If you’ve been looking for a reason to spend a little time outside on a warm summer evening, July has plenty to offer. From a beautiful full moon to close encounters between the Moon and planets, there are several sights worth watching this month.
Even though summer is in full swing, we’ve already passed the longest day of the year. Since the June solstice, daylight has been shrinking a little each day as Earth slowly begins its journey toward fall.
July 6 also marks an interesting milestone in Earth’s orbit. It’s the day our planet reaches aphelion, the point where Earth is farthest from the Sun all year. About six months later, around January 6, Earth reaches perihelion, its closest point to the Sun. Even though we’re farther away from the Sun in July, the seasons are determined by Earth’s tilt—not its distance from the Sun.
You’ll also notice several planetary conjunctions throughout the month. A conjunction happens when the Moon appears close to a planet in the sky. One of the best pairings arrives later this month, when the Moon and Jupiter will appear near each other in the predawn sky, creating a beautiful sight for anyone up before sunrise.
If it seems like these conjunctions happen often, that’s because they do. The Moon circles Earth about every 27 days, regularly passing through the same part of the sky as the planets. Since the planets also appear to follow the Sun’s path across the sky—known as the ecliptic—the Moon frequently lines up near them from our point of view.
Of course, these are only visual alignments. While the Moon and planets may appear side by side, they’re actually separated by millions—or even hundreds of millions—of miles in space.
The month’s full moon, known as the Buck Moon, rises on the night of July 29 and stays full into the early hours of July 30. It gets its name from the time of year when male deer begin growing a new set of antlers after shedding them during the winter.
So whether you’re an early riser hoping to catch Jupiter before dawn or simply planning to admire the Buck Moon later this month, July offers plenty of reasons to look up.
Here’s a list specifically for Maine:
- Mars and Uranus Conjunction (Pre-Dawn): Look eastward into the constellation Taurus about an hour before sunrise (around 3:30 AM–4:00 AM). Mars is easily visible to the naked eye as a reddish-orange point. Telescope or binoculars required: Uranus sits just northwest of Mars, appearing as a tiny, bluish-green disk.
- The Planetary Lineup (July 11–12, Pre-Dawn): Wake up early before the dawn light washes out the sky. Look east to see the waning crescent Moon group closely with Mars and Uranus. Further across the sky, Saturn shines midway across the constellation Pisces.
- Moon & Venus Conjunction (July 16–17, Post-Sunset): A razor-thin crescent Moon pairs up gracefully with Venus in the western sky just after dusk
- Full Buck Moon (July 29): The moon reaches peak illumination during the day, meaning it will rise in Maine on the evening of the 29th as a glorious, giant full orb low in the east
- Southern Delta Aquariids Peak (July 30–31): The peak occurs right after the Full Moon, meaning the bright moonlight will unfortunately wash out the fainter meteors. Pro Tip for Mainers: To see shooting stars, find a dark spot the week before the peak (around July 20–25). Head out after midnight once the moon sets to catch both the Delta Aquariids and the earliest fireballs of the famous Perseid meteor shower
Enjoy, whether you’re a true astronomer or just a wannabe! And don’t for get to bring a telescope!
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