Scorpius and Sagittarius highlight July nights, scooting low across the south. Antares highlights the scorpion’s hook-shaped body, with teapot-shaped Sagittarius to its left. Under dark skies, the Milky Way rises from the teapot’s spout like steam. Meanwhile, the Big Dipper stands high in the north and northwest during the evening, with its handle to the upper left and bowl to the lower right.
The full Moon of July is known as the Hay Moon, Thunder Moon, or Apollo Moon.
Perigee July 13
Apogee July 25
Moon phases are Central Time.
Betelgeuse marks the shoulder of Orion the hunter. The bright orange star rises due east a couple of hours after sunset and climbs high across the south during the night. A year ago, the star faded dramatically, but it has since bounced back.
The Sun and Moon are lining up for one of nature’s most impressive shows early tomorrow: a total solar eclipse. The Moon will pass directly in front of the Sun, blocking it from view along a narrow path in the southern hemisphere.
The first confirmed black hole sits near the center of the Summer Triangle, which is a pattern of three bright stars that’s in the west on December evenings. Cygnus X-1 was discovered during a short rocket flight in 1964.
Early risers are in for a treat tomorrow: a close encounter between the crescent Moon and Venus, the Morning Star. They are in the southeast at dawn. During the day, the Moon will pass in front of Venus. The event will be visible across part of the western U.S.
The Geminid meteor shower should be at its peak on Sunday night. It’s one of the year’s best showers, and frequently offers some especially bright meteors. It spikes quickly, however, so there aren’t many meteors before or after the peak.
Spica, the leading light of the constellation Virgo, stands to the lower right of the Moon at first light tomorrow. Spica consists of two stars, but most of the system’s light comes from the bigger star. It is destined to explode as a supernova.
Orion clears the eastern horizon by about 8 p.m. Its most prominent feature is its belt of three stars. The Orion Nebula, which is the faint smudge of light to the lower right of the belt, is a vast stellar nursery.
A collection of galaxies known as the Sculptor Group spreads across the constellation Sculptor and adjoining Cetus. One of the group’s most impressive members is NGC 247. Although too faint to see with the eye alone, it’s an easy target for a small telescope.
The constellation Sculptor is in the south at nightfall, to the lower left of Fomalhaut, the only bright star in that part of the sky. Sculptor has no bright stars of its own, so you need to get away from city lights to see any of the constellation.
Regulus, the bright heart of Leo, the lion, shines close to the gibbous Moon the next couple of nights. The star is below the Moon as they climb into view by midnight tonight.
