Why is June’s full moon the lowest full moon of 2026 for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere? And why does the same moon ride high from the Southern Hemisphere? Join EarthSky founder Deborah Byrd, as she explores the geometry behind this month’s full moon. And find out why it’s called the Strawberry Moon. Watch in the player above or on YouTube.
June 26 and 27 evenings: Moon near Antares
As darkness falls tomorrow and the next evening, the bright waxing gibbous moon will shine near Antares. Antares is the brightest star in Scorpius the Scorpion. Chart via EarthSky.
June 29: Full Strawberry Moon and Lowest (Highest) Full Moon
Why is June’s full moon the lowest full moon of 2026 for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere? And why does the same moon ride high from the Southern Hemisphere? Join EarthSky’s Deborah Byrd as she explores the geometry behind this month’s full moon. Bring your questions and join us live at noon CDT (17 UTC) on Wednesday, June 24. Watch in the player above or on YouTube.
The June full moon is called the Strawberry Moon. It’ll rise in the east near the famous Teapot asterism of Sagittarius, in the general direction toward the center of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. The crest of the full moon falls at 23:57 UTC on June 29. That’s 6:57 p.m. CDT. It’s the last of 3 full micromoons – or particularly distant full moons – in a row in 2026. It’ll be 251,811 miles (405,251 km) away, in contrast to the average moon distance of 238,900 miles (384,472 km). Chart via EarthSky.
June 30 evening: Moon and Teapot
On the evening of June 30, the bright waning gibbous moon will hang near the stars of the asterism of Sagittarius called the Teapot. Look for them about an hour after sunset. They’ll be visible all night. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
July 1 and 2 evenings: Moon near Capricornus
Late on the evenings of July 1 and 2, the bright waning gibbous moon will hang near and among the 7 stars of the constellation Capricornus the Sea-goat. The moon’s brightness will likely overpower the constellation. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
July evening planets: Northern Hemisphere view
This all-sky chart shows bright Jupiter and Venus about 60 minutes after sunset – in early July – in the evening sky. Each day, Venus will ascend higher as it races toward its greatest distance from the sun on August 14-15. Jupiter, on the other hand, falls quickly below the horizon in the evening twilight – depending on your latitude – early in the month or by mid-month for tropical latitudes. It’ll emerge in the morning sky in September. Note that these planets lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Chart via EarthSky.
July morning planets: Northern Hemisphere view
This all-sky chart shows Mars and Saturn – around July 7 – in the east shortly before sunrise. Saturn will be the brighter of the 2 planets. Note that these planets lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Chart via EarthSky.
July 6: Earth at aphelion
Our planet Earth reaches aphelion – its greatest distance from the sun for this year – at 12 p.m. CDT (17 UTC) on July 6. At that time, Earth will be 94,502,961 miles (152,087,774 km) from the sun. View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Michael Teoh submitted this composite image of the sun from Malaysia and wrote: “A comparison of the angular size of the sun during the most recent aphelion (farthest point) in 2025 and perihelion (closest point) in 2026. The angular diameter of the sun during the perihelion of 2026 was about 3.4% larger than it was during the aphelion of 2025.” Thank you, Michael!
July 7: Watch for the 3rd quarter moon
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Mandy Daniels captured this image of the last quarter moon on September 14, 2025, in the UK. Thank you, Mandy! The moment of the 3rd quarter moon will fall at 19:29 UTC on July 7, 2026. That’s 2:29 p.m. Central Daylight Time in the Americas. And it’s 7:29 a.m. New Zealand Standard Time on July 8. It’ll rise after midnight your local time and set around noon. Look for it high in the sky before dawn.
On the mornings of July 7 and 8, the moon will shine near Saturn. They will rise after midnight so you can catch them through dawn. Chart via EarthSky.
July 10 and 11 mornings: Moon near Aldebaran, Mars and the Pleiades
On July 10 and 11, the waning crescent moon will lie near reddish Mars and the ruddy star Aldebaran. Also, the delicate Pleiades star cluster will glitter nearby. Look for them about 90 minutes before sunrise. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
July 12 and 13 mornings: Moon near Aldebaran, Mars and the Pleiades
About 30 minutes before sunrise on July 12 and 13, look for the waning crescent moon, glowing with earthshine. It’ll lie near the red planet Mars and the bright orange giant star Aldebaran. Also, the tiny dipper-shaped Pleiades star cluster is nearby. Chart via EarthSky.
