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For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, we have now passed the peak of the Sun’s elevation in the Northern celestial hemisphere and are now on the inevitable decline towards winter.  This of course is a very gradual process, but observers in mod-Northern latitudes will definitely notice the difference from July’s beginning to its end.  At the beginning of July there is no true astronomical darkness, as the Sun is never more than 12 degrees below the horizon, even in the middle of the hours of darkness.  Once we reach July’s end, those of us around 50 degrees N will experience a whole three hours of true darkness.  However, for those living further north, permanent astronomical darkness will continue way into August.  Those observers in Scotland or parts of Scandinavia around 57 degrees N will not experience any astronomical darkness at all until the middle of August.  Those living further north still have much longer to wait.  Residents of Reykjavik, at 64 degrees N, won’t experience astronomical darkness until the early part of September.


Wherever you find yourself in the world, there’s still much to see, so let’s explore what the skies have in store for us this month…



The Solar System


The Moon


We begin July with our natural satellite in Scorpius, with the Moon a couple of days off Full. Rising at  little after 8pm, the Moon won’t rise very hight in the sky during the very beginning of July, for observers in Northern climes, as it is lurking in the southern ecliptic.  


The Moon becomes full on the 3rd July, while in Sagittarius.  This Full Moon is another so-called Supermoon. A Supermoon is more properly known as a Perigee-Syzygy Moon And occurs when the Moon becomes Full at its closest point to worse or it’s slightly elliptical orbit around our planet. As a result of this, the Moon can look anything up to 13-14% larger in the sky during a Supermoon event. This particular Supermoon may appear slightly larger than normal for northern hemisphere observers, as the location of the Moon in the southern skies will maximise the effects of atmospheric lensing, which appears more prominent the lower int he sky an object sits.  However, as we’ve covered before in previous sky guides, Full Moon is actually one of the most disappointing times to actually observe the Moon, as a lot of surface detail is completely washed out by its very harsh illumination - though a decent Moon Filter or Neutral Density Filter can work well in a telescope to dial this down somewhat and make observations more comfortable.  These considerations, along with the negative influence of atmospheric movement, the closer a target is to the horizon, will limit the amount of magnification observers can use in their telescopes to observe the Supermoon.  Still, it should be an enthralling sight to the naked eye and the Supermoon - however astronomically insignificant it ultimately may be - does inspire those for whom astronomy is only of a very passing interest, to look skyward.


With Full Moon sitting so close to the beginning of the month, we just miss out on a “Blue Moon” - the second Full Moon of a whole calendar month.  For this, we will have to wait until August, when we will also have two further Supermoon events.

Beyond Full phase, the Moon’s illuminated face starts to diminish.  As the Moon climbs the ecliptic (as seen from the northern hemisphere) , passing through Sagittarius, Capricornus Aquarius (where it will meet Saturn on the 7th), on into pisces and Cetus, it will grow thinner and thinner.  We get to Last Quarter Phase in Pisces on the 10th, with the Moon rising at a little before 1am, setting at a little past 2pm the following day.


On the mornings of the 11th and 12th July, the thinning Crescent Moon will sit respectively to the west and east of the prominent Jupiter in the morning sky.  If you are up early enough, it should be quite a stirring wide field sight.


As we approach mid month, the moon will thin down to a tiny sliver, before reaching New Phase on the 17th, when it slides to the north of the Sun in Gemini.


After tis encounter with the Sun, the Moon will re-emerge as an evening object.  It may just be visible on the evening of the 19th, when it shares the Leo-Cancer borders with Mercury and the much brighter Venus.  The tiny 8.3% illuminated Moon will stand almost vertically in line with Venus and regular, Alpha Leonis, as the Sun sets on the following evening of the 20th.  The much fainter Mars stands a little to the east of this line, but will be more difficult to see in the evening twilight.


