Astronomy: July Will Bring a Supermoon, Meteor Showers, and More

Mark your calendars, as July begins a month of astronomical wonders not to be missed, including the first supermoon of the year and concurrent meteor showers.

On the first night of the month, stargazers will be treated to an astronomical event known as conjunction, when two objects (whether asteroids, moons, stars, or planets) appear to be aligned very closely in the sky.

This time, it will be Mars and Venus lighting up the night sky as they appear under the Leo constellation. This is the closest that the two planets have appeared together since March 2022; they won't be this close again until February 2024.

Venus is set to be the centerpiece of the event, as it will be visible much earlier in the evening of July 1 and shine brighter than Mars. The red planet, though dimmer in appearance, will stand out in the evening sky with its signature hue.

The two planets will grow further apart each night as the month goes on, with Venus expected to disappear from view before July ends. Mars, however, will remain visible well into the following month, and will be visible along with Mercury, beneath Leo, about an hour past sunset on August 13.

July will also host the Buck Supermoon, the first full supermoon of 2023, when it appears in the sky on July 2 and 3. 

On the evening of July 30, dueling meteor showers will light up the sky as both the Southern delta Aquariids and the alpha Caprincornids reach their peaks.

If you've been considering investing in that new telescope, now might be a wise time to make your purchase.