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.
The constellation Fornax, which is low in the south at nightfall, contains only one modestly bright star, Alpha Fornacis. But a telescope reveals many treasures within its borders, including some beautiful galaxies and a giant cluster of galaxies.
Spica is one of the brighter stars in the night sky, so it always is easy to pick out. But it’s especially easy to find tonight because it huddles especially close to the Moon. They climb into good view after midnight and remain in view the rest of the night.
The star cluster M36 is in Auriga the charioteer, which is high in the east this evening. Auriga’s brightest star, Capella, is one of the brightest in the night sky. M36 is one of four clusters to the lower right of Capella that are visible through binoculars.
The Milky Way arches high overhead this evening. It’s anchored in the southeast by Sirius, the night sky’s brightest star. It climbs to Taurus high overhead, then drops toward W-shaped Cassiopeia in the north and the tail of Cygnus, the swan, in the northwest.
Lepus, the rabbit, stands to the lower right of Orion at nightfall. It’s below Rigel, the star that marks the hunter’s foot. Its brightest star is Arneb. It is a supergiant, which is much bigger, heavier, and brighter than the Sun.
The Moon and the star Regulus move across the sky together tonight. Regulus, the brightest star of Leo, the lion, stands to the upper right of the Moon as they climb into good view, around 8 or 8:30 p.m.
The days are getting longer. Residents of Seattle will see about an hour of daylight more today than on the winter solstice. The difference is smaller at more southerly latitudes. From Dallas, for example, it’s only about a half-hour.
The Moon is full today at 11:54 a.m. CST, as it aligns opposite the Sun in Earth’s sky. The full Moon of January is known as the Old Moon, Moon After Yule, or Wolf Moon.
The Moon is in the east at nightfall. Pollux and Castor, the twins of Gemini, stand above it. The brighter twin, Pollux, is closer to the Moon.
For skywatchers south of about Dallas, the two brightest stars in the night sky stairstep up the south late tonight. The brighter of the two, Sirius, stands highest. Canopus is so far below it that you need to be well south to see it.
