Meteors along the Milky Way in the sky on August 05, 2021 in Lake Porma, Leon, Spain. (A picture from … [+]
July is packed with celestial events for stargazers, from a breathtaking view of the Milky Way in the first week to a beautiful crescent moon lighting up the western horizon and a rare eclipse of the star Spica by the moon. Don’t miss the ‘Thunder Moon’ rising on July 20-21 and the Delta Aquariids meteor shower on July 31.
Here’s everything you need to know about stargazing and astronomy in July.
1. The Milky Way
When: first week of July
Where: Southeast
July and August are the best months of the year to see the Milky Way from the Northern Hemisphere. Many know this but don’t realize that during these two months when the Moon is down, you need to choose a 10 day window AND be away from light pollution to get a good view after sunset. This is the first week of July. The Milky Way will be brightest in the southeastern sky.
2. Beautiful crescent moon
When: after sunset on Saturday 6 July until Tuesday 9 July
Where: above the western horizon
Look to the west for four consecutive nights and you’ll see a beautiful crescent moon that gets slightly plumper each evening as it moves further from the sun in its orbit around Earth. The view from Saturday July 6 will be tricky as the Moon will be illuminated at just 1%, requiring binoculars, patience and a low view of the horizon. After that it will be much easier, on Sunday July 7th you will see Mercury just above it. Sunday through Tuesday, you’ll also see “Earth” or “Planetary Dawn” on the moon’s dark side — sunlight reflecting off Earth’s oceans and ice caps back onto the lunar surface.
The Crescent Moon and Venus are in close conjunction in the night sky on May 23, 2023 in Hangzhou, … [+]
3. Spica covered by the Moon
When: Saturday 13 July – Sunday 14 July
Where: Southwest evening sky, from North and Central America only
One of the brightest stars in the summer night sky – Spica in Virgo – will be eclipsed (obscured) by the Moon in one of the rarest events in the sky in 2024 for North and Central America. According to In-The-Sky.org, Spica will be obscured by the first-quarter Moon (appearing half-illuminated as seen from Earth) between 9:40 PM EDT on Saturday, July 13 and 12:58 AM EDT on Sunday, July 14. Here is the timetable:
- Disappearance only: Eastern US states (11:30 p.m. EDT, low in the Southwest).
- Total Eclipse: US Midwest States (10:00 p.m. CDT)
- Re-emergence only: Northwestern US states (21:00 MDT).
4. “Thunder Moon” is released in full moon
When: Saturday 20 July and Sunday 21 July.
Where: Eastern Horizon
The seventh full moon of 2024 and the second of the Northern Hemisphere summer will be 100% illuminated by the sun on Sunday, July 21. However, because the time to catch the full moon is when it’s closest to the horizon, there are two consecutive evenings this month when you can be outside looking east—preferably with any pair of binoculars for a fabulous close-up shot.
Beautiful twilight sky (November 28, 2019) after sunset with the conjunction of the planets Moon (with … [+]
5. The Moon Meets the ‘Ringed Planet’
When: Tuesday 23 July – Wednesday 24 July
Where: West
For two consecutive nights, a remarkable Moon-planet conjunction will be visible in the west just as darkness falls. On Tuesday, you’ll see a waning moon tilted with Saturn to the lower left, while on Wednesday, a slightly smaller moon will hang to the lower left of the “ring planet.” As seen from parts of Asia and Africa, the moon will obscure (block) Saturn for a few hours on Wednesday.
6. Delta Aquariids meteor shower
When: Wednesday, July 31
Where: the whole sky
Expect about 10-20 “shooting stars” in the dark, moonless night sky from midnight to 02:00, the peak of the Delta Aquariid meteor shower. It runs from July 18 to August 21 each year and is caused by dust and debris left in the inner solar system by the 96P/Machholz complex, a jumble of comets that cause several different meteor showers. Those in the southern states of the US will probably have the best luck.
The times and dates given are for mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate information about a specific location, consult online planetariums such as SkySafari Pro, Stellarium and The Sky Live. Cheque planet-rise/planet-set, sunrise sunsetand moon rise/set times to see where you are.
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I wish you clear skies and wide eyes.