy noticed that the fuzzy blob that was to be Pluto stretched in a northern direction in two of those pairs, while the final pair showed a southward direction. The defects were attributed either to atmospheric distortion or improper optical alignment in the telescope used for observations. After ruling out an explosion on Pluto as an unlikely explanation – especially as it lasted a month – Christy searched for other plausible reasons. There was a chance that Pluto itself was irregular in shape. Or could there be an unseen moon, even though one of his former professors, celebrated Dutch-American astronomer Gerard Kuiper, had searched for exactly the same decades earlier without any success? When Christy went over to the archives to check through older plates from 1965 onwards, there it was... the same elongation. What's more, all these images had also been dismissed as defective on every occasion. Correct conclusions Christy and Harrington, however, realised that they were onto something. By reviewing all the images with the elongations, they were able to state that the bulge occurred with a predictable frequency. This frequency of the unseen moon's orbital period – 6.4 Earth days – matched with what astronomers believed to be Pluto's rotational period, suggesting a synchronously locked binary system. The duo ruled out other possible reasons for the bulge and concluded correctly that Pluto had another companion at a distance of 19,640 km. The discovery of 'S/1978 P1' was announced by them through the International Astronomical Union (IAU) on July 7 and their findings were published in the Astronomical Journal. What started out as reviewing six defective images, served as the seeds for a whole new discovery. As Christy himself once pointed out, 'Discovery is where the scientist touches nature in its least predictable aspect.' What's in a name? As the discoverer, Christy wanted to exercise his rights for naming Pluto's companion. And he had his mind set on naming it after his wife. The Naval Observatory he worked for had suggested the name Persephone, the wife of Hades. Hades, the god of the underworld in Greek mythology, was the equivalent of the Roman god Pluto after which it is named. As luck would have it, Christy came across a reference to Charon, a boatman who ferried the dead across a river in the underworld to Hades. Charon's close mythical association with Hades, or Pluto, made it a great option for the newly discovered astronomical object. It was the perfect option for Christy as his wife's name was Charlene. In addition to sharing the first four letters, 'Char' was the nickname that friends and family used to call his wife. Just like how protons and electrons have the 'on' suffix, Christy saw Charon as 'Char' with the suffix 'on' and submitted his name. Eclipses and occultations By the time this name was accepted by IAU in January 1986, Pluto and Charon had a series of mutual eclipses and occultations. Studying them enabled astronomers in general, and Harrington in particular, to confirm the existence of Charon as he observed the eclipses and occultations to occur as predicted. Observing Pluto and Charon in this manner also enabled astronomers to arrive at Charon's diameter to be about 1,200 km, while also arriving at better estimates of the size and mass of Pluto. From a small dot in a photograph, Charon had become much much more – almost a world in its own right. It definitely meant the world to Christy in more ways than one, as he was also able to gift his wife the moon! Charlene Christy probably summed it the best when she said 'A lot of husbands promise their wives the moon, but Jim actually delivered.' Charon fact sheet Most of what we know about Charon, or even Pluto for that matter, is thanks to NASA's New Horizons mission. Approved in 2001 as the first flyby of Pluto and its largest moon Charon, it was launched in January 2006. This was months before IAU's decision in August the same year to demote Pluto's designation from a planet to a dwarf planet. Despite the fact that Pluto was plutoed, the mission went on, providing us invaluable information. Before New Horizons' closest approach to Pluto on July 14, 2015, the spacecraft captured plenty of images of Charon. While the images revealed a striking reddish north (top) polar region, Charon's colour palette wasn't as diverse as Pluto's. The origins of this red colouration is a mystery for now and no other icy object in the solar system sports a similar feature. Charon is 1,214 km across and is at a distance of 19,640 km from Pluto. As Pluto's equatorial diameter is about 2,377 km, Charon is nearly half the size of Pluto. This makes it the largest known satellite relative to its parent body for most astronomers. It is this same size, however, that forces other astronomers to consider Pluto and Charon as a double dwarf planet system. Charon's orbit takes 6.4 Earth days to go around Pluto. Charon neither rises or sets, however, but instead hovers near the same region on Pluto's surface. The same surfaces of Charon and Pluto always face each other due to a phenomenon called mutual tidal locking.
