Big Dipper

Mars is 4 degrees north of the Moon at 12:00 UT.

The Earth is at aphelion (152,097,427 kilometers or 94,508,959 miles from the Sun) at 15:00 UT; Jupiter is 1.1 degrees south of the bright open cluster M35 in Gemini at 21:00 UT.

Venus lies within the boundaries of the bright open cluster M44 (the Beehive or Praesepe) in Cancer at 19:00 UT.

Pluto (magnitude 14.0, apparent size 0.1") is at opposition at 1:00 UT.

The Curtiss Cross, an X-shaped illumination effect located between the craters Parry and Gambart, is predicted to occur at 23:33 UT.

Lives of the Stars Stars are full of variety - they can be big or little, bright or dim. Our sun is right in the middle - Mr Average - but eventually it will grow old and become a red giant. Lucie Green and Chris Lintott discuss the lives of stars and what happens to them when they die. Upcoming broadcasts of this edition can be found by clicking here.

Last Quarter Moon occurs at 4:53 UT; Uranus is 4 degrees south of the Moon at 15:00 UT.

Neptune is 6 degrees south of the Moon at 21:00 UT.

Venus is 5 degrees south of the first-magnitude star Pollux (Beta Geminorum) at 1:00 UT; the Moon is at perigee, subtending 33'28" from a distance of 356,991 kilometers (221,826 miles), at 11:00 UT; Full Moon (known as the Flower, Rose or Strawberry Moon), the largest of 2013, occurs at 11:32 UT.

Summer solstice in the northern hemisphere occurs at 5:04 UT.

Mercury is 1.9 degrees south of Venus at 17:00 UT.

Jupiter is in conjunction with the Sun at 16:00 UT; Saturn is 4 degrees north of the Moon at 17:00 UT.

The Moon is 0.1 degree north of the first-magnitude star Spica (Alpha Virginis), with an occultation occurring in Madagascar, parts of Africa, northern South America, and the Caribbean, at 20:00 UT.

First Quarter Moon occurs at 17:24 UT.

Mars is 6 degrees north of the first-magnitude star Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri) at 16:00 UT; the Purbach Cross or Lunar X, an X-shaped illumination effect involving various rims and ridges between the craters La Caille, Blanchinus, and Purbach, is predicted to occur at 21:21 UT.

Venus is 5 degrees north of the Moon at 11:00 UT; Mercury is 6 degrees north of the Moon at 23:00 UT.

The Moon is at apogee, subtending 29'24" from a distance of 406,486 kilometers (252,579 miles), at 22:00 UT.

New Moon (lunation 1119) occurs at 15:56 UT.

Venus lies within the boundaries of M35 at 21:00 UT.

The Curtiss Cross, an X-shaped illumination effect located between the craters Parry and Gambart, is predicted to occur at 12:29 UT.

Mercury is 1.3 degrees north of the bright open cluster M35 in Gemini at 16:00 UT.

Stunning Saturn Saturn is in our evening skies, and in any telescope looks a stunner. Lucie Green and Chris Lintott investigate the storm that is still raging in the planet's atmosphere, with the latest news from Saturn's amazing moons Titan and Enceladus. Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel illustrate Saturn's 'opposition effect' and look at some globular clusters, whilst Chris North gets a preview of the new eye-in-the-sky camera, soon to be fitted onto the International Space Station, which will image Earth in incredible detail. Upcoming broadcasts of this edition can be found by clicking here.

Last Quarter Moon occurs at 18:58 UT.

Venus is 1.0 degree north of Jupiter at 20:00 UT.

Mercury is 2 degrees north of Jupiter at 9:00 UT.