CLOSE ENCOUNTER: Today, June 7th, the planet Jupiter is at its closest to Earth for all of 2007. This makes it remarkably big (46") and bright (mag. -2.5). A backyard telescope should easily reveal Jupiter's cloud belts, its four largest moons, and an unmistakable bulge around Jupiter's middle caused by the planet's rapid 10-hr spin. Look due south at midnight: sky map. 

THE SUN IN MOTION: Yesterday, Gary Palmer was photographing sunspot 960 when "plasma began to flow outward around the spot--and then it exploded!" He captured the dramatic C9-class solar flare in action...

 

http://www.spaceweather.com/  June 7, 2007