Posted by KeighleyAstro on Jun 18, 2026 in Main |

On the 6th July the Earth is at it’s furthest from the Sun at just over 152 million kilometres away.

The full Moon on 29th July is called the Buck Moon as it is the time of year that male deer shed their antlers and begin to regrow them in July.

The New Moon occurs on 14th, making the surrounding nights the best time of the month for viewing faint deep-sky objects because moonlight is minimal.

July is a good month for general stargazing and deep-sky targets, and two of the most ancient constellations are at their best this month, Sagittarius and Scorpius; decorating the southern region of the sky against the background of the Milky Way, as the sky slowly becomes darker and their stars gradually emerge.

Higher in the sky, the prominent Summer triangle is composed of Vega, Deneb and Altair, the leading lights of Lyra, Cygnus and Aquila. The Plough is in the north west and the Milky Way, which arches high across our eastern sky from Sagittarius and Scorpius low in the south to Cepheus, Cassiopeia and Perseus in the north east.

This month is a good time for observing noctilucent clouds, which are high-altitude, luminous clouds that can be seen after sunset or before sunrise.

Early in July, Venus and Jupiter are both visible shortly after sunset in the western sky, but Jupiter drops lower quickly and becomes hard to see after the first week of the month. One of the month’s more interesting planetary pairings is a close conjunction of Mars and Uranus in the predawn sky on 4th July; which can make Uranus easier to locate than usual

The Planets:-

MERCURY
The innermost planet is hidden in the bright twilight glow, and will be unfavourable for observation.

VENUS
The evening star is blazing away at magnitude –4.2, over in the western sky near the constellation of Leo. It falls below the horizon about 11pm. On 9th of July Venus passes right above the brightest star in Leo, Regulus. The crescent Moon lies to the left of the evening stat on the 17th of this month.

MARS
The Red planet shines at magnitude +1.3 among the stars of the constellation of Taurus. Rising above the horizon around 2am. As the month progresses Mars tracks from a position near to the Pleiades star cluster, past the star Aldebaran, to reach the tip of the Bull’s horns on the 13th. By the end of the month Mars is to the extreme left of the constellation.

JUPITER
At the start of this month Jupiter will be well down to the lower right of Venus in the twilight haze. Located in the constellation of Cancer, it shines at magnitude –1.8 and sets below the horizon at 10.30pm. After those few early nights of July the gas giant sinks out of sight into the glow of the Sun.

SATURN
Rising above the horizon about midnight, the ring world can be found within the stars of Pisces and shines at magnitude +0.8. The half Moon is nearby on 7th and 8th of the month.

URANUS
Located in the constellation of Taurus, Uranus rises around 1.30am and is just visible to the unaided eye with a magnitude of +5.8; its best seen using binoculars or a small telescope. You will have an excellent chance to spot Uranus on the morning of 4th July, when Mars; which is 60 times brighter, sails by at a distance of only 9 arcminutes. A red and green planet in your field of view at the same time.

NEPTUNE
Dim Neptune at magnitude +7.7 can be located in the constellation of Pisces, about ten degrees to the right of Saturn. The outermost planet rises above the horizon about half an earlier than Saturn, around 11.30pm. You can find the outmost planet with binoculars or a low power telescope, as a faint bluish object.

PLUTO
This distant world rises above the horizon around 10.20pm. With a very faint magnitude of +14.5, using a telescope you will find it in the constellation of Capricornus. It will be visible all night long.

CERES
The largest object in the asteroid belt can be located between the two horns of the Bull in the constellation of Taurus. At magnitude +9.0 it will climb above the horizon around 2.30am.

Special Events:-

7th July – The last quarter Moon lies to the upper right of Saturn.

8th July – The half Moon is to the upper left of Saturn.

11th July – As the crescent Moon rises, around 1am, it will be located right beside the Pleiades star cluster, with Mars to the lower left.

12th July – After midnight bright Mars lies to the upper right of the crescent Moon.

16th July – The thin crescent Moon is lies to the right of the star Regulus.

17th July – The crescent Moon forms a lovely duo with bight Venus.

20th July – The Moon is near the star Spica.

22nd July – The Half Moon is near Jupiter after midnight.

24th July – A lovely summer evening sight when the Moon passes under the star Antares, low in the southern sky.

Meteor Showers:-

Around the 30th of this month we will see the annual peak of the Delta Aquarid meteor shower. It might be possible to see up to 20 meteors per hour. Unfortunately this year an almost full Moon will wash out many of the fainter meteors this year; but don’t let that put you off, you may see a shooting star anytime from Mid July until around the 21st August. Delta Aquariid meteors may come from Comet Machholz which was discovered by Donald Machholz in 1986.

Phases of the Moon for July:-

Last quarter 7th July

New Moon 14th July

First quarter 21st July

Full Moon 29th July