Explore Scientific

🌌 Named for one of the greatest mythological heroes, the Hercules Constellation stands strong in the Northern Hemisphere’s night sky throughout the summer months — proudly displaying its celestial strengths.
 
Visible from 90° north to 50° south, Hercules is the fifth largest constellation and covers a 1,225 square degree area. One of its most stunning treats is the aptly named Great Globular Cluster (Messier 13). Home to hundreds of thousands of stars, this brilliant cluster covers a 145 light year span and is widely regarded as the best of its kind in the northern sky.
 
Although it is spectacular, M13 is not the only deep sky beauty in Hercules. Other options include Messier 92, a bright globular cluster that breaks character by including an eclipsing binary in its mass of stars; Abell 39, a planetary nebula that appears as a large, near-perfect sphere; and the Hercules Cluster, a grouping of about 200 galaxies that is heavy on spirals.
 
📷 Astrophotographer: David Ng
🔭 Telescope: Explore Scientific ED102 Air-Spaced Triplet Refractor
 

The June 2026 Astronomy Calendar is here!

Two planetary powerhouses make a close approach, the solstice signals seasonal change and the Strawberry Moon lights up the Teapot — there’s lots happening this month in the world of astronomy.

Visit www.explorescientific.com/pages/june-2026-calendar to discover more about what you might see in June’s night skies and track the Moon phases to plan the best time to observe.