Hopefully the cloud free nights will continue through July so we can enjoy the wonders of the night sky. This month will bring the long awaited opposition of Mars. Coinciding with this opposition, Mars will also make its closest approach to Earth in nearly 15 years which will provide great views, including surface details, through a telescope. Jupiter and Saturn will continue to be breathtakers this month.
Mercury
Our innermost planet can be found in the western sky after sunset until the end of the month, when it will lie too close to the Sun to be seen from our vantage point. During the 3rd and the 4th of the month, M44 (the Beehive Cluster) can be found within 1° of Mercury, but will require more than the unaided eye to see. Mercury will shine at magnitude 0.0 in the early month and fade as the month goes on. By July 14th, Mercury will leave the constellation of Cancer the Crab and cross into Leo the Lion. On this same day, the Moon can be found within 2° of Mercury.
Venus
Venus will continue to dominate the western sky this month, shining around magnitude -4.0. The Moon will join Venus on the 15th, creating another photo opportunity. You might be able to capture Mercury photobombing this image if you look closely. Venus will be found in the constellation of Leo the Lion all month.
Mars
The highlight this month, Mars, will reach opposition on the 26th and make its closest approach to the Earth on the 30th. During the beginning of the month, Mars will rise around 10:30 and shine at magnitude -2.2. By the end of the month when Mars is at opposition, it will rise as the Sun sets and shine at magnitude -2.8, making it the brightest object in the night sky, behind Venus and the Moon of course. The best time of night to view Mars will be when it lies high in the sky. This will reveal a little more surface detail and make your image a little more clear.
Jupiter
Jupiter will continue to be a great target with the aided eye. It will already be high in the sky after sunset, so if you are planning an all night observing party, start with Jupiter. You should be able to spot the four Galilean moons easily with a pair of binoculars and you will see the cloud bands of this massive planet through any size of telescope, although, the bigger the better.
Saturn
Saturn will also continue to be a great target with the aided eye. The rings of Saturn will amaze any stargazer. After viewing Jupiter, make Saturn your next target. It will be found surrounded by many deep sky objects including M20 (Trifid Nebula), M8 (Lagoon Nebula) and two star clusters, M22 and M25. You will need a telescope to see these objects and a dark sky will certainly help bring out more detail.
Uranus and Neptune
Try to spot Uranus shortly before the morning Sun paints the sky. It will be found high in the eastern sky and should be easy to spot through binoculars. A telescope will help bring out the blue-green color of this planet. Neptune will rise around midnight during the opening of the month and a full two hours earlier by months end. This planet also requires a pair of binoculars to see, while a telescope will help bring out the blue-gray color.
Meteor Shower
The Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower will peak this month. Unfortunately, the Full Moon will claim all but the brightest of meteors on the peak date of July 30th. Fortunately, however, this meteor shower lasts nearly a month. Beginning in mid-July throughout mid-August, look towards Aquarius to spot these meteors, with the increasing intensity closer to the peak date. The expected peak rate is 25 meteors per hour.
Monthly Breakdown
July 03: Mercury and M44 within 1°
July 06: Last Quarter Moon 🌗
July 12: New Moon 🌑
July 14: Moon and Mercury pass within 2°
July 15: Moon and Venus pass within 2°
July 19: First Quarter Moon 🌓
July 20: Moon and Jupiter pass within 4°
July 25: Moon and Saturn pass within 2°
July 27: Full Moon 🌕
July 27: Mars at opposition
July 27: Moon and Mars pass within 7°
July 30: Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower peaks
July 31: Mars closest approach to Earth
Think About This....💡
As many of you have figured out, I have a deep interest and maybe even a love for astronomy. What many of you do not know, is that my wife has the same feelings for anthropology and archaeology. So this month I would like to talk about the field of archeoastronomy.
Today, if I wanted to drive to see Meteor Crater in Arizona, I would just ask my navigation system and follow the directions it gives me. Before GPS, people would likely have a large road atlas and plot the course they would have to take to get there, and hope there weren't any road closures! Many thousands of years ago, before there were good maps, people would use the stars to get where they needed to go. Today, in many parts of the world including the eastern United States and much of Europe, you can only see the brightest of stars because of light pollution.
Before there were markets and grocery stores, people had to grow their own food to eat. Sure, thousands of people still plant gardens today, but that's mostly just a hobby and not what people depend on to survive. Hundreds of years ago, people would use the stars to know when it was time to plant and when to harvest.
The Maya and many other ancient cultures used the planets, typically Mars and Venus, to plan when and with whom they should go to war with. In modern times, the rulers and generals could care less what the stars and planets tell them. Anytime is a good time for war!
Many cities and villages were planned based on the stars and planets as well. Did you know that the Pyramids appear to be constructed to mimic the belt of Orion? Many Maya buildings were built so the axes pointed north-south and east-west. There are also many monuments that were built to track the summer and winter solstices. Would you know when each solstice was if you didn't get a notification on your phone or read about it on the Internet?
The stars today have less meaning to most people than they did in the past. Knowing the stars was a way of life, like knowing how to drive is almost a necessity. Nearly all of the stars today were used by ancient cultures for survival, a way of life, and even religious beliefs. The next time you find yourself looking up and enjoying the stars, remember that your ancestors also used these same stars.
Today, if I wanted to drive to see Meteor Crater in Arizona, I would just ask my navigation system and follow the directions it gives me. Before GPS, people would likely have a large road atlas and plot the course they would have to take to get there, and hope there weren't any road closures! Many thousands of years ago, before there were good maps, people would use the stars to get where they needed to go. Today, in many parts of the world including the eastern United States and much of Europe, you can only see the brightest of stars because of light pollution.
Before there were markets and grocery stores, people had to grow their own food to eat. Sure, thousands of people still plant gardens today, but that's mostly just a hobby and not what people depend on to survive. Hundreds of years ago, people would use the stars to know when it was time to plant and when to harvest.
The Maya and many other ancient cultures used the planets, typically Mars and Venus, to plan when and with whom they should go to war with. In modern times, the rulers and generals could care less what the stars and planets tell them. Anytime is a good time for war!
Many cities and villages were planned based on the stars and planets as well. Did you know that the Pyramids appear to be constructed to mimic the belt of Orion? Many Maya buildings were built so the axes pointed north-south and east-west. There are also many monuments that were built to track the summer and winter solstices. Would you know when each solstice was if you didn't get a notification on your phone or read about it on the Internet?
The stars today have less meaning to most people than they did in the past. Knowing the stars was a way of life, like knowing how to drive is almost a necessity. Nearly all of the stars today were used by ancient cultures for survival, a way of life, and even religious beliefs. The next time you find yourself looking up and enjoying the stars, remember that your ancestors also used these same stars.
Now get outside and look up!
