🔭 Astronomical Events

July 13 – 19, 2026

Written by Mia Astrology ✨🌌

 

This Week’s Sky at a Glance

This is one of the most exciting astronomy weeks of the entire summer. The New Moon creates the darkest skies of July, giving stargazers excellent conditions for exploring the Milky Way, photographing faint nebulae, and enjoying deep-sky objects that are often hidden by moonlight.

Whether you’re using a telescope, binoculars, or simply your own eyes, this is a fantastic week to spend time under the stars. The combination of moon-free evenings, warm summer nights in the Northern Hemisphere, and outstanding visibility makes this one of the highlights of the 2026 astronomy calendar.

🌑 Major Astronomical Highlight

New Moon — July 14, 2026

The New Moon arrives on Tuesday, July 14, making this the darkest week of the month.

During a New Moon:

• The Moon is positioned between Earth and the Sun.
• Its illuminated side faces away from Earth.
• The Moon is essentially invisible in the night sky.

Why is this important?

Without bright moonlight, much fainter celestial objects suddenly become visible.

This is one of the best weeks of July for:

• Milky Way photography
• Observing distant galaxies
• Finding globular clusters
• Viewing nebulae
• Stargazing from dark locations

⭐ Best observing nights: July 14–18

🌙 Moon Phase This Week

🌘 Waning Crescent → 🌑 New Moon → 🌒 Waxing Crescent

July 13

• Very thin waning crescent
• Visible shortly before sunrise
• Excellent dark skies after moonset

July 14

🌑 New Moon

The darkest night of the month.

July 15–19

A delicate waxing crescent returns after sunset.

• Low in the western sky
• Sets shortly after sunset
• Evenings remain beautifully dark

🌌 Deep-Sky Highlights

The middle of July is considered one of the finest times of year for deep-sky observing.

Northern Hemisphere

Look for:

• 🌌 M13 Globular Cluster (Hercules)
• 🌌 M92
• 🌌 Ring Nebula (M57)
• 🌌 Dumbbell Nebula (M27)
• 🌌 Lagoon Nebula (M8)
• 🌌 Trifid Nebula (M20)
• 🌌 The Summer Triangle (Vega, Deneb and Altair)

The Milky Way becomes increasingly spectacular after full darkness.

Southern Hemisphere

Observers can enjoy:

• 🌌 Milky Way Core almost overhead
• 🌌 Omega Centauri
• 🌌 Eta Carinae Nebula
• 🌌 Southern Cross

These are among the best winter observing conditions of the year.

☄️ Meteor Activity

The Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower continues building toward its late-July maximum.

Although activity is still relatively light, observers under dark skies may see:

• Fast-moving meteors
• Bright fireballs
• Random summer meteors

Best viewing time

Midnight until dawn

The darkest mornings near the New Moon provide the highest chances of spotting meteors.

🪐 Planet Watch

🌇 After Sunset (Western Sky)

Watch for:

• Venus shining brilliantly low in the west
• Mars becoming fainter each week
• Jupiter glowing steadily in the evening sky

⭐ Special event: On July 17, the thin waxing crescent Moon appears close to Venus, creating one of the week’s most photogenic sights.

Best viewing

30–60 minutes after sunset.

🌅 Before Sunrise (Eastern Sky)

Early risers can enjoy:

• Saturn climbing higher before dawn
• Moon-free skies during the second half of the week
• Outstanding visibility of the Milky Way

Best viewing

60–90 minutes before sunrise.

🌍 Local Viewing Times

🇺🇸 United States

Evening

• Eastern Time: 9:05 PM – 11:00 PM
• Central Time: 8:35 PM – 10:30 PM
• Mountain Time: 8:05 PM – 10:00 PM
• Pacific Time: 8:20 PM – 10:15 PM

Before Sunrise

3:45 AM – 5:45 AM

⭐ Best observing nights:
July 14–18

🇨🇦 Canada

Evening

• Atlantic Time: 9:25 PM – 11:10 PM
• Eastern Time: 9:05 PM – 11:00 PM
• Central Time: 8:35 PM – 10:30 PM
• Mountain Time: 8:05 PM – 10:00 PM
• Pacific Time: 8:20 PM – 10:15 PM

As July progresses, twilight gradually shortens, allowing longer periods of true darkness.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom (BST)

Evening

9:40 PM – 11:40 PM BST

Darkness now arrives noticeably earlier than during the June Solstice period, giving astronomers longer observing sessions.

🇦🇺 Australia

Winter continues to provide exceptional stargazing.

Evening

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Before Sunrise

5:00 AM – 6:30 AM

The Milky Way remains breathtaking throughout the week.

🗓 Week At A Glance

Date	Event
July 13	Waning Crescent before sunrise
July 14	🌑 New Moon
July 14–18	Best Milky Way viewing
July 17	🌙 Crescent Moon near Venus
July 18–19	Dark moon-free evenings continue

🌠 How To Make the Most of This Week

✔ Visit a location with little or no light pollution.

✔ Photograph the Milky Way between July 14 and July 18.

✔ Observe globular clusters and nebulae while the Moon is absent.

✔ Watch the beautiful Moon and Venus pairing after sunset on July 17.

✔ Wake before dawn to enjoy Saturn and the summer Milky Way.

If you’re planning only one serious stargazing session in July, this is the week to do it.