The nighttime is the right time for seeing planets this month - the whole night through. Whether you go to bed early, get up early, or get no sleep at all, there are planets on parade all through the dark hours in June. Let's start our survey in the early evening.

Saturn is in its last act for this year. The great ringed planet is on its way around the sun to the other side. You can find Saturn in the western skies after sunset. Here's a little help: In the 8 o'clock hour go outside and face southwest. Estimate about two-thirds up between the horizon and the point over your head. Saturn is the golden star-looking creature there. If you know your constellations, it is on Leo's hindquarters.

Try and get a telescope this month to take a gander at Saturn. In the next month or so it creeps closer and closer to both the sun and the horizon, both of which severely impede our attempts to view celestial bodies.

For the night owls amongst us, Jupiter wakes from its sleep in the east after one in the morning. And as June moves along and we get into July and August it will rise earlier and earlier. You cannot miss it coming over the horizon. But if you are trying to see it through a scope, wait, if you can, for a few hours until it rises above the annoying horizon.

Bonus planet: You can see Neptune this month much easier than at most times by using nearby Jupiter as a guide.

Neptune leads Jupiter through the sky, staying just ahead of the Giant. With a steady pair of binoculars you can spot Neptune just to the northwest of Jupiter. With a telescope you can see the bluish disk of the ice giant. I have a star chart and a movie of the two planets dancing through the skies for the next month and a half with each other.

Here is the starchart for Neptune and Jupiter.

Here is the movie. (Starts 1 June, every frame equals one day)

Now a special treat for the early morning risers: There seems to be some sort of terrestrial planet general meeting going on this month in the eastern skies.

You may have noticed, if you are up before sunrise, the brightest of all planets, Venus, rising in the east. She's an easy one to spot. But have you noticed next to her Mars, the tiny pinkish dot? They are our morning stars, so to speak, and they will be joined on the 19th by tiny Mercury and a beautiful crescent Moon.

Mark your calendars for that date. You will get to see, in the same patch of sky, Mercury, Venus, Mars, the Moon, and even the Pleiades as a starry guest star.

Here is the starchart. (5AM 19 June)

June is a planet-filled month. Try and make an effort to spot a few.