Monthly sky – July 2025

Here are some details on the Moon’s phases, close approaches of planets and other astronomical events to watch for in the sky this July.

July 2: First quarter Moon at 3:30 p.m. EDT

July 3: Moon at apogee (71% illuminated) – farthest point from Earth (406,700 km) at 10:28 p.m. EDT

July 3: Earth at aphelion – farthest point from the Sun

July 4: Mercury (magnitude [mag] +0.05) at greatest elongation – its widest separation from the Sun as seen from Earth (14.0°) – at sunset. Difficult to observe.

July 10: Moon at aphelion (98%) – farthest distance from the Sun (152,457,150 km) at 6:12 a.m. ED

July 10: Full Moon at 4:36 p.m. EDT

July 16: Conjunction – Close approach of the Moon (58%), Saturn (mag +0.88) and Neptune (mag +7.74). The three align in the sky: the Moon to the south, Saturn just above it and Neptune farther north. You’ll need a small telescope or binoculars to see Neptune. Visible starting at midnight.

July 17: Last quarter Moon at 8:38 p.m. EDT

July 20: Moon at perigee (24%) – closest to Earth (356,500 km) at 9:54 a.m. EDT

July 20: Conjunction – Close approach of the Moon (24%) and the open star cluster Pleiades (M45). A lunar occultation of Pleiades stars will be hard to see since it occurs at dawn and sunrise.

July 21: Conjunction – Close approach of the Moon (15%) and Venus (mag –4.03). Very easy to spot in the eastern sky starting around 3 a.m. Jupiter will rise in the east around 4 a.m., completing the view.

July 23: Conjunction – Close approach of the Moon (3%) and Jupiter (mag -1.9), just before sunrise. Venus will appear slightly to the right of the pair.

July 24: New Moon at 3:12 p.m. EDT

July 25: Moon at perihelion (0.1%) – closest point to the Sun (149,597,871 km) at 4:45 p.m. EDT

July 28: Conjunction – Close approach of the Moon (19%) and Mars (mag +1.58). At sunset, Mars will appear just to the right of the crescent Moon.

July 30: Southern Delta Aquariids meteor shower peaks (active July 12 to August 23; best viewing from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. EDT). A fairly active shower—less intense than the Perseids, but visible from the Northern Hemisphere.