Citizen Astronomer: July’s Night Sky Is Full of Showstoppers
This month offers deep sky delights as well as quick appearances from friends closer to home.
This is the first in a monthly series, Citizen Astronomer, which offers readers a guide on what to look up for in the night sky.
The Milky Way
July is Milky Way season in the high desert. The vibrant and exciting core of the Milky Way is near Sagittarius, in the southeast at sunset. The glowing arc stretches all the way across the sky to the elegant pool of light that Cygnus the Swan flies over in the northeast. To the naked eye, the band of stars in our galaxy that stretches from horizon to horizon on summer nights looks, well, milky—soft and almost cloudy. What we’re seeing are stars that are distant from us, about 30,000 light years away. At that distance, we can’t resolve them individually. But in the spiral arms of our galaxy, there are so many of them, so relatively close together, that their collective glow lights up the night sky.
Binoculars are great tools for viewing the Milky Way. Point them wherever the light looks dense, and you’ll see individual stars where there was just creamy light to the naked eye.
Hidden Gems
But don’t stop there. If you’ve got your binoculars out, this is a great time to check out some amazing star clusters.
A personal favorite is Coma Berenices, a constellation composed of one knockout of an open cluster. It’s north of Virgo, almost directly overhead just after sunset. It looks like a lit-up Christmas tree in July through binoculars.
French astronomer Charles Messier (1730-1817) was fascinated by comets and even nicknamed the “ferret of comets” by King Louis XV. The deep sky objects he cataloged searching for comets are now favorite targets for stargazers. M7 and M6 are out near Scorpius. These are some of the best open clusters for summer nights, nestled just above the horizon. Spotting them without binoculars is challenging, since the Milky Way is so bright in the same neighborhood of our visible sky, but they’re striking once you dial them in.
Bonus points if you can spot M13 in Hercules, which is right overhead at sunset. This one’s a globular cluster, which will appear as more of a fuzzy ball of soft starlight. As it’s on the outer edge of the Milky Way, it feels like a gateway to galaxies beyond our own.
Mercury Is Rising in the Day, and Setting Right After Sunset
So don’t tell Mercury I said this, but through a telescope, it’s less remarkable than some of our other neighbors in the solar system like Jupiter or Saturn. It makes up for the detail it lacks in the telescope with its dazzling charm, easily visible to the naked eye.
Because it orbits so close to the Sun, it never climbs very high in our sky. But when it does show up, it’s fun to spot. Around July 4, Mercury hits its greatest elongation from the Sun, giving us a great chance to catch it low in the west just after sunset. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but that’s part of the charm.
Mars is also out and visible overhead, higher above the western horizon than Mercury. The “Red Planet” is literally covered in iron oxide, so it glows with a red-orange hue when sunlight hits the rust on its surface.
If you’re up a little later in the evening, Saturn will emerge into view. It’s easiest to see after midnight throughout the month. Saturn has a lovely golden shine in the night sky. Because of how Earth and Saturn are aligned at the moment, the planet’s distinctive rings are not as easy to spot in a telescope, since we’re looking at them edge-on. So if you don’t have a telescope, don’t worry—you’re not missing out on much detail. The rings will open back up to our view over the next couple of years.
It’s a Buck Moon Rising (July 11)
The Full Buck Moon lights up the sky on July 11. July’s Full Moon is known as the Buck Moon because this is the time of year when male deer form their new antlers. It will rise right around sunset, as full moons always do. Moonrise is fun to watch, and full moons make a spectacular appearance. It won't be the best night for stargazing, but it is a great time for a moonlit walk. Step outside and check out the clear and detailed shadows you’ll cast in the moonlight.
Summer Showers (July 29–30)
The Perseids get the most press, but they certainly aren’t the only meteor showers that light up our skies. This month, the Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids both peak on the nights of July 29 and 30. Both showers will hit their peak well after sunset, so these are for the night owls.
The Delta Aquariids can deliver 10 to 25 meteors per hour, especially after midnight. Their radiant (where they appear to come from) is low in the south.
The Alpha Capricornids are slower and produce fewer meteors—think 2 to 5 an hour—but they’re known for bright fireballs that streak across the whole sky.
If you’re patient and caffeinated, these two showers may reward you with 20 or more meteors an hour, and some real stunners. This year, we’re in luck. The New Moon lands on July 23, so the sky will be nice and dark during the peak.
Stargazing Pro Tips
Don’t underestimate binoculars. Telescopes are great, but they’re more complicated to set up and operate. They tend to be more expensive, and they really only come out at night. Binoculars are useful all the time. They’re great for wildlife spotting and taking in the landscape, and they’re perfect for viewing the Moon or star clusters.
Star maps and stargazing apps are awesome tools. As far as apps go, I like Stellarium best, but there are no bad choices. Try the ones you're curious about and pick your favorites. If you want to go cluster hunting with your binoculars, finding their exact spot with the help of a map or app can really help get you dialed in.
Our galaxy is showing off this month, and you’ve got front row seats.
Caitlin Gill is co-owner and Astronomy Guide for Joshua Tree Astronomy Adventures
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This is so good, Caitlin. My favorite thing about July is that the days are getting shorter!
Caitlin, love your writing, your work, and your wide perspective. Perhaps if each and every one of us looked up towards the sky more often (maybe each evening!) vs. say, doomscrolling 24/7, everyone might enjoy the next day of their life a tiny bit more. Thank you.