Space Calendar / What to look for in the July skies

Tap into your inner astronomer ...

JULY 6 

Earth at Aphelion

     Earth reaches aphelion — the point in its orbit when it is farthest from the Sun — on July 6, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. The Earth will be approximately 94.5 million miles away from the Sun —about 3 million miles farther than at its closest point.

JULY 14

New Moon (Supermoon)

     The new moon arrives July 14 at 5:43 a.m. EDT. It also coincides with the moon reaching its closest point to Earth in its orbit, making this a new supermoon —and the darkest skies of the month for deep-sky observing.

JULY 29

Full Buck Moon 

     The Full Buck Moon arrives on July 29 at 10:36 p.m. EDT. Its name refers to new antlers sprouting on young deer this time of year. Native names include Thunder Moon and Salmon Moon, while old European traditions call it the Hay Moon or Mead Moon.

JULY 30-31

Southern Delta Aquariid

     The Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower peaks July 30–31, but a nearly full moon will wash out most of the display. Your best bet is the week of July 22– 27, when the moon sets around midnight and leaves dark skies in the pre-dawn hours. The radiant — the point in the sky from which the meteors appear to stream — sits in the constellation Aquarius, low in the southern sky. Look for it after midnight, when Aquarius climbs highest..

MOON PHASES

■ Last Quarter: July 7, 3:29 p.m.

■ New Moon: July 14, 5:43 a.m.

■ First Quarter: July 21, 7:05 a.m.

■ Full Moon: July 29, 10:36 a.m.