Meteors along the Milky Way in the sky on August 05, 2021 at Lake Porma, Leon, Spain. (Photo from … [+]
July is packed with celestial events for stargazers, from the breathtaking view of the Milky Way in the first week, to a beautiful crescent moon lighting up the western horizon and a rare occultation 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 view the Milky Way from the Northern Hemisphere. Many know this, but don’t realize that you need to pick a 10-day window within those two months when the moon sets AND be away from light pollution to get a good view after the sun goes down. This is the first week of July. The Milky Way will be brightest in the southeastern sky.
2. A beautiful crescent moon
When: After sunset on Saturday, July 6, until Tuesday, July 9
Where: above the western horizon
Look west for four consecutive nights to see a beautiful crescent moon, which gets a little thicker each evening as it moves farther from the sun in its orbit around Earth. Viewing on Saturday, July 6 will be tricky as the moon will be only 1% illuminated, requiring binoculars, patience and a low view toward the horizon. After that, it gets much easier, with a chance on Sunday, July 7, to see Mercury right above it. Sunday through Tuesday, you’ll also see the “Earthglow” or “Planetary Glow” on the moon’s dark side—sunlight reflected off Earth’s oceans and ice caps back onto the lunar surface.
A crescent moon and Venus are in close conjunction in the night sky on May 23, 2023 in Hangzhou, … [+]
3. Spica hidden by the Moon
When: Saturday, July 13 – Sunday, July 14
Where: southwestern evening sky, from North and Central America only
One of the brightest stars in the summer night sky – Spica in Virgo – will be covered (eclipsed) by the moon in one of the rarest sky events of 2024 for North and Central America. According to In-The-Sky.org, Spica will be covered by a First Quarter Moon (appearing half-illuminated as seen from Earth) between 9:40 p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 13 and 12:58 a.m. EDT on Sunday , July 14. Here is the schedule:
- Extinction only: Eastern US states (11:30 p.m. EDT, low in the southwest).
- Full coverage: US Midwest (10:00 p.m. CDT)
- Replay only: Northwest US states (9:00 p.m. MDT).
4. A ‘Full Moon’ Rises
When: Saturday, July 20 and Sunday, July 21.
Where: the eastern horizon
The seventh full moon of 2024 and the second of summer in the northern hemisphere will be 100% illuminated by the sun on Sunday, July 21. However, since the time to catch the full moon rising is when it’s closest to the horizon, there are two consecutive evenings this month to be out looking east—preferably with a pair of binoculars for a great close-up.
Beautiful twilight sky (November 28, 2019) after sunset with the conjunction of the planets Moon (with … [+]
5. The moon meets the ‘surrounded planet’
When: Tuesday, July 23 – Wednesday, July 24
Where: in the west
For two consecutive nights, a visible Moon-Planet conjunction will be visible in the west after dark. On Tuesday, you’ll see a giant waning moon with Saturn in its lower left, while on Wednesday, a slightly smaller moon will hang in the lower left of the “circled 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 2:00 a.m. as the Delta Aquariid meteor shower peaks. Running from July 18 to August 21 each year, it is caused by dust and debris left in the inner solar system by the 96P/Machholz Complex, a flurry of comets that cause a handful of different meteor showers. Those in the southern states of the US are likely to have the best luck.
The times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For more accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums such as SkySafari Pro, Stellarium AND Sky Live. check out lift-planes/set-planes, East WestAND moon rise/set times to see where you are.
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