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Filipinos could witness spectacular meteor showers this June should the evening skies clear up towards the end of the month.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the annual June “Bootid meteor shower” would be at its peak on June 27 at around 10 p.m.

“Normally, the (meteor) shower is active from June 26 to July 2,” Pagasa said in its June astronomical diary.

Pagasa said the shower is derived from the debris ejected by Comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke.

“A little or no activity will be expected this year. The Waxing Gibbous Moon will also dim the prospects for shower observation. The radiant of the shower will originate from the constellation of Bootes, the Herdsman, which lies nearly overhead when darkness falls,” Pagasa said.

Meanwhile, Pagasa said Jupiter will be bright enough to be seen on June 7, when it is located 30 degrees above the eastern horizon at around 8:30 p.m. The big planet will be shining brilliantly at magnitude -2.6.

On the first week of the month, Mercury, Venus and Saturn will be in the west-northwestern horizon after sunset.

The planets will be glowing at magnitude +0.5, -4.2 and +0.5 and they will be standing at about 24, 42 and 65 degrees, respectively, above the western horizon at around 6:30 p.m.          – Helen Flores