This GOES-19 CORR1 coronagraph from November 18-19, 2025 (designed to show coronal mass ejections from the sun), captured a fun view of the new moon, which would normally not be visible from Earth during this phase. The moment of new moon will fall at 9:44 UTC on July 14, 2026. That’s 4:44 a.m. Central Daylight Time in the Americas. And it’s 9:44 p.m. New Zealand Standard Time. In fact, this is the 4th of 5 new supermoons in a row. It’ll be 223,789 miles (360,154 km) away. Compare that with the average moon distance of 238,900 miles (384,472 km). New moons rise and set with the sun. Nights around the new moon are perfect for stargazing. See EarthSky’s best places to stargaze. Images via NOAA/ GOES.
On the evening of July 15, the waxing crescent moon will be approaching brilliant Venus and Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
July 16 and 17 evenings: Moon close to Venus and Regulus
On the evenings of July 16 and 17, the waxing crescent moon will lie near brilliant Venus and Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion. Regulus is the bright dot at the bottom of a backward question-mark pattern of stars known as the Sickle. Also look for the delicate glow of earthshine on the unlit portion of the moon. They’ll set late evening. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
July 20 evening: Moon and Spica
The almost first quarter moon will float close to the bright star Spica after twilight subsides in the evening of July 20. Spica is the brightest star in the constellation of Virgo the Maiden. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
July 21: 1st quarter moon
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Amol Gaikaiwari took this picutre on May 23, 2026, in India and wrote: “The moon was in its first quarter phase. It was roughly 51% illuminated, with half of the lunar disk brightly lit against the night sky.” Thank you, Amol! This month’s moment of 1st quarter moon will fall at 11:06 UTC on July 21, 2026. That’s 5:06 a.m. Central Daylight Time in the Americas. And it’s 11:06 p.m. New Zealand Standard Time. A 1st quarter moon rises around noon your local time and sets around midnight. Watch for a 1st quarter moon high in the sky at sundown.
After sunset on July 23 and 24, the bright waxing gibbous moon will shine near Antares. Antares is the brightest star in Scorpius the Scorpion. Chart via EarthSky.
The radiant point for the Delta Aquariid meteor shower is near the faint star Skat, or Delta Aquarii. It rises in mid-evening, is highest around 2 a.m. and low in the sky by dawn. Use the bright, nearby star Fomalhaut to guide you to the Delta Aquariid radiant point. Find Fomalhaut by drawing a line southward through the stars on the west side of the Great Square of Pegasus. This chart shows a wide area, from overhead to southward, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere. From the Southern Hemisphere, the radiant is closer to overhead. In 2026, the full moon falls at 14:36 UTC on July 29. Take advantage of the moon-free mornings – after midnight – the week before for watching the Delta Aquariids (and the early Perseids).
July 25 and 26 evenings: Moon near Teapot
On the evening of July 25, the waxing gibbous moon will float near the Teapot asterism of Sagittarius and near the spot that marks the center of the Milky Way galaxy. On the next evening, July 26, the moon will float among the stars of the Teapot. Due to the brightness of the moon, the Teapot will be difficult to discern on both evenings. They’ll rise before sunset and set before dawn the next morning. Chart via EarthSky.
On the evening of July 27, the bright full moon, just hours past its peak, will hang near the stars of the asterism of Sagittarius called the Teapot. Chart via EarthSky.
The almost full moon will rise in the east opposite the sunset on the evening of July 28. The July full Buck Moon will occur at 14:36 UTC on July 29. That is 9:36 a.m. Central Daylight Time in the Americas. And it’s 2:36 a.m. New Zealand Standard Time on July 30. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
July 29 and 30 evenings: Moon and Capricornus
In the late evening of July 29, the bright waning gibbous moon will hang among the 7 stars of the constellation Capricornus the Sea-goat. The moon’s brightness will likely overpower the constellation. On the next evening, July 30, the moon is near the arrowhead-shaped pattern of stars making up Capricornus. Chart via EarthSky.
In the 2nd half of June, Venus and Jupiter will move away from each other, with Jupiter slowly approaching the horizon. The much fainter Mercury will lie below Jupiter. As the month proceeds, Mercury will move closer to the horizon and become even fainter and more difficult to spot. Chart via EarthSky.
June morning planets: Northern Hemisphere
Here’s an all-sky chart showing the 2 planets in the eastern sky shortly before sunrise in June. The brightest and highest planet is Saturn. Closer to the horizon is Mars. As the month proceeds, Saturn will pull farther away from the slowly ascending Mars. Note that these planets lie along the path the sun travels in the sky (the green line on our chart). Chart via EarthSky.In the first half of June, Mars sits low in the bright eastern twilight shortly before sunrise. In the second half of June, it rises higher and moves near the delicate Pleiades star cluster. Chart via EarthSky.In June, Saturn will lie in the east as morning twilight begins. Chart via EarthSky.
July evening planets
Bright Venus will rise slightly higher shortly after sunset each evening all month. It will pass the star Regulus on July 9, then they’ll drift apart. Venus will ascend higher each night as it races toward its greatest distance from the sun on August 14-15. Chart via EarthSky.
