July is packed with celestial events for stargazers, from the breathtaking sight of the Milky Way in the first week, to a beautiful crescent moon illuminating 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 see the Milky Way from the northern hemisphere. Many know that, but they don’t realize that you have to choose a 10-day window within those two months when the moon is down AND be away from light pollution to get a good view after the sun sets. That’s 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, through Tuesday, July 9
Where: above the western horizon
Look to the west for four successive nights to see a beautiful crescent moon, getting slightly plumper each evening as it moves farther from the sun in its orbit around Earth. The Saturday, July 6 view will be tricky since the moon will be just 1%-lit, demanding binoculars, patience and a low view to the horizon. After that, it gets much easier, with a chance on Sunday, July 7, to see Mercury just above it. From Sunday through Tuesday, you’ll also see “Earthshine” or “planet-shine” on the moon’s darkened side—sunlight reflected off Earth’s oceans and ice caps back onto the lunar surface.
3. Spica Occulted By The Moon
When: Saturday, July 13-Sunday, July 14
Where: southwestern evening sky, only from North and Central America
One of the brightest stars in the summer night sky—Spica in Virgo—will be occulted (eclipsed) by the moon in one of 2024’s rarest sky events for North and Central America. According to In-The-Sky.org, Spica will be occulted by a First Quarter Moon (appearing half-lit as seen from Earth) between 21:40 EDT on Saturday, July 13 and 00:58 EDT on Sunday, July 14. Here’s the timetable:
- Disappearance only: Eastern U.S. states (11:30 p.m. EDT, low in the southwest).
- Full occultation: Midwest U.S states(10:00 p.m. CDT)
- Reappearance only: Northwestern U.S. states (9:00 p.m. MDT).
4. A Full ‘Thunder Moon’ Rises
When: Saturday, July 20 and Sunday, July 21.
Where: eastern horizon
The seventh full moon of 2024 and the second of summer in the northern hemisphere will be 100% lit by the sun on Sunday, July 21. However, since the time to catch the rise of the full moon is when it’s closest to the horizon, there are two successive evenings this month to be outside looking east—preferably with any pair of binoculars for a fabulous close-up.
5. Moon Meets The ‘Ringed Planet’
When: Tuesday, July 23-Wednesday, July 24
Where: west
For two successive nights, a notable moon-planet conjunction will be visible in the west just as it gets dark. On Tuesday, you’ll see a waning gibbous moon with Saturn to its lower left, while on Wednesday, a slightly smaller moon will hang to the lower left of the “ringed planet.” As seen from parts of Asia and Africa, the moon will occult (block) Saturn for a few hours on Wednesday.
6. Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower
When: Wednesday, July 31
Where: all-sky
Expect about 10-20 “shooting stars” in dark, moonless night skies from midnight through 02:00 a.m. as the Delta Aquariid meteor shower peaks. Running from July 18 to August 21 each year, it’s caused by the dust and debris left in the inner solar system by 96P/Machholz Complex, a mess of comets that cause a handful of different meteor showers. Those in southern U.S. states will likely have the best luck.
The times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums like SkySafari Pro, Stellarium and The Sky Live. Check planet-rise/planet-set, sunrise/sunset, and moonrise/moonset times to see where you are.
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Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.