The instant of new moon is at 18:32 UTC on July 17, 2023 (1:32 p.m. CDT)
July 18, 19, and 20 evenings: Moon near the rocky visible planets
We’re in for a treat on the evenings of July 18, 19 and 20, 2023. Looking west shortly after sunset, the waxing crescent moon will climb higher each evening, passing our neighboring 3 rocky planets. First, it’ll be near Mercury, hugging the horizon. Then, start looking about 30 minutes after sunset. The next night, the moon will be closer to brilliant Venus, the bright object low on the horizon. And finally, it’ll float by the much dimmer red planet Mars. Also, the star Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion, will shine between Venus and Mars. Indeed, if you look at them through binoculars, you’ll notice Venus is in a crescent phase. Cool! You can read more and also watch a video of this event. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.
July after midnight to dawn: Saturn
Saturn shines in the southeast before dawn near the Water Jar asterism in the constellation Aquarius the Water Bearer. Saturn is racing toward its opposition next month when it will be at its best for the year and visible all night. It will rise before midnight at the beginning of July and before 10 p.m. by the month’s end. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.
July evenings: Venus and Mars move apart
After sunset in July, bright Venus will dominate the western sky but will sink lower each day. It reached greatest brilliancy on July 7 when it shone at -4.7 magnitude. So, enjoy Venus while you can, because it’ll be ending its evening dominance at the end of July. Also, check out Venus in binoculars. The closer it gets to Earth, its angular size will grow and it becomes a thinner crescent. Above it lies the much fainter Mars near the bright star Regulus. Mars passes very close to Regulus on July 9. Mars continues to fade and is only a bit brighter than 2nd magnitude stars. Venus and Mars will be within 3.6 degrees of each other at the beginning of the month, then move apart. The white arrow shows Venus’ position along the ecliptic – or path of the sun, moon and planets (shown as a green line on our chart) – for the month of July. And the red arrow shows Mars’ path. Also, the moon will sweep by these 2 inner planets on July 19, 20 and 21. Venus begins the month 25 degrees from the sun and sets before 11 p.m. your local time. However, by the end of the month, it’s only 3 degrees above the horizon at sunset and will set about 20 minutes after sunset. As for Mars, it’ll set around 11 p.m. your local time at the beginning of July and will set before 10 p.m. your local time at month’s end. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.
Mid-July evenings: Mercury
Mercury returns to the western evening sky shortly after sunset around the second week of July, and will reach greatest elongation from the sun overnight on August 9-10, 2023. Here’s the view for the Northern Hemisphere. This will be the best evening apparition of the year for the Southern Hemisphere. Start looking for it as soon as the sun sets. On July 18 and 19, look for Mercury very low on the horizon – in twilight – near a slim crescent moon. Also, the bright star Regulus will pass very close to it on July 28 and 29. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.
July mornings: Jupiter
Our largest planet, Jupiter, will be the brightest natural object in the morning sky, except the moon. At the beginning of July, Jupiter rises about 2 a.m. your local time in the east and lies in the zodiacal constellation Aries the Ram. Then, by the end of July, it’ll rise around midnight your local time. The moon will pass by Jupiter on July 11. Nearby you’ll notice the glow of the delicate Pleiades star cluster. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.
Moon reaches apogee at 7 UTC (2 a.m. CDT) on July 20, 2023, when it’s 252,456 miles (406,289 km) away
July 22 and 23 evenings: Moon near Spica and Denebola
On the evenings of July 22 and 23, 2023, the waxing crescent moon will move between the bright stars Spica and Denebola. Spica is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden, and Denebola is in the constellation of Leo the Lion. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.
July 24 and 25 evenings: Moon near Spica
On the evenings of July 24 and 25, 2023, the 1st quarter moon will pass by the bright star Spica in Virgo the Maiden. The glare from the bright moon may make seeing Spica difficult, however. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.
The instant of 1st quarter moon is at 22:07 UTC (5:07 p.m. CDT) on July 25, 2023
July 26 evening: Moon near Zubenelgenubi
On the evening of June 26, 2023, the bright waxing gibbous moon will pass the moderately bright star with the strange sounding name, Zubenelgenubi. And, even though it’s designated as the alpha star in Libra the Scales, it’s the second brightest star in Libra. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.