July morning planets
In the first half of July, Mars will lie low in the bright eastern twilight shortly before sunrise. It slides between the Pleiades star cluster and the bright star Aldebaran. In the second half of the month, Mars will rise higher while moving past Aldebaran. Chart via EarthSky.Saturn will lie in the south in the early morning hours of July. It’s the bright object to the lower left of the 4 moderately bright stars that comprise the Great Square asterism. Chart via EarthSky.From the Northern Hemisphere, on the last 2 mornings of July, Mercury will shine low in the east in the bright twilight. Higher in the sky is the red planet Mars. Mercury will reach its greatest distance from the sun on the morning of August 2. Chart via EarthSky.For Southern Hemisphere viewers, Mercury will lie low in the east during the last 2 mornings of July. Also, look for Mars higher in the sky. Mercury will reach its greatest distance from the sun on the morning of August 2. Chart via EarthSky.
June stars
If you’re out stargazing on any June evening, look for these stars and constellations overhead in the sky.
Boötes the Herdsman
Almost overhead on June evenings is bright orange Arcturus. It’s in the constellation Boötes the Herdsman. Boötes has the shape of a kite, and Arcturus is at the point where you’d attach a tail. You can’t miss its distinctive shape. Chart via EarthSky.
The Big Dipper and Little Dipper
Ursa Major the Great Bear is home to the Big Dipper. The Big Dipper is an asterism – a well-known group of stars – not an official constellation. You’ll find the Big Dipper high overhead from mid-northern latitudes in June evening skies. You can use the 2 outer stars in the Big Dipper’s bowl – sometimes called the Pointers – to find Polaris, the North Star. It is the end star in the handle of the Little Dipper. Chart via EarthSky.
Hercules the Hero and the Hercules Cluster
Hercules the Strongman is a faint constellation. But its midsection contains the easy-to-see Keystone asterism. You can find Hercules between the bright stars Vega in Lyra the Harp and Arcturus in Boötes the Herdsman. And once you find the Keystone, you can easily locate M13, the Hercules Cluster. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
July stars
If you’re out stargazing on any July evening, look for these stars and constellations overhead in the sky.
Hercules the Hero and the Hercules Cluster
Hercules is a faint constellation. But its midsection contains the easy-to-see Keystone asterism. You can find Hercules between the bright stars Vega in Lyra the Harp and Arcturus in Boötes the Herdsman. And once you find the Keystone, you can easily locate M13, the Hercules cluster. Chart via EarthSky.
Lyra the Harp
The constellation Lyra the Harp is made of a triangle and a parallelogram. Its brightest star is Vega. Next to it, look for Epsilon Lyrae, the famous Double Double star. Chart via EarthSky.
Cygnus the Swan
Cygnus the Swan’s brightest star, Deneb, marks one of the corners of the Summer Triangle. And its bright double star, Albireo, is one of the finest in the heavens.
Here is the sky dome view for June 2026. 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’s 2026 Astronomical Calendar.Here is the sky dome view for July 2026. 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’s 2026 Astronomical Calendar.
Bottom line: EarthSky’s visible planets and night sky guide. Why does the June full moon cross the sky so low in the Northern Hemisphere, and so high in the Southern Hemisphere? Watch a video and find out.
Meet Marcy Curran, our voice of the night sky on EarthSky YouTube. Check out her popular short videos in the Sky category on our YouTube channel. When she's not making videos, Marcy is an EarthSky editor, helping to keep our night sky guide up-to-date and just generally helping to keep the wheels turning around here. Marcy has enjoyed stargazing since she was a child, going on family camping trips under the dark skies of Wyoming. She bought her first telescope in time to see Halley’s Comet when it visited the inner solar system in 1986. She co-founded her local astronomy club and remains an active board member. Marcy taught astronomy at her local community college for over 20 years. She and her husband live in Wyoming, in a rural location, with an all-sky camera and super-good horizon views! And, they built an observatory to capture images of the night sky.
“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 24,000 members. He's earned the title of Master Observer and is a regular contributor to the video series, “Global Star Party.” He has authored the celestial observing guides “Exploring the Starry Realm,” and “Carpe Lunam,” and “Take Your First Steps, an Introduction to Amateur Astronomy.” John also wrote for twenty years the monthly stargazing column, Roanoke Skies, for the Roanoke Times, and currently writes 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 (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. 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 - EarthSky’s nature and travel vlogger on YouTube - writes and edits some of the most fascinating stories at EarthSky.org. She's been writing about science, with a focus on astronomy, for decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and made regular contributions to other outlets, including AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club. She has nine published books, including a children's picture book, Solar System Forecast, and a young adult dystopian novel, A Different Sky.
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