A very young waxing crescent Moon begins returning to the western evening sky.
The Moon will be:
• Extremely thin
• Low above the horizon
• Visible shortly after sunset
• Easier to locate with binoculars
A clear, unobstructed western horizon will be essential.
July 17–19
The waxing crescent becomes noticeably wider and remains visible for longer after sunset.
Look for:
• A delicate illuminated crescent
• Earthshine across the Moon’s darker surface
• A close pairing with Venus
• Increasingly easy naked-eye visibility
Earthshine, sometimes called the Da Vinci glow, occurs when sunlight reflected from Earth softly illuminates the Moon’s night side.
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⭐ July 16: Young Moon Passes Regulus
On July 16, the young waxing crescent Moon passes extremely close to Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo.
Regulus is often called the Heart of the Lion and is one of the brightest stars positioned close to the ecliptic, the apparent path followed by the Sun, Moon and planets.
The Moon will briefly pass directly in front of Regulus from a very limited area, producing a lunar occultation. However, the occultation itself will mainly occur over the ocean, while a close pairing between the Moon and Regulus will be visible much more widely.
Best viewing:
30–60 minutes after sunset
Look low in the western sky.
The crescent Moon will probably become visible first, while Regulus may not appear until the twilight begins to fade.
Binoculars can help, but wait until the Sun has completely set before using them.
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🌙 July 17: Moon and Venus Conjunction
✨ The Prettiest Evening Event of the Week
On July 17, the three-day-old waxing crescent Moon forms a close conjunction with brilliant Venus in the constellation Leo.
The Moon passes approximately 2 degrees south of Venus, creating a beautiful evening pairing that will be easily visible to the naked eye from locations with a clear western horizon.
Two degrees is roughly equal to the width of four Full Moons placed side by side.
What to look for:
• Brilliant Venus shining as the evening star
• A slender waxing crescent Moon
• Earthshine on the Moon’s darker surface
• Regulus in the surrounding area
• Beautiful pink, orange and purple twilight colours
• Excellent landscape photography opportunities
⭐ Best viewing:
30–75 minutes after sunset
Choose a location with an open western horizon because the Moon and Venus will sit relatively low in the sky and may disappear behind buildings, hills or trees before the sky becomes completely dark.
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🌌 Deep-Sky Highlights
⭐ Best nights: July 13–15
The New Moon creates outstanding conditions for observing faint celestial objects that are normally washed out by moonlight.
Northern Hemisphere
Look for:
• 🌌 M13 Globular Cluster in Hercules
• 🌌 M92 Globular Cluster
• 🌌 Ring Nebula, M57
• 🌌 Dumbbell Nebula, M27
• 🌌 Albireo Double Star
• 🌌 Lagoon Nebula, M8
• 🌌 Trifid Nebula, M20
• 🌌 Wild Duck Cluster, M11
• 🌌 The Summer Triangle
The Summer Triangle, formed by Vega, Deneb and Altair, rises high during the evening and provides an easy guide to the Milky Way.
From dark northern locations, the Milky Way stretches through Cygnus and continues toward Sagittarius, where some of its richest star clouds, clusters and nebulae can be found.
Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere observers continue enjoying some of the finest Milky Way views of the entire year.
Look for:
• 🌌 Milky Way Core
• 🌌 Omega Centauri
• 🌌 Eta Carinae Nebula
• 🌌 Jewel Box Cluster
• 🌌 Southern Cross
• 🌌 Centaurus A
• 🌌 47 Tucanae
• 🌌 Great Peacock Globular Cluster
Long winter nights, lower humidity in many regions and the New Moon combine to create exceptional observing conditions.
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☄️ Meteor Activity
The Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower continues becoming more active throughout the week as it approaches its late-July peak.
This is not yet the strongest period of the shower, so observers should not expect a dramatic meteor storm. However, the exceptionally dark skies around the New Moon make this one of the best early opportunities to begin watching.
Patient observers may see:
• Fast or medium-speed meteors
• Faint streaks emerging from Aquarius
• Occasional brighter meteors
• Sporadic meteors unrelated to the shower
• Gradually increasing activity toward the weekend
Best viewing:
Midnight until dawn
The radiant in Aquarius rises later in the evening and becomes better positioned during the early morning hours.
Southern Hemisphere and tropical observers receive the best view because Aquarius rises higher in their sky.
Northern Hemisphere observers can still see Southern Delta Aquariid meteors, although the radiant remains lower above the southern horizon.
⭐ Best meteor nights: July 13–16
The Moon will create little or no interference during the strongest dark-sky window.
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🪐 Planet Watch
🌇 After Sunset – Western Sky
Venus
Venus dominates the western evening sky and shines more brightly than any star.
It becomes especially beautiful on July 17, when the crescent Moon appears nearby.
Best viewing:
30–75 minutes after sunset
Jupiter
Jupiter sits very low in the western twilight and becomes increasingly difficult to observe as it moves closer to the Sun’s glare.
A perfectly clear horizon may be required, and from some locations it may no longer be practically visible.
Mercury
Mercury remains hidden close to the Sun and is not a useful observing target this week.
⚠️ Never search near the Sun with binoculars or a telescope.
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🌅 Before Sunrise – Eastern Sky
Saturn
Saturn continues climbing higher in the eastern or southeastern sky before sunrise.
It appears as a steady, pale golden point of light and becomes easier to observe as the morning progresses.
A telescope will reveal its famous ring system, although atmospheric turbulence near the horizon may affect the sharpness of the view.
Best viewing:
60–90 minutes before sunrise
Mars
Mars remains visible in the morning sky and can be recognised by its warm orange or reddish colour.
It is fainter than Saturn but gradually becoming a more noticeable pre-dawn target.
Best viewing:
60–90 minutes before sunrise
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🌍 Local Viewing Times
These times are approximate because sunset, twilight and the height of each object vary considerably across large countries and regions.
Always check your exact local sunset, moonrise and weather conditions before observing.
🇺🇸 United States
Dark-Sky Observing
July 13–15
Typical useful observing window:
9:30 PM – 1:30 AM
Moon and Venus – July 17
Look west:
30–75 minutes after local sunset
Saturn and Mars
Look east or southeast:
Approximately 4:00 AM – 5:30 AM
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🇨🇦 Canada
Dark-Sky Observing
July 13–15
Southern Canada:
Approximately 10:00 PM – 1:30 AM