July 27 and 28 evenings: Moon near Antares in Scorpius
On the evenings of July 27 and 28, 2023, the waxing gibbous moon will pass in front of Scorpius the Scorpion and its bright red star Antares. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.
July 28 after sunset: Mercury and Regulus very close
On the evening of July 28, 2023, right after sunset, look for bright Mercury pairing up with Regulus in the evening twilight. The bright planet Venus is nearby and might help you find them. However, for the Northern Hemisphere, Venus will slip over the horizon about 30 minutes before Mercury and Regulus set. Mercury and Regulus will be easier to spot from the Southern Hemisphere due to their distance above the horizon. Read more and watch a video about Mercury close to Regulus. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.
July 28 evening: Binocular view of Mercury and Regulus
Shortly after sunset on July 28, 2023, Mercury and Regulus are very close – and very low – in the west. In fact, at their closest, they’ll only be 0.1 degrees apart; that’s 1/5 the diameter of a full moon. Wow! Later, once the sun slips over the horizon, the clock is ticking to find this duo before they set. Binoculars may help spot them in the bright evening twilight. They’ll still be close to each other the following evening. Read more and watch a video about Mercury close to Regulus. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.
July 29 and 30 evenings: Moon near the Teapot
Overnight on July 29, 2023, the waxing gibbous moon will pass in front of the Teapot, an asterism in the constellation of Sagittarius the Archer. So, if you’re under dark skies, be sure to enjoy the Milky Way streaming through the Teapot. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.
The sky dome maps come from master astronomy chart-maker Guy Ottewell. You’ll find charts like these for every month of 2023 in his Astronomical Calendar.
View larger. | Here is the sky dome view for July 2023. It shows what is above the horizon at mid-evening for mid-northern latitudes. The view may vary depending on your location. Image via Guy Ottewell. Used with permission.
Amateur astronomers are buzzing! Guy Ottewell is offering his beloved Astronomical Calendar for 2023 in both electronic and printed versions.Guy Ottewell’s Zodiac Wavy Chart is a 2-by-3 foot (0.6 by 0.9 meter) poster displaying the movements of the sun, moon and planets throughout the year. You can purchase it here. Image via Guy Ottewell. Used with permission.
Bottom line: In the month of July, brilliant Venus, bright Mercury and reddish Mars are in the western evening sky. Mercury’s evening apparition is the best one of the year for the Southern Hemisphere. Saturn rises before midnight and is high in the southern morning sky. And Jupiter will be the brightest natural object in the morning sky, other than the moon.
Marcy Curran has enjoyed star gazing since she was a young girl going on family camping trips under the dark skies of Wyoming. She bought her first telescope in time to see Halley’s Comet in 1985. Her passion for astronomy eventually led her to being a co-founder of a local astronomical society. Marcy remains active in her astronomy club, including serving as the editor of a monthly newsletter. She also contributes a monthly article to her local newspaper focusing on the stars, planets and objects currently visible in the night sky. Marcy taught astronomy at her local community college for over 20 years.
“I can sometimes see the moon in the daytime” was a cosmic revelation that John Jardine Goss first discovered through personal observations at age 6. It shook his young concept of the universe and launched his interest in astronomy and stargazing, a fascination he still holds today. John is past president of the Astronomical League, the largest U.S. federation of astronomical societies, with over 20,000 members. He's earned the title of Master Observer and has authored the celestial observing guides Exploring the Starry Realm and Carpe Lunam. John also writes a monthly stargazing column, Roanoke Skies, for the Roanoke Times, and a bimonthly column, Skywatch, for Blue Ridge Country magazine. He has contributed to Sky and Telescope magazine, the IDA Nightscape, the Astronomical League’s Reflector magazine, and the RASC Observer’s Handbook.
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she was the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.
Kelly Kizer Whitt has been a science writer specializing in astronomy for more than two decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine, and she has made regular contributions to AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club, among other outlets. Her children’s picture book, Solar System Forecast, was published in 2012. She has also written a young adult dystopian novel titled A Different Sky. When she is not reading or writing about astronomy and staring up at the stars, she enjoys traveling to the national parks, creating crossword puzzles, running, tennis, and paddleboarding. Kelly lives in Wisconsin.
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