June, Tropics (June 15th, 10:30 p.m. local time)

Western Horizon
Eastern Horizon

West

We are in June! As the summer solstice is to take place during this month, the skies we are seeing are transitional ones, between spring, and summer! Let's begin West! Hydra, the Hydra, and Leo, the Lion, have shifted down to the horizon. Crater, the Cup, Corvus, the Crow, or Denebola are still well visible however. The bright star, high, slightly southwest, is Spica of Virgo, the Virgin, as the one to the upper right, is Arcturus, of Bootes, the Hersdman. It's a good opportunity to check the famed astronomical saying 'Arc to Arcturus, speed on to Spica,' meaning that, when you extend the handle of the Big Deeper -seen now northwest- you'll find, first Arcturus, next Spica! Just check that! Albeit they left the zenit, it's still a good time to check the deep-sky galaxy fields in the constellations Coma Berenices and Virgo. Should you, now, turn South, a fine view is seen, with the vistas which will be seen during summer shifting to the place -South, southwest- they will occupy then. This is providing us, during June, with the fine view of those typically southern, Milky Way-embedded constellations, from Scorpio to Crux. The two bright stars in the sky are the famed Pointers, those both stars which 'point' to the Southern Cross. Ara, the Altar, or Triangulum Australe, the Southern Triangle, are of interest too, for example. to a printer-friendly chart
West for the mid-northern latitudes. West for the mid-southern latitudes

East

Here, we are facing East! The skies, there too, are heralding the summer solstice period! Sagittarius, the Archer, is high already, as it's there that the center of our Milky Way Galaxy is located! It's there that the bulge of old, yellowish stars is, along with the supermassive black hole which is lurking at the Galaxy's center! A place of the size of the orbit of Mercury, whence nothing -not even light- can break out due to the enormous, relativistic gravity of such a place! Ophiuchus, the Serpent Holder, along with its two serpents is getting high, near the zenith, as, northeast another show of interest is seen, the Summer Triangle that is. The Summer Triangle, like the name, is a triangle the spikes of which are the main, bright stars of the three constellations of Lyra, the Lyra, Cygnus, the Swan, and Aquila, the Eagle. The bright stars are: Deneb (now low, northeast), Vega (the highest spike), and Altair, to their right. Fine vistas! If you are allowed with the northern horizon, just turn there! The Great Dipper, northwest, is easily spoted, as, at about 15° above the horizon, the Little Dipper is at its year's best. Draco, the Dragon, at last, is meandering above the Little Dipper. to a printer-friendly chart
East for the mid-northern latitudes. East for the mid-southern latitudes

(color maps with Stellarium; printer-friendly charts with Cartes du Ciel, Patrick Chevalley)