From a close encounter between Saturn and the Moon to the Southern Delta Aquarids and a beautiful view of the Northern Corona, there’s plenty to see this week (July 22-28) with the naked eye.
A good telescope or pair of binoculars will help you see some of the fainter objects in the night sky, but the naked eye is enough to learn how it works. stars And constellationswatch the moonexperience meteor showers and see satellites whistling across the night sky.
Here’s what you can see in the night sky this week without any equipment, all you need to enjoy it is curiosity, patience and good weather.
Related: The Brightest Planets in the July Night Sky: How to See Them (and When)
This week’s stargazing goals
MONDAY, JULY 22 — MERCURY (AFTER SUNSET)
A white outline around a black image of a half-shaded Mercury, riddled with white craters. The box sits in the middle left of a landscape showing a hazy red sky above a low, grassy horizon. A thin green line splits in two at the top left, intersecting the loop of a red line running up and down on the right. Blue lines at the top connect the stars to show the constellations.
After sunset on Monday evening, July 22, Mercury (orbit shown in red) will be at its greatest separation of 26.9 degrees east of the Sun, and its maximum visibility for its current apparition. (Photo credit: Chris Vaughan/Starry Night)
From Mercury Orbiting close to the Sun, it is usually lost in its glare. However, it is sometimes possible to glimpse it briefly, just before sunrise or after sunset. The latter case occurs tonight as it reaches its “greatest eastern elongation,” appearing 27 degrees east of the sun as seen from Earth.
Look west just after sunset to see a reddish dot just above the horizon. It will be about 14 degrees from the sun and will shine at magnitude +0.5. Just above will be the star Regulus of magnitude +2.3, in Leo, while closer to the horizon will be Venusbright at a much higher magnitude -3.9, but probably difficult to see in the haze on the horizon.
TUESDAY, JULY 23 — MOON SHINES WITH SATURN (NIGHTTIME)
A starry black sky opens above a low horizon of urban trees before the last buildings show thin blue lines connecting the stars to show the constellations.
When the bright waning gibbous Moon rises in the east late Tuesday evening, July 23, in the Americas, Saturn’s yellowish dot will shine a fist-sized diameter to the lower left (or 10 degrees to the celestial east). (Photo credit: Chris Vaughan/Starry Night)
Rising around local midnight, the now waning gibbous moon will appear in the east-southeast alongside Saturnwhich will shine at a magnitude of +0.8. Both will remain visible for the rest of the night, fading in the west at dawn. You won’t see Saturn’s rings with the naked eye (you’ll need a telescope for that), but its yellowish disk will be easy to spot.
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 24 — A BRIGHT MOON OCCULTS SATURN (NIGHTTIME)
Since the Moon is relatively close to Earth, its apparent position relative to the stars and planets in the background will vary depending on where you are. From North America and Europe, the waning gibbous Moon will be close to Saturn again tonight, rising after midnight. However, from a path across Asia and Africa, the Moon will appear to occult Saturn, hiding it from view for a few hours.
THURSDAY, JULY 25 – VENUS, MERCURY AND REGULUS (AFTER SUNSET)
a dark blue sky with thin, wispy clouds and two bright points of light, one is Venus and the other Mercury.
See Venus, Mercury and Regulus in the west immediately after sunset. (Photo credit: Jose A. Bernat Bacete/Getty Images)
Look west-northwest immediately after sunset and you can see magnitude +3.9 Venus sinking into the horizon, though higher in the sky than on Monday. A little to the left and higher in the sky will be Mercury and, above it, magnitude +1.4 Regulus. Mercury will shine at a relatively bright magnitude +0.6 and sink into the glare of the Sun over the next few evenings as Venus rises.
FRIDAY, JULY 26 — NORTHERN CROWN (NIGHT)
a series of small blue and white stars form a crown, shaped like an arc in the sky.
The constellation Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, in the northern spring sky (Photo credit: Alan Dyer/Stocktrek Images via Getty Images)
This week is the perfect time to find the Northern Crown (Corona Borealis). Look west after dark and you will see a bright star Arcturus in the constellation Boötes. Look up high for Vegathe brightest star in the constellation Lyra. Between the two is a curve of seven stars. It is easier to find in a dark sky, but it is perfectly possible to observe it from a city. It is worth familiarizing yourself with the Corona Borealis because by September, a faint “nova” star near the curve, called T Coronae Borealis, will partially explode, turning it into a star visible to the naked eye for a short time. This happens every 80 years.
Related: Rare Nova Lights ‘New Star’ in Sky This Year
SATURDAY, JULY 27 – LAST QUARTER MOON (OVERNIGHT)
A quarter moon hangs in the center and large in the starry space, its shadowed half on the right.
The moon will complete three-quarters of its orbit around Earth, as measured from the previous new moon, on Sunday, July 28 at 02:52 GMT, or 10:52 p.m. EDT or 7:52 p.m. PDT on Saturday. (Photo credit: Chris Vaughan/Starry Night)
Look east-northeast at midnight and you will see a waning gibbous moon rising. It has been a week since full moon and a week later new Moonwhich means it is now half lit. Besides being a beautiful sight, this means the night sky is free of moonlight in the early evening. This will make next week perfect for naked-eye stargazing before bed.
SUNDAY, JULY 28 — SOUTHERN DELTA-AQUARIIDS METEOR PEAK (OVERNIGHT)
Meteor shower trails appear as long streaks of white light against the backdrop of the Milky Way.
Meteor showers are a perfect target in the night sky for anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of something extraordinary. (Photo credit: zhengshun tang via Getty Images)
There is still some confusion about when the annual peak of the Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower occurs. It is active from mid-July to late August, but because the peak is broad, there is no specific night to stay up late. Observing around midnight tonight through Tuesday, July 30 will give you a good chance of seeing one. shooting Starsbut they can be faint. The show will be at its best in the southern hemisphere and at southern latitudes of the northern hemisphere, where the Aquarius constellation is at its highest in the sky.
Want to try capturing some of these events on camera? Check out our guide on astrophotography for beginners. If you don’t have everything you need, be sure to check out our guides on the best cameras for astrophotography And the best lenses for astrophotography.
Jamie Carter is the author of stargazing in 2024 And A Stargazing Program for Beginners.
Editor’s Note: If you have a great skywatching photo and would like to share it with Space.com readers, send your photo(s), comments, name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
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