Saturn takes centre stage in July 2025. Here we'll reveal how to make the most of viewing the ringed planet this month, and look at what the rest of the planets are doing too.
After a stretch where major planets hugged the Sun in the evening or morning sky, some – including Saturn – are finally pulling away.
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Early in the month, Saturn is low in the sky, just 23° high in bright twilight at 03:40 BST (02:40 UT) on July 1.
But by July 31, it climbs to 31° in darker conditions at 04:00 BST (03:00 UT).
Saturn shines at mag. +0.7 at the start of July, southeast of the Circlet in Pisces. By month’s end, it brightens slightly to +0.5, staying in roughly the same area.
Neptune is nearby, just 59 arcminutes north of Saturn on July 1. Their separation grows modestly, with Saturn 64 arcminutes south of Neptune by July 31.
On July 16, a 71%-lit waning gibbous Moon sits 4.2° west of Saturn in the early morning sky.
Mercury
- Best time to see: 4 July, 40 minutes after sunset
- Altitude: 4° (Very low)
- Location: Cancer
- Direction: West–northwest
Mercury is an evening planet, but poorly located and difficult to see due to its low altitude after sunset. This is despite reaching an impressive greatest eastern elongation on 4 July when it can be found 25.9° east of the Sun. On this date, mag. +0.6 Mercury sets 1 hour and 13 minutes after the Sun.
Venus
- Best time to see: 31 July, 50 minutes before sunrise
- Altitude: 15°
- Location: Gemini
- Direction: East–northeast
Venus is the brightest of the main planets, shining at mag. –4.0 at the start of July and dipping by just one tenth of a magnitude by the end of the month to mag. –3.9. This is still very bright and, under the right conditions, bright enough to cast shadows.
Currently located in the morning sky, Venus rises 2 hours and 20 minutes before the Sun on 1 July, an offset that increases throughout the month until, on 31 July, Venus can be seen rising 3 hours and 10 minutes before sunrise. On 4 July, Venus and Uranus are in conjunction but, as it will be shining at mag. +5.8 and only visible under brightening twilight, spotting Uranus 2.4° north of Venus could be something of a challenge. On this date, a line from Venus through Uranus will eventually bring you to the Pleiades open cluster, 6.7° north of Venus.
On 14 July, Venus appears 3.2° north of Aldebaran (Alpha (α) Tauri). Through a telescope on this date, the planet shows an apparent diameter of 16 arcseconds and a phase of 68%, an increase of 4% over how it looked on 1 July. On 22 July, a 9%-lit waning crescent Moon appears 8.2° northeast of Venus.
Mars
Magnitude +1.6 Mars is poorly placed this month in the evening twilight. On 29 July, it appears 2.3° north of the 17%-lit waxing crescent Moon, but this will be hard to see well.
Jupiter
Shining at mag. –1.7, Jupiter may be seen low above the northeast to east-northeast horizon from the middle of the month, but is currently too close to the Sun to be a viable target.
Saturn
- Best time to see: 31 July, 03:00 BST (02:00 UT)
- Altitude: 31°
- Location: Pisces
- Direction: Southeast
- Features: Rings, subtle atmospheric features
- Recommended equipment: 150mm or larger
For more info, read our guide to observing Saturn in July 2025.
Uranus
Uranus is another morning planet that this month is compromised by the dawn twilight. It’s currently located 4.4° south of the Pleiades open cluster in Taurus.
Neptune
- Best time to see: 31 July, 02:20 BST (01:20 UT)
- Altitude: 28°
- Location: Pisces
- Direction: Southeast
Neptune, the most distant world in our Solar System, is compromised by the morning twilight during July. Shining at mag. +7.9, it is currently located to the southeast of the Circlet asterism near Saturn, the pair separated by around 1°. By the end of the month, Neptune reaches an altitude of 30° above the southeastern horizon under darkness.
Keep us up to date with you planetary observing and imaging by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com
