In this guide we'll reveal what you can see in the night sky tonight, and throughout the month.
Those of us who enjoy stargazing and observing the night sky can't always plan when and where we're going to get the chance to gaze upwards.
Busy schedules, light pollution, the weather: sometimes finding even just 30 minutes to stand and stare up at a clear, dark night sky and take in the planets, stars and constellations can be a feat in itself.
So when you do find the time, you'll need to know what's visible in the night sky tonight, and the best things to look out for when stargazing.
Complete newcomer? Read our guides to the best telescopes for beginners and astronomy for beginners.
Here's our stargazing guide to what you can see in the night sky tonight.
Our guide is centred around what's visible from the UK, but all northern hemisphere observers should be able to use it, with the odd adjustment to stated times.
In our guide, we use Universal Time (UT) and British Summer Time (BST). UT is the standard time used by astronomers around the world. BST is one hour ahead of UT
We also use RA (Right ascension)and dec. (declination).
These coordinates are the night sky’s equivalent of longitude and latitude, describing where an object is on the celestial ‘globe’.
For help with these, read our guide to celestial coordinates.
For more advice, read our guide on how to stargaze or sign up to receive the BBC Sky at Night Magazine e-newsletter for weekly tips delivered directly to your email inbox.
If you're south of the equator, find out what you can see in the Southern Hemisphere night sky tonight.
What's in the night sky tonight?
July astronomy highlights
- All month: Possibility of NLC displays
- 1 July: Mars lies near the waning crescent Moon (am)
- 6 July: Ceres reaches opposition
- 15 & 16 July: Mars and Uranus in conjunction (am)
- 30 July: Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and crescent Moon in Taurus (am)
Noctilucent clouds
Noctilucent cloud season continues throughout July and into the start of August. What will 2024’s season hold?
Only time will tell, but 2023’s was poor in terms of display counts. One possible reason for this is the rise in solar activity.
On the plus side, with the Sun high in the UK’s sky at the moment, if you have the means to view it safely there’s potential to see a lot of activity.
The next solar cycle peak is predicted for July 2025 with an uncertainty of eight months either way.
Planets
The UK’s bright summer skies hinder views of the stars and planets at the start of July, but it’s worth holding on because things are changing.
Jupiter is currently in Taurus, the Bull, 5° north of Aldebaran (Alpha (α) Tauri) on 4 July.
On 30 July, with Mars approaching Jupiter’s position and Uranus located south-southwest of the Pleiades open cluster in Taurus, a 28%-lit waning crescent Moon joins the scene.
Given clear skies, this is a perfect photo opportunity.
Mars’s movement towards Jupiter takes it close to Uranus mid-month.
On 15 July both planets appear separated by 39 arcminutes, Mars at mag. +0.9 and Uranus +5.8.
Again, this is a great photo opportunity, as both planets are 6° south-southwest of the Pleiades at this time.
Stars
On 17 July, the red supergiant star Antares (Alpha Scorpii) lies 43 arcminutes north of the 84%-lit waxing gibbous Moon’s centre at 21:00 BST.
If you struggle to see Antares under daylight conditions, it’s still visible close to the Moon as the sky begins to darken.
For reference, the Moon’s apparent diameter is approximately 30 arcminutes.
As darkness begins to set in later in the month, the summer stars and constellations burst into view.
The giant Summer Triangle asterism is evident, and with dark skies you should be able to see the Milky Way passing south-southwest through it.
The star in the northeast corner (upper-left from the UK) is Deneb (Alpha (α) Cygni), a bright and distant star which sits at the top of another asterism known as the Northern Cross.
The beautiful telescopic double star Albireo (Beta (β) Cygni) sits at the southern end of the Cross, the Milky Way appearing to flow down through the pattern.
This asterism is unlike the Southern Cross, Crux, which is the smallest constellation of them all and one which can’t be seen from the UK.
The part of the Milky Way passing down the Northern Cross is bright from the UK and appears to split in two due to a dark dust lane. This is known as the Cygnus Rift.
The brightest part of the Milky Way should be further to the south, in the direction of our Galaxy’s core, but atmospheric attenuation reduces its presence.
This is where you’ll find the upper part of the truncated constellation Sagittarius, the Archer, best identified by another asterism known as the Teapot.
Dwarf planet Ceres reaches opposition on 6 July.
Shining at a binocular friendly mag. +7.3, it moves west into the lower part of the Teapot asterism, passing just to the north of the star Zeta (ζ) Sagittarii on 8-10 July.
Night sky in July 2024, night-by-night
Monday 1 July
Shining at mag. +1.0, Mars rises nearly three hours before the Sun. The 25%-lit waning crescent Moon sits 7° west of the planet this morning, decreasing in phase to 17%-lit on 2 July, when it appears 6° northeast of Mars.
Wednesday 3 July
A 9%-lit waning crescent Moon lies 4.6° northwest of Jupiter this morning.
Thursday 4 July
Jupiter currently appears 5° north of Aldebaran.
Friday 5 July
Earth is at the furthest point in its orbit from the Sun, a position known as aphelion.
Saturday 7 July
Venus provides an opportunity to locate a less than 1%-lit Moon, just 3.3° to the northeast.
Dwarf planet Ceres reaches opposition at a binocular-friendly mag. +7.3 in Sagittarius’s Teapot.
Sunday 8 July
Mag. –0.1 Mercury lies 2.2° to the south of this evening’s 3%-lit waxing crescent Moon.
Saturday 13 July
The clair-obscur effects known as the Lunar X and Lunar V are visible on the Moon today. The catch is that you’ll need to find the Moon at 14:10 BST (13:10 UT) in daylight to be able to see them.
Mag. +1.0 Spica (Alpha (α) Virginis) appears 2.6° east-southeast of the first quarter Moon this evening.
Sunday 14 July
The Eyes of Clavius clair-obscur effect is visible on the Moon this evening. It’s best seen before sunset at 19:40 BST (18:40 UT).
Monday 15 July
Mars and Uranus appear in conjunction today and tomorrow morning. This morning, the separation is just 39 arcminutes. Both planets are just 6° south-southwest of the Pleiades.
Wednesday 17 July
See a double shadow transit as the shadows of the moons Io and Europa cross Jupiter between 02:06 and 02:31 BST (01:06–01:31 UT).
Sunday 21 July
Mars and the Pleiades are in conjunction, Mars sitting 4.8° south of the star cluster in the early morning sky.
Tuesday 23 July
Dwarf planet Pluto reaches opposition, shining at mag. +14.4 in Capricornus.
Wednesday 24 July
Shortly after rising around 23:00 BST (22:00 UT), the 83%-lit waning gibbous Moon sits 1.3° east of Saturn.
Monday 29 July
As the 29%-lit waning crescent Moon rises, it will sit 1.5° east-southeast of the Pleiades.
Tuesday 30 July
This morning, the waning crescent Moon begins its passage through some wonderful celestial real estate, including Mars, Jupiter and the stars and clusters of Taurus.
Alpha Capricornid meteor shower peaks (ZHR 5).
Delta Aquariid meteor shower peaks (ZHR 16).
Wednesday 31 July
This morning’s 19%-lit waning crescent Moon sits 5.3° from Jupiter. Mars, Jupiter and Aldebaran form a tight triangle in Taurus.
Share your observations and images with us, or send us your astronomy questions to contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com
