From a close encounter between Saturn and the Moon to the southern delta-Aquariids and a good view of the Northern Crown, there’s a lot to see with the naked eye this week (July 22-July 28).
Good telescope or a couple telescope it will help you see some of the fainter objects in the night sky, but just the eye is all you need stars and constellationwatches MoonExperiences meteor showers and he sees satellites whizzing across the night sky.
Here’s what you can see in the night sky this week without any equipment, all you need to enjoy it all is curiosity, patience and good weather.
Related: The brightest planets in the July night sky: How to see them (and when)
This week’s stargazing goals
MONDAY JULY 22 – MERCURY (AFTER SUNSET)
Since Quicksilver it orbits close to the Sun, usually lost in its glow. However, it is sometimes possible to see it briefly, just before sunrise or after sunset. The latter occurs tonight when it reaches its “greatest eastward extension” and appears 27 degrees east of sun as seen from Earth.
Look west just after sunset to find a reddish dot just above the horizon. It will be about 14 degrees from the sun and shining size +0.5. Just above it will be the +2.3 magnitude star Regulus in Leo, while closer to the horizon will be Venusshining at a much brighter magnitude -3.9, but probably hard to see in the horizon haze.
TUESDAY JULY 23 – BRIGHT MOON SHINES WITH SATURN (NIGHT)
Rising around local midnight in the east-southeast next door Saturn, which will shine with a strength of +0.8. Both will remain visible for the rest of the night, fading in the west with dawn. You won’t be able to see Saturn’s rings with just your eyes—you’ll need any kind of telescope—but its yellowish disk will be easy to spot.
WEDNESDAY JULY 24 – BRIGHT MOON OCCULTS OF SATURN (NIGHT)
Because the Moon is relatively close to Earth, its apparent position relative to the background stars and planets will vary depending on where you are. From North America and Europe, the waning waning moon will be close to Saturn again tonight, rising after midnight. However, from its path across Asia and Africa, the Moon will appear to cover Saturn, hiding it from view for several hours.
THURSDAY JULY 25 – VENUS, MERCURY AND REGULUS (AFTER SUNSET)
Look to the west-northwest immediately after sunset and you can see magnitude +3.9 Venus descending into the horizon, although higher in the sky than on Monday. Slightly to the left and higher up in the sky will be Mercury and higher up Regulus +1.4 magnitude. Mercury will shine relatively brightly at magnitude +0.6 and dip into the sun’s glow over the next few evenings as Venus rises.
FRIDAY JULY 26 – NORTH CROWN (NIGHT)
This week is a great time to find Northern Crown (Corona Borealis). Look west after dark and you will see a bright star Arcturus in the constellation Boötes. Look high above Vega, the brightest star in the constellation Lyra. Between them is a curve of seven stars. It is easiest to find in a dark sky, but it is easily visible from the city. The Northern Corona is worth getting to know because between now and September, a faint “nova” star near the curve, called T Coronae Borealis, will partially explode, briefly becoming a star to the naked eye. It happens every 80 years.
Related: A rare nova will ignite a “new star” in the sky this year.
SATURDAY JULY 27 – LAST QUARTER OF THE MOON (NIGHT)
Look to the east-northeast at midnight and you will see the waning waning moon rise. It’s been a week since full moon and a week from new month, which means it is now half lit. Besides being a beautiful sight, it means the night sky is moonless in the early evening. This makes the next week perfect for bed time stargazing with the naked eye.
SUNDAY JULY 28 – SOUTHERN PEAK OF DELTA-AQUARIIDS METEORS (NIGHT)
There is always some confusion about when the annual Southern Delta-Aquariids meteor shower peaks. It’s active from mid-July to the end of August, but since there’s a broad peak, there’s no particular night to stay up late. If you look around around midnight tonight, Tuesday 30th July, you’ll have a good chance of seeing some shooting stars, but they can be weak. The show will be best in the southern hemisphere and southern latitudes of the northern hemisphere where Aquarius constellation is the highest in the sky.
Want to try capturing some of these events on camera? Check out our guide on astrophotography for beginners. If you don’t have everything you need, be sure to check out our guide on the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.
Written by Jamie Carter stargazing in 2024 and Stargazing program for beginners.
Editor’s Note: If you have an amazing sky observation photo you’d like to share with Space.com readers, send your photos, comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.