Watch the skies: Out-of-this world spectaculars fill the calendar in July
Love June's Strawberry moon? July will be even better for stargazers: Expect a total solar eclipse, a black moon, a double meteor shower and more.
Just when we thought we’d seen it all with last month’s Strawberry Moon, astronomers have a whole new smorgasbord of celestial delights for us to savor throughout July.
Coming on the heels of June’s sweet moon is a total solar eclipse, a black moon, a double meteor shower and more.
Here’s a look at the month’s menu:
What: Total solar eclipse
When: July 2
Where: There’s a catch: This one will only be visible from South America.
Details: We’re kicking things off Tuesday with a dramatic total solar eclipse — the only one this year — and it will darken the midday skies over a swath of South America, says LiveScience, serving up a jaw-dropping view of the sun as the moon sashays in front of it and casts a massive shadow on the ground below. While most of the eclipse’s path will pass over the southern Pacific Ocean, lucky viewers in parts of Chile and Argentina will enjoy the show for six minutes, soaking up the eerie darkness of a total eclipse. NASA says the eclipse will partially block the sun in parts of Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and Panama.
What: Moon and Regulus
When: July 5
Where: The southwest sky
Details: As National Geographic so eloquently put it, “For a great observing challenge, look for the whisker-thin waxing crescent moon hanging low in the southwest sky on the evening of the 5th, about 30 to 60 minutes after your local sunset. Scan the sky to the moon’s left to see if you can catch sight of the bright star Regulus, the lead member in the springtime constellation Leo, the lion. The cosmic pair will be embedded in the glow of the sunset, so the star may be easier to spot with binoculars.”
What: Saturn at opposition
When: July 9
Where: Rises in the east at sunset, sets in the west at sunrise
Details: Saturn reaches “opposition” a week from now. This is when the planet sits directly opposite the sun from our perspective on Earth. That also means that Saturn’s brightness level will be cranked up to 11. Why? Because it will be in full sunlight while also being closest to Earth for this calendar year. Look for it due south about midnight, when it should be shining like what NatGeo calls “a brilliant, creamy colored star in the zodiacal constellation Sagittarius in the low southeast on late evenings.”
What: More bright Saturn
When: July 15
Where: The southeast sky
Details: On this evening, look toward the southeast to find the almost-full moon posing beautifully with a still-bright Saturn. NatGeo’s report says the pair will be “about half a degree apart, a separation that is less than the width of the lunar disk. If you are able, also be sure to spy on Saturn with a backyard telescope or at a local observatory during opposition, as the rings will seem to surge in brightness thanks to sunlight directly backscattering through their countless chunks of ice particles.”
What: Thunder Moon partial eclipse
When: July 16
Where: Up above
Details: AccuWeather’s report says the full moon for the month of July goes by many names, including the Thunder Moon, the Buck Moon, the Ripe Corn Moon, the Hay Moon and the Old Moon. Enjoy those names, because if you live in North America you won’t be able to see the thing in the first place.
What: Double meteor showers
When: July 29 and 30
Where: South
Details: Skywatchers this evening will be treated to both the Southern Delta Aquarids and the Alpha Capricornids. These two mouthfuls are meteor showers that will team up for two days of peak activity. The showers are borne of the breakup of what are now the Marsden and Kracht Sungrazing comets. NatGeo points out that skywatchers in the Southern Hemisphere away from any light pollution can expect to see up to two dozen shooting stars an hour for these two nights. “For those in the Northern Hemisphere,” it says, “the individual meteors from this minor shower will appear to radiate from its namesake constellation Aquarius, the water bearer, in the low southern horizon. But the celestial show really favors viewers in the Southern Hemisphere, where the radiant point will be higher in the sky.”
What: Black moon
When: July 31
Where: Up there
Details: A black moon is the opposite of a blue moon, according to an ABC-7 News report. “Instead of two full moons in a month, a black moon refers to two new moons in a month. This is good news for astronomy enthusiasts since it means plenty of good opportunities for star-gazing.”