Introduction
June was a great month to be outdoors for both recreation and enjoying the night sky. The temperatures over Utah have been a bit cooler this year than is typical, so far. Personally, I enjoy the cooler temperatures but know many individuals who are looking forward to a warm-up. It has been a crazy and busy year for me thus far, but I hope to be able to get out under the stars soon.
July will offer observers the chance to view all the planets, including the dwarf planet, Pluto. Mercury and Venus will be close together in the evening sky towards the end of the month. Venus will also reach its brightest for the year during July. Mars will pass close by Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. Observers will also be able to view a meteor shower this month, leading up to the highly anticipated Perseids in August. Aside from these great viewing opportunities, observers can still enjoy many of the Messier Catalog objects.
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| Mercury |
Mercury will reach superior conjunction with the Sun on the 1st and will not be visible until the second half of the month. By the 18th, a thin crescent Moon can be found just above Mercury with Venus, followed by Mars, to the left. The 19th will bring the Moon nestled between the two inner planets. On the 21st, Mercury, Venus, Mars, and the Moon will form a nearly straight line. It's best to be at a high elevation with a clear view of the western horizon to see this.
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| Venus |
Venus will shine at its brightest this month and will demand an observer's attention. The Earth's sister can be seen shining in the western sky after the Sun sinks below the horizon. On the 7th of July, Venus will shine its brightest at magnitude -4.7 but will only be 26% illuminated from our Earthly view. A pair of binoculars or a telescope will reveal a thin crescent phase of Venus. This planet will remain above the horizon for about two hours after sunset. After the sky darkens, the red glow of Mars will pop into view just 4° away from Venus on the first evening of July. As the month progresses, this pair of planets will slowly pull away from each other.
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| Mars |
Mars can be found close to Venus during much of July. The Red Planet will break through the twilight glow shortly after sunset. Mars will not shine nearly as brightly as Venus but should be easy to spot against the background stars of Leo. In the first few days of July, an observer will find Mars close to Regulus, the brightest star of Leo. Mars is currently on the far side of the solar system from the Earth and will not offer much surface detail. The Moon will be found close by on the evening of the 20th.
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| Jupiter |
Jupiter can be found rising above the eastern mountains around 3:00 AM on the 1st of July. It will shine brightly at -2 magnitude and will be visible until the morning glow of the Sun overtakes it. The 36% illuminated Moon can be found close by on the 11th. By the end of July, Jupiter will rise above the mountains about two hours earlier than at the start of the month.
Saturn will rise above the eastern mountains two hours before Jupiter, at 1:00 AM on the 1st of July. By the end of July, Saturn will rise a full two hours earlier, around 11:00 PM. The Moon will join Saturn in the early morning sky on the 7th of July. Saturn will reach opposition later this year, but the summer months offer a great opportunity for observers to stay up late and view this planet.
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| Neptune |
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| Uranus |
The two ice giants can be viewed through a pair of binoculars but will look their best through a telescope. Uranus will rise at 4:00 AM, an hour after Jupiter on the 1st of July. This ice giant will follow Jupiter's path and rise two full hours earlier by the end of the month. The Moon can be found close by on the 12th.
Neptune can be found rising after Saturn but before Jupiter during July. The Moon can be found close by on the 8th of July. By the end of the month, Neptune will rise above the mountains at midnight.
The dwarf planet Pluto may also be seen in the night sky during July. It is required that a large telescope is used. Pluto can be found rising above the southeastern horizon as the Sun sets in the west. The best time to view Pluto will come after midnight when it is high enough in the sky to be seen with less atmospheric disturbance. Pluto will fall below the southwest horizon before sunrise. This tiny dwarf planet will reach opposition on the 21st. During my experience viewing Pluto, it is pretty hard to discern which point of light is the dwarf planet and which are stars. It would be best to view Pluto over several nights to find which point of light is moving relative to the others.
Meteor Shower
Several minor meteor showers can be observed during July with the Southern Delta Aquariid shower peaking at the end of the month. The actual peak day is the 30th and will offer observers the chance to view up to 25 meteors per hour. The best time to catch these shooting stars will come shortly before sunrise when the Moon has dipped below the horizon. This shower will appear to radiate from Aquarius, so a location that offers a clear view of this constellation is recommended.
Monthly Breakdown
July 01: Mercury reaches superior conjunction
July 03: Full Moon 🌕
July 06: Moon passes within 3° of Saturn
July 07: Venus reaches its greatest illumination
July 08: Moon passes within 2° of Neptune
July 09: Last Quarter Moon🌗
July 10: Mars passes within 1° of Regulus
July 11: Moon passes within 2° of Jupiter
July 12: Moon passes within 2° of UranusJuly 17: New Moon 🌑
July 19: Moon passes within 4° of Mercury
July 20: Moon passes within 8° of Venus
July 20: Moon passes within 3° of Mars
July 20: 54th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing
July 21: Pluto reaches opposition
July 25: First Quarter Moon 🌓
July 26: Mercury and Venus within 5°
July 28: Mercury passes within 0.1° of Regulus
July 30: Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower peaks
Spot Me....🕵️
Many wonders of the night sky are visible during the summer months. If the opportunity presents itself, I encourage as many of these objects to be viewed as possible. If an observer is interested in viewing objects from the Messier Catalog, please use my Messier Catalog file to aid in the hunt. All of the planets, including the dwarf planet Pluto, will be visible in late July. Start viewing in the west after sunset to see Mercury, Venus, and Mars. After Mars sets in the west, swing your telescope to the southeast to view Pluto. Saturn will rise above the eastern horizon before midnight, followed by Neptune. Jupiter and Uranus will rise above the horizon shortly after Neptune. Return here on the 15th of July for another post!
Remember to follow me on Instagram @CosmicLure01 to receive notifications for new posts. You may also follow me on Twitter @CosmicLure.
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| Now get outside and look up! |
Planet images were taken by NASA.
Andrew vs. the Cosmos was taken by Jeff Greenland.
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