The moon then treks across the vast expanse of sky which makes up eastern Leo and the enormous Virgo, ending up in the latter on the 25th at First Quarter phase.  The last few days of July finds the Moon sinking further into the southern reaches of the ecliptic again, through. Libra, Scorpius and Sagittarius, until we end the month with the Moon sitting on the Sagittarius-Capricornus borders, just one day off Full.




Mercury


We begin July with Mercury at Superior Conjunction - the opposite side of the Sun from our perspective here on Earth and thus unobservable.  However, it will only be the beginning of the second week of the month and Mercury will start to be visible in the evening sky as the Sun sets.  

By mid-month, Mercury will sit 15 degrees to the east of the Sun and will attain a height above the horizon (as seen from 51 degrees N), of 7 degrees as the sun goes down.  It will display a -0.7 magnitude, 5.4 arc second diameter, 83% illuminated disk.  


As the month progresses, mercury will drift further from the Sun, diminishing its phase and fading slightly as it does.  During the last few days of the month, Mercury draws closer to Venus in the evening sky, with its much brighter neighbour providing a helpful (if rather low lying) pointer to its position.  The end of July finds Mercury at +0.1 mag, displaying a 6.6 arc second disk, illuminated by 62%.   It will stand just under 8 degree high (as seen from 51 degrees N) as the Sun sets and will be, by this point in time, over 25 1/2 degrees from our parent star.




Venus


Having reached maximum eastern elongation from the Sun in early June, Venus is now swinging round on its faster interior orbit, rapidly catching up the Earth and this will have notable and fairly rapid consequences for its observation from our planet.  At the beginning of July, Venus sits at a dazzling -4.5 magnitude, displaying a 33.9 arc second diameter, 33.9% illuminated disk.  It will stand just under 17 degrees high in the west as the Sun sets (as seen from 51 degrees N) on the evening of the 1st.  By the beginning of the second week of July, Venus will remain static in terms of brightness, but will have increased its angular size to 37.8 arc seconds and decreased its phase to 25.85 illumination.  It will now stand 14 1/2 degrees high at Sunset (as seen from 51 degrees N).  


Most celestial bodies decrease in brightness as their phase decreases - as seen from our planet.  But Venus is something of an exception to this rule, as it phase decreases as it draws nearer to us, so while diminishing in overall percentage of illumination, this is made up for by increase in angular size - thus resulting in static brightness, despite a decrease in phase.  This month is a particularly good time to observe this unusual effect in action.


By the middle of July, Venus will remain at -4.5 mag and now shows a 43 arc second, 18.7% illuminated disk.  It will stand 10 degrees above the horizon (as seen from 51 degrees N), so will begin to be difficult for some observers and will now be significantly negatively influence by atmospherics, so observations through a telescope will probably be best at lower powers, which will still reveal Venus’ crescent phase very well.


As previously mentioned, the evening of the 20th will find Venus strung out in a vertical line with the Crescent Moon and Regulus, in Leo, with Mars and Mercury a little to the east and west of this, respectively.  This will make for an interesting wide field view in the very early evening sky.

The last week inJuly will see Venus diminishing very slightly in brightness to -4.4 magnitude, though this will be indistinguishable to the naked eye.  At 48 arc seconds diameter and 12.3% illuminated phase, it will stand just under 6 degrees high at sunset, making it quite a challenging target to observe in built up areas.  


By the time we get to the 31st, Venus will be a comparatively enormous 53.4 arc seconds diameter and a tiny 5.7% illuminated crescent.  By this point it will be -4.2 magnitude, it will be setting practically in line with the Sun from mid-northern latitudes, so whilst visible in daylight, will be a trickier target to observe at all.  Those closer to the equatorial regions of the Earth will fare much better for longer with Venus, but for observers further north, this really signifies the end of this evening apparition’s observing window.  Inferior Conjunction of Venus occurs in mid-August.  We have had a really fantastic observing window of our neighbour of late, but all good things much eventually come to an end.




