Californians can glimpse meteor showers, a full moon and a vibrant band of stars stretching across the night sky this month.

Two dazzling shows of comet dust will streak across the sky when the Arietids and Bootids meteor showers return in June, according to National Geographic.

Stargazers can also seek out a brighter-than-usual Milky Way Galaxy and a variety of planets during cloudless nights.

June also marks the official start of summer.

Here’s what to know about the upcoming celestial displays:

What’s the best way to watch Arietids meteor shower?

The Arietids is one of the most active daytime meteor showers, according to EarthSky.

The shower was expected to peak during daylight hours yesterday, making it impossible to observe while the sun is out.

When to see full moon in June in California

The sixth full moon of 2025 will reach peak illumination at 12:43 a.m. on Wednesday, June 11, according to online calendar Time and Date.

How did strawberry moon get its name? Is it red?

The last full moon of spring is called the strawberry moon, but it has nothing to do with the reddish hue of the beloved berries, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Instead, the June moon marks the ripening of early summer fruit such as strawberries, the Almanac said. The name derives from Native American Algonquian tribes in the northeastern United States, as well as the Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota peoples.

The Haida people from the Pacific Northwest called June’s full moon the berries ripen moon, also referring to berry harvest season.

Meanwhile, Anishinaabe peoples in the Great Lakes region called the full moon the blooming moon, which is “indicative of the flowering season,” according to the Almanac.

Experience the longest day of the year

The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year and the start of the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere.

This year, the first day of summer falls on Friday, June 20, according to Time and Date.

What is the summer solstice?

The summer solstice occurs when the sun travels to its highest point in the sky, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Once this happens, Earth reaches a point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its highest tilt toward the sun.

You can observe the solstice by standing outside at noon and taking a glance at your shadow, the Almanac said.

On the summer solstice, you’ll cast the shortest shadow of the year due to the sun’s tilt.

How to watch Bootids meteor shower in California

The second meteor shower of June takes place at the end of the month, peaking on Friday, June 27, according to National Geographic.

The amount of meteors streaming across the night sky during the height of the shower can vary.

In some years, hundreds of shooting stars produce “astonishing displays,” while just a few will appear above California in other years, the nature magazine said.

In June 2025, stargazers may be in luck for a more prominent meteor shower.

“The moon will be barely illuminated as a waxing crescent, so it won’t impede your view of fainter shooting stars,” National Geographic said.

How to view a vibrant Milky Way Galaxy

Stargazers will soon be able to witness a dazzling celestial sight composed of billions of stars.

Throughout June, the core of Milky Way Galaxy will appear as a bright band arching across the night sky.

It will be more visible than usual over most of the Northern Hemisphere throughout the month, according to NASA.

The spiral galaxy is home to Earth and hundreds of billions of stars spanning more than 100,000 light-years, NASA said.

Californians should seek out a dark space away from city lights to have the best chance of viewing the “faint, cloud-like band” overhead, according to the federal space agency.

Which planets are visible to the naked eye?

Multiple planets in our solar system will be visible to the naked eye in June, which means you can view them without using a telescope.

Venus will shine “very brightly” in the night sky two hours before dawn, NASA said. Stargazers should glance toward the eastern sky to see the planet rise every morning this month.

Mars can also be spotted all month long in the first two hours of night.

However, the Red Planet will be “noticeably dimmer than it appeared in early May, as Earth speeds away in its orbit, putting greater distance between the two worlds,” NASA said.

Towards the end of the month, Mercury will be visible in the western horizon, the space agency said.

Californians can observe the planet hanging low in the sky beginning 30 minutes after the sun set from Saturday, June 21, to Monday, June 30.