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.
If you look toward Lyra, the harp, with a telescope, you might think you’re seeing double. One of the constellation’s stars, Epsilon Lyrae, is known as the Double Double. It consists of two pairs of stars that are moving through the galaxy together.
The Hercules Cluster is a collection of a couple of hundred galaxies that are about 500 million light-years away. The cluster is in the constellation Hercules, which is high overhead at nightfall.
The Hercules Cluster is a collection of a couple of hundred galaxies that are about 500 million light-years away. The cluster is in the constellation Hercules, which is high overhead at nightfall.
Zubenelgenubi, the star that represents the southern claw of the celestial scorpion, consists of two widely separated components, both of which are visible through binoculars. The star is in the south-southwest at nightfall.
Zubenelgenubi, the star that represents the southern claw of the celestial scorpion, consists of two widely separated components, both of which are visible through binoculars. The star is in the south-southwest at nightfall.
One of the prettiest sights in the night sky is Cygnus, the swan, soaring gracefully through the Milky Way. The swan is high in the east as darkness falls tonight. Its brightest star, Deneb, marks its tail, with its body stretching to the right.
One of the prettiest sights in the night sky is Cygnus, the swan, soaring gracefully through the Milky Way. The swan is high in the east as darkness falls tonight. Its brightest star, Deneb, marks its tail, with its body stretching to the right.
Mercury is just peeking into view in the dawn sky. It looks like a moderately bright star quite low in the east-northeast as twilight paints the sky. It’s far to the lower left of Venus, the dazzling Morning Star.
Mercury is just peeking into view in the dawn sky. It looks like a moderately bright star quite low in the east-northeast as twilight paints the sky. It’s far to the lower left of Venus, the dazzling Morning Star.
Saturn continues to shine at its best. The planet is in the southeast at nightfall and looks like a bright star, to the lower left of brilliant Jupiter. Saturn looks so bright in part because its rings are tilted toward Earth right now.
