Each Monday, I pick out North America’s celestial highlights for the week ahead (which also apply to mid-northern latitudes in the northern hemisphere. Check my main feed for more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and more.
The Night Sky This Week: July 15–21, 2024
A full moon will rise at the end of this week, which will dominate the preceding nights with a strong moonlight. A few nights before, a waxing gibbous moon will shine close to Antares, one of the largest stars astronomers know of. There's also a chance to witness Mars and Uranus in conjunction and the red planet shining close to a sparkling open star cluster, the Pleiades.
Tonight also sees the beginning of the annual Perseids meteor shower, the most popular of the year in the northern hemisphere. Once its reaches its peak night on August 11-12 it could deliver up to 100 “shooting stars” per hour, according to the American Meteor Society.
Here’s everything you need to know about stargazing and astronomy this week:
Monday, July 15: Mars And Uranus In Conjunction
Monday, July 15: Mars And Uranus In Conjunction
If you look above the eastern horizon in the hours before sunrise, you’ll see Mars shining brightly some distance above Jupiter. Look at Mars with a pair of binoculars, and you may be able to find Uranus to the immediate upper left of the red planet.
Wednesday, July 17: Moon And Antares
Wednesday, July 17: Moon And Antares
Look south after sunset to see an 87%-lit waxing gibbous moon close to the brilliantly bright red supergiant star Antares in the constellation Scorpius, “the scorpion.” They’ll be about three degrees apart. The “heart of the scorpion” is one of the very largest stars astronomers know of at about 700 times the sun's diameter. From southern Africa, the moon will occult Antares for a short time.
Saturday, July 20: Mars And The Pleiades
Saturday, July 20: Mars And The Pleiades
Before sunrise, look to the eastern sky to see Mars shining about four degrees from the Pleiades. One of the closest and most beautiful open clusters of stars in the night sky, the Pleiades (cataloged as M45), is also called the “Seven Sisters” because of its seven bright stars, though in light-polluted areas, only about six are easily visible. They make a small but utterly unmistakable “Big Dipper” shape.
Saturday, July 20: Full ‘Buck Moon’ Rising
A particularly low and late-rising full moon, the seventh full moon of 2024 and the second of summer in the northern hemisphere, the “Buck Moon”—also known as the “Thunder Moon” and the “Hay Moon”— will be best seen at moonrise on Saturday, July 20.
The times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums like SkySafari Pro, Stellarium and The Sky Live. Check planet-rise/planet-set, sunrise/sunset, and moonrise/moonset times to see where you are.
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Pick up my books Stargazing in 2024, A Stargazing Program For Beginners, and When Is The Next Eclipse?
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
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2024-07-15 10:00:00Z
CBMif2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZvcmJlcy5jb20vc2l0ZXMvamFtaWVjYXJ0ZXJldXJvcGUvMjAyNC8wNy8xNS9zZWUtbWFycy1tZWV0LXVyYW51cy1hcy1mdWxsLWJ1Y2stbW9vbi1yaXNlcy10aGUtbmlnaHQtc2t5LXRoaXMtd2Vlay_SAQA
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