Visual Observing Calendar
July 2026
Listed below are dates with notable astronomical events that can be seen with just the unaided eye during this month. Expect more in-depth coverage of some events to be made in the weekly featured sights column, which drops every Sunday. Also look for these items to appear in notes the day they happen. I’ll time these notes for around noon EDT for my fellow Americans, which also allows my EU readers to catch them in the evening before sunset.
Early Month: The Big Dipper points down in the Northwest at nightfall
There’s now a realistic chance to spot Mars in the predawn sky
July 3: The Dog Days begin
July 4: Mars meets Uranus
July 6: Earth at aphelion
July 7: Third Quarter Moon meets Saturn
July 9: Saturn rises 5 hours before the Sun
July 10: Moon meets Pleiades
July 11: Moon meets Mars, Pleiades, and Hyades
July 12: Mercury at inferior conjunction
July 13: Moon at perigee
July 14: New Moon
July 15: Mars rises 3 hours ahead of the Sun
Mid Month: The Milky Way is just about due South come nightfall
Vega near zenith at midnight
Fomalhaut due South at first light, Saturn Southeast
July 16: Moon meets Regulus (very low)
July 17: Moon meets Venus
July 21: First Quarter Moon
July 22: Saturn rises 6 hours ahead of the Sun
July 23: Venus setting 2 hours after the Sun
July 24: Moon meets Antares
July 25: Moon at apogee
July 26: Saturn enters retrograde
July 29: Full Moon
Jupiter at solar conjunction
July 30: Southern Delta Aquarids peak
Late Month: Mars is now observable under a dark sky
Make it a point to catch Scorpius!
Try to spot Mercury low in the predawn East 30 minutes before sunrise