Mars


As previously mentioned, Mars is a disappointing target at present.  lurking in Leo, at just +1.7 magnitude at the month’s beginning, the planet is just 4.2 arc seconds diameter and while handily signposted by the very bright Venus, will be an extremely dispiriting observing experience, in comparison.

As the month progresses, the trend is even further downwards - ending on the 31st with Mars just +1.8 mag and 3.9 arc seconds diameter.  Amazingly, we are still over 3 1/2 months from superior conjunction at the end of July.  Mars’ increasing proximity to the Sun will make it more and more difficult to find in the sky and as we have previously advised, there are far better targets to observe at present.




Jupiter


The sky takes with one hand and gives with the other. As we are losing Venus and Mars, Jupiter is really coming to the fore in the morning sky.  On July 1st, it is a steady -2.2 magnitude and 36.6 arc seconds in diameter.  Standing just over 29 degrees high (as seen from 51 degrees N), in Aries, it will be a fantastic sight in a telescope or binoculars just before the Sun comes up.  

By mid month, Jupiter will have increased brightness imperceivably to -2.3 magnitude and will now display a 37.9 arc second diameter disk.  The planet will now stand 38 degrees high (as seen from 51 degrees N) at sunrise - well over the point where seeing conditions tend to dramatically improve.


By the end of the month, Jupiter remains a static -2.4 magnitude in terms of brightness, but has increased in angular size to 39.7 arc seconds.  It will now stand over 48 degrees high above the horizon as the Sun comes up.  Given Jupiter’s relatively recent switch to the northern celestial hemisphere, there are going to be increasing opportunities for these of us in the northern hemisphere to enjoy better views of the King of the Planets.  Better times are rapidly coming for northern hemisphere Jovian observers.




Saturn


Saturn is further west in the ecliptic than Jupiter and has already transited by the time the Sun rises the 1st July.  Standing just under 29 degrees in elevation (as seen from 51 degrees N), the planet is currently in Aquarius, at +0.8 magnitude and 18 arc seconds diameter.  Saturn is always a joy to look at in any telescope and like its neighbour Jupiter is slowly improving from a northern hemisphere observer’s perspective.  However, as the Ringed Planet orbits the Sun over three times slower than Jupiter, its improvements (or otherwise) tend to be a rather sedate affair.  Saturn began its retrograde path (contrary to its normal “proper” motion in the sky) in late June, which means it is actually moving further south in the sky at present.  This retrograde motion is caused by the effect of our planet catching Saturn up and the perspective of motion changing, rather than any real change of orbital direction.  An outer planet going retrograde is always the precursor to opposition, which in Saturn’s case will occur in late August.  This ebb and flow of outer planet’s direction of movement from our perspective on Earth is a fascinating by-product of our solar system’s orbital dynamics and proof that we are truly inside an ever-changing, but predicable system.

By the time we get to the end of July, Saturn has increased brightness to +0.6 magnitude and will display an 18.7 arc second diameter disc.  It will now stand a little under 21 degrees high as the Sun rises.




Uranus and Neptune


Of the two outer gas giants, Neptune, at +7.9 magnitude and just 2.3 arc seconds diameter, sitting reasonably close to Saturn, in Pisces, is by far the better-placed for observing.  However, the lighter nights at this time of year in the northern hemisphere do little for observations of Neptune - certainly in the first half of the month.  By the time we get to the end of July, for those around 51 degrees N, the planet will have reached a respectable 30 degrees of elevation from the horizon, just before astronomical dawn, so the window for meaningful observations of Neptune is opening.  

Uranus, is a resident of Aries is slowly re-emerging from May’s recent Superior Conjunction and is still not well-placed for early morning observations at the beginning of the month.  By the time we make it to the end of July, Uranus, at +5.8 mag and 3.5 arc seconds diameter, will have attained an altitude of around 20 degrees, just as astronomical dawn occurs (as seen from 51 degrees N).  Although always brighter than Neptune, Uranus’ current position in the sky is still not ideal - another month and the situation will change dramatically, which we’ll cover in August’s Sky Guide.  The much brighter Jupiter, also an Aries resident, provides a handy guide for the area of sky Uranus can be found in.




