July 2024

Most of the planet watching this month is from midnight to dawn. Saturn rises in the late evening and appears stationary next to Aquarius. It’s actually retrograde, but since it just began that motion at the end of June, it takes a few weeks into July to notice with casual naked eye observations. Even then, maybe the ringed planet’s position will look unchanged. If you have a telescope, look at Saturn to see its rings just beginning to tilt more toward us. They were at their minimum angle in late June.

In the wee hours, Mars, Uranus, and Jupiter rise. Mars starts July next to the head of Cetus the sea monster. It moves into Taurus, passing Uranus on the way on the 15^th. Jupiter starts July near Ain on the Hyades V. Ain is opposite Aldebaran on the other side of the V. Mars, almost catching up to Jupiter, ends July where Jupiter was at the month’s start.

Mercury is an evening object, starting July in Gemini and heading into Cancer by the 6^th. Viewers in the southern hemisphere and partway into the northern hemisphere can try to see the messenger planet move through the Beehive Cluster on the 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th. Use binoculars for a stunning view. Depending on your location, you could need them to readily spot Mercury in the sunset glow. The moon will pass by too. Mercury heads toward Leo while Venus moves into Cancer behind it. While the goddess is in Gemini, observers who like a challenge can try to spot Pollux and the moon close by on the 6^th. Venus goes through the Beehive Cluster on the 17^th, 18^th, and 19^th. As Cancer is getting lower in the sky at dusk, this is another challenging view. The best views of Mercury are likely to be around the 22^nd when it’s at greatest elongation. It will be 26.9 degrees east of the sun.You can see Mercury and Venus somewhat close near Regulus in Leo in the last days of July.

The moon’s phases this month: new on the 5^th, first quarter on the 13^th, full on the 21^st, and last quarter on the 28^th.

Declination notes for the moon in July: northern lunistice on the 5^th at 28.4 degrees, southbound over the equator on the 12^th, southern lunistice on the 19^th at 28.4 degrees, and northbound over the equator on the 25^th.

The moon is at apogee on the 12^th at a distance of 404,400 kilometers. Perigee is on the 24^th at 364,900 kilometers.

Two planets go through aphelion this month. Earth itself is 1.017 astronomical units from the sun on the 5^th. Mercury is 0.467 astronomical units from the sun on the 27^th. Venus is the only planet with a perihelion this month. It’s 0.718 astronomical units from the sun on the 10^th.

Two minor planets are at opposition this month. Ceres, on the 5^th, will be 1.887 astronomical units from us. It may be seen in binoculars. Pluto will be 34 astronomical units from us during its opposition on the 23^rd. It may be seen in a big telescope in a very dark sky.

Notable conjunctions this month:

Moon and Mars, 3.8 degrees, 1^st

Moon and Uranus, 3.8 degrees, 2^nd

Moon and Jupiter, 4.9 degrees, 3^rd

Moon and Aldebaran, 9.7 degrees, 3^rd

Venus and Pollux, 5.6 degrees, 6^th

Moon and Pollux, 1.8 degrees, 6^th

Moon and Venus, 3.8 degrees, 6^th

Moon and Mercury, 3.1 degrees, 7^th

Moon and Regulus, 2.8 degrees, 9^th

Jupiter and Aldebaran, 4.8 degrees, 9^th

Moon and Spica, 0.8 degrees, 14^th

Mars and Uranus, 0.5 degrees, 15^th

Moon and Antares, 0.2 degrees, 17^th

Moon and Saturn, 0.3 degrees, 24^th

Mercury and Regulus, 2.1 degrees, 25^th

Moon and Neptune, 0.5 degrees, 25^th

Moon and Uranus, 4.0 degrees, 29^th

Moon and Mars, 4.9 degrees, 30^th

Moon and Aldebaran, 9.9 degrees, 30^th

Moon and Jupiter, 5.3 degrees, 30^th

The Moon-Spica conjunction on the 14^th comes with an occultation visible on the evening of the 13^th local time from North America.

The southern half of Africa gets an occultation of Antares on the evening of the 17^th. Sky watchers in Madagascar and on boats in the Atlantic and Indian oceans near Africa can see it too.

Madagascar, the Indian Ocean, and south central and southeast Asia get an occultation of Saturn with the conjunction on the 24^th. For many viewers, the local time will be the morning of the 25^th.

And the moon passes in front of Neptune for the conjunction on the 25^th. The view is from New Guinea, Micronesia, and the Pacific Ocean nearby. The local time for the event will be the 26^th from many locations.