Forbes
20-06-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Get Ready For The Shortest Day Since Records Began As Earth Spins Faster
Earth could be about to record its fastest-ever rotation. Since 2020, Earth has been rotating faster than at any point since records began in 1973, with each successive year producing the shortest day. Last year, the shortest day was recorded on July 5, and Earth is expected to get close to this again on or close to July 9, July 22 and August 5, according to "Rapidly spinning globe. Symbolic of time passing, travel and other metaphors of space and time." Earth takes a nominal 24 hours to rotate once on its access, which is equal to 86,400 seconds. Until 2020, Earth's rotation had been gradually slowing down, and the shortest ever day recorded was just 1.05 milliseconds under 86,400 seconds. However, on July 19, 2020, Earth rotated 1.47 milliseconds less than 86,400 seconds. Last year, on July 5, it was even shorter at 1.66 milliseconds. Since 2020, Earth has seen 28 of its fastest days and predictions from International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service and U.S. Naval Observatory indicate that Earth will again rotate faster on July 9, July 22 or August 5. The uncertainty comes from the exact position of the moon, which acts as a drag factor, particularly when it's close to the equator. In the long-term, the moon is gradually slowing down the Earth's rotation, its gravitational pull causing tides and making Earth's orbital path around the sun slightly elliptical. Precise measurements of the length of a day come from atomic clocks and monitoring by the IERS. Scientists do not know why Earth's rotation has been speeding up since 2020. various factors are likely at play, including the motion of Earth's core and mantle, a shifting of mass due to the melting of ice sheets and glaciers, and variations in ocean currents and air movement. All of these could influence the day length by milliseconds. It could also be down to the 'Chandler wobble' — the movement of Earth's geographical poles across its surface. Historically, international timekeepers have added leap seconds to keep atomic time aligned with Earth's spin. However, since Earth is now rotating faster, not slower, so leap seconds are redundant. Instead, negative leap seconds— i.e., removing a second) — are being considered. IERS confirmed earlier this month that no leap second would be added in 2025. The last leap second was positive and used at the end of December 2016. Scientists are unsure what to do because the current speeding-up may be a blip in a longer trend of Earth's rotation slowing. It may seem trivial, but the fact that Earth is spinning faster in 2025, shaving milliseconds off the day, is critical for maintaining time accuracy worldwide. Maintaining alignment between Earth time and atomic time is crucial for GPS and satellite navigation, financial systems reliant on precise timestamps and synchronizing networks across the world.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Time of India
June's Strawberry moon is coming — here's exactly when to watch it and what it means for every zodiac sign
The vibrant Strawberry Moon of June 2025, peaking on June 11th, enters Sagittarius, bringing bold energy and momentum. Rooted in Native American tradition, it signifies the strawberry harvest and new beginnings. Each zodiac sign may experience unique effects, from career advancements to emotional healing, influencing relationships, finances, and personal growth. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads When to watch the full strawberry moon in 2025? Why is it called the Strawberry Moon? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What zodiac energy is influencing this full moon? What it means for every zodiac sign? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs As the warmth of summer approaches, so too does June's vibrant "strawberry moon," bringing with it a surge of joyful full moon in June, also known as the "Strawberry Moon," is about to light up the sky. This year's moon enters Sagittarius, bringing bold energy and new zodiac sign may experience its effects, some through romance or career changes, others through emotional healing or daring new decisions. From astrology to cultural traditions, here's what you can expect and how it may affect your zodiac to the astronomical applications department of the U.S. Naval Observatory, the full moon will be at its brightest in the United States on Wednesday, June 11, at 3:45 a.m. Native American tribes referred to June's full moon as the "strawberry moon" to commemorate the brief but delicious strawberry harvest, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, which started reporting full moon names in the names include the "honey moon," which comes from European customs, when honey was frequently collected around the end of June, according to tribes referred to June's full moon as the "birth moon," "egg laying moon," and "hatching moon," all of which alluded to fertility and the emergence of new life, according to the Old Farmer's June strawberry moon is associated with the fire sign of Sagittarius, which is renowned for its spirit of adventure. This year, the moon's position in the night sky with respect to astrological signs slightly changes, which affects the full moon's energy and zodiac sign's strawberry moon astrological horoscope, as per a report by be inspired to experiment and alter their daily schedule. Some might concentrate on relationships, international business, or long-distance travel. Professionals in the media, particularly those working in the field, may perceive opportunities for reconsider relationships and finances, as feelings of dissatisfaction may lead to speaking up or deciding to part ways. Assets and investments are favored, and a change or arrival of a bonus, venture capital, new credit line, inheritance, or settlement may also affect going through a period of change or turmoil, with a major partnership confronting reality. With subjects like moving in, making commitments, getting engaged, or even getting married up for discussion, this could foster intimacy, cooperation, and a busy time, with numerous projects, plans, and personal responsibilities. Thomas suggests that working multiple jobs or leaving one to start another may increase workload. If you are currently unemployed, this time could help your resume, so apply now to secure a position in the job encouraged to live, laugh, and love, as romance, dating, and courtship become more enjoyable. Thomas recommends downloading apps, hanging out with friends, or inviting someone out for a date. If you're committed, use this energy to rekindle your passion. Fertility, pregnancy, and children could also be a sign of emotional stability and security, with a focus on the past, heritage, and traditions. This period may also bring about changes in domestic life, home, or family, such as a desire to relocate, renovate, or curiosity, socialization, and stepping outside of one's comfort zone. This could be related to intellectual pursuits such as writing, speaking, or advertising, or a large contract could appear experience financial changes, such as a raise, new job offer, or side hustle. Some people may leave their current job or source of income to pursue another. It is recommended that you monitor your bank accounts and avoid spending on important possessions while planning for the a sign of intense focus and determination, as they may be able to accomplish a significant personal or professional goal they've been working on for six months or more. It is critical to assert oneself and assert dominance so that everyone understands your goals and desire rest, recharge, and recuperation, so making time for meditation and healing is essential. However, they may be haunted by baggage, dreams, trauma, or the past, so seeing a therapist or practicing spirituality could help them find closure and a great time to join groups, volunteer, or engage with a cause. It's also a time for fun, attending events, expanding networks, and finding success in online dating, especially for single individuals., there are numerous career opportunities on the horizon. They may be praised, successful, or recognized for work they've been doing for six months or longer. However, if they are not in the right job or industry, they may need to change reaches its peak early on Wednesday, June 11 at 3:45 a.m. on your zodiac sign, it brings bold moves, emotional clarity, and shifts in love, career, and personal development.