Pluto 


Pluto, now the best known of the family of dwarf planets which occupy our outer solar system, will reach Opposition on July 22nd. However, observing and positively identifying Pluto can be quite challenging and requires the use of appropriate equipment and favourable conditions. The task of locating Pluto is a pursuit that should be attempted occasionally, but not without the right telescope and under suitable circumstances. Various factors can influence the observation of such a faint target, including sky conditions, darkness levels, the observer's eyesight, and their ability to adapt to darkness. However, the most critical factor is the aperture of the telescope.


From a technical standpoint, it is theoretically possible to visually observe Pluto at high magnification using an 8-inch reflector or a 5-inch refractor, provided the conditions are ideal. However, theory and practice often differ significantly. In practice, a telescope with at least 12 inches of aperture is typically necessary, in addition to clear skies and reliable sky charts. Ideally, a telescope with 14 to 16 inches of aperture makes the observation "easier." Nevertheless, even with such a telescope, spotting Pluto can still be challenging, particularly for observers in the northern hemisphere due to its low southern altitude. A more practical approach to track down and capture images of the dwarf planet involves using a smaller telescope for photographic recording, which may lack the romantic charm of direct visual observation but yields better results.

Comets


There are no comets brighter than the 10th magnitude visible at present.  C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS) may reach 5th/6th magnitude early next year and could become a reasonable binocular target and there is also C/2023 A3 to come, but as previously reported, this is still a large distance from the inner solar system and will require further observations to determine if it will develop into something notable.  We must bide our time, for now.



Meteor Showers


The month of August holds the crown for the most spectacular meteor displays of the summer, with the peak of the ever-reliable Perseids. However, the Perseid shower actually begins in late July, so it's worthwhile to keep an eye out for some early participants in this year's event towards the end of the month. Unfortunately, the influence of the Moon, nearing Full in late July, will have quite an impact - creating conditions that are not ideal for meteor watching. Another notable shower, the Delta Aquariids, reaches its maximum on the night of July 28th/29th and is considered the major meteor shower for July.  While the Moon will be lurking in Scorpius during the night of the 28th/29th, it will have set by just before 1am and this will leave the sky free of moonlight, during the early hours of the morning when the radiant is at its highest in the sky from the northern hemisphere. 


Traditionally, the Delta Aquariids shower favours observers in the southern hemisphere to some extent, but it can still be seen from various parts of the world. It's important to note that while the radiant of the shower is located in Aquarius, meteors from the Delta Aquariids can be spotted anywhere in the sky. The best time to view them is after midnight. These meteors have a relatively slower speed, averaging around 41 km/25 miles per second. Consequently, they are not as energetic and bright as some other meteor showers. Nevertheless, the Delta Aquariids are generally reliable and actually represent the more active of the two Delta Aquariid showers (the northern equivalent is less active and peaks in mid-August). The Delta Aquariids originate from Comet 96/P Macholtz, a short-period comet that will next reach perihelion in January 2023. In 2012, observations indicated that a couple of smaller fragments of the comet had detached from the main body, potentially leading to an increase in the Zenithal Hourly Rates of the meteor shower. Currently, the Zenithal Hourly Rates stand at around 15-20 meteors per hour. To capture the shower effectively, the recommended method is to use multiple widefield images. Utilizing a DSLR with a widefield lens or a USB imager with an "All Sky" super-widefield lens would be ideal for this purpose. However, it's worth mentioning that while observing the Delta Aquariids, you are just as likely to witness an early Perseid meteor. By tracing the path of a specific meteor, you can accurately identify the radiant it originated from.


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