July Moon visits Mars, Venus and Antares
Francis Parnell
By Francis Parnell
During July, the Moon visits Mars, Venus, and Antares.
At 1:30 p.m. on the 6th, Earth is at Aphelion, 94,502,962 miles, its greatest distance from the Sun all year.
One hour after sunset on the 9th, face West to see Venus 1 degree above Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, the Lion. Neat sight in binoculars or a small telescope.
One hour before sunrise on the 11th, look east-northeast to observe the 13% illuminated lunar crescent with red Mars 5 degrees lower right.
45 minutes after sunset on the 17th, face west to view the 18% sunlit crescent Moon with blazing Venus 6 degrees to the right.
At dusk on the 20th, the Moon, one day shy of first-quarter, is 3 degrees below Spica, Virgo’s brightest star. Look southwest to take in the view.
On the 24th at dusk, turn to the south to see the waxing gibbous Moon 2.5 degrees lower left of Antares, the red supergiant heart of Scorpius, the Scorpion.
On the 29th, observe the Full Buck Moon rising in the constellation of Capricornus, the Sea Goat. Some Native American tribes called it the Full Hay Moon.
FAST FACT: On July 3rd, Dog Days begins and lasts until August 11th. Forty days of hot, sul-try weather. The ancient Greeks believed that Sirius, the Dog Star, rose with and added its heat to that of the Sun making daily life miserable for humans and causing dogs to go mad.
Stay cool and “Keep looking up!”