The Moon New moon occurs at the beginning and end of July (on the 1st 
and the 30th). First-quarter moon (rising about noon and setting about midnight) 
is on July 8, full moon (rising at sunset and setting at sunrise) is on July 
16, and last-quarter (rising about midnight and setting about noon) is on July 
24. In August, first-quarter moon is on the 7th and full moon on the 15th. 
The moon is at apogee (farthest from the earth) on July 1 1 and August 8, 
at perigee (nearest the earth) on July 27 and August 21. 
Two eclipses occur in July, both visible in some parts of North America. 
A partial lunar eclipse on July 16-17 is visible throughout the United States 
and Canada (except for northern areas), and a partial solar eclipse occurs over 
Hawaii, Alaska, and western Canada on July 30. 
Stars and Planets Venus will be low in the west-northwest about half an hour 
after sunset, when its brightness overcomes the darkening twilight. Well to the 
left of Venus, Jupiter and Saturn continue to put on a good show high in 
the southwest at dusk. Jupiter is brighter than any star in the sky. Saturn 
is very close and just above it. The two planets have been near one another 
since last autumn, their retrograde motions keeping them from separating very 
far. Now both are moving easterly, and Jupiter, the faster of the two, passes 
Saturn on July 27 and separates steadily to Saturn’s left. In the morning. Mercury 
goes through a poor elongation in July. Mars rises about two hours before 
the sun in Taurus, near the Hyades and Aldebaran. The sun in July moves 
from the stars of Gemini into Cancer. 
July 3: Mercury resumes its normal (easterly) motion. Earth is at aphelion, 
farthest from the sun, about 152,103,500 kilometers (94,513,000 miles) distant. 
July 7: The very bright planet Jupiter is to the moon’s right this evening, 
and Saturn is just above Jupiter. Spica, in Virgo, is to the left. 
July 12-13: The moon can introduce Antares, the bright red star below it. 
July 15: The bright gibbous moon will locate Sagittarius for you tonight. 
July 16-17: Tonight’s partial lunar eclipse begins at 10:24 p.m., EST, mid- 
eclipse occurs at 11:47 p.m., EST, and the eclipse ends at 1:09 a.m., EST, 
on the 17th. Adjust for different time zones and for daylight time. 
July 28: The Delta Aquarid meteor shower reaches maximum. Up to 20 
meteors per hour can be seen for two or three days before and after the 28th. 
July 30: Jupiter passes Saturn (conjunction), moving from right to left. This 
is the third and last event in the “triple conjunction” that began last January. 
August 3-4: The moon passes Jupiter and Saturn on the morning of the 
4th, moving from their west (right) on the 3rd to their east on the 4th. 
August 10th: Mercury is in superior conjunction, in line with but beyond 
the sun. It now enters the evening sky. 
August 12: The Perseid meteor shower reaches maximum early this morning. 
This is the most reliable and productive meteor shower of the year. 
The summer Star Map shows the sky from the mid-latitudes (40 °N) of the Northern 
Hemisphere during the evening hours, at the times indicated below. To use the map, 
hold it in front of you vertically (facing you) with the compass direction you are 
facing at the bottom of the map. Thus when you face north, hold the map with 
north (N) at the bottom, and match the lower half of the map with the stars you 
face on the sky. 
During the night the stars in the sky move continuously toward the west. By morning 
(before dawn) all the stars on the western half of the map will have set, the stars 
on the eastern half will have moved over to the western sky, and new stars (those 
of the winter evening) will have risen into the east. The map represents the sky at 
about 2:00 a.m. on July 1; 1:00 a.m. on July 15; 12:00 a.m. on July 31; 11:00 p.m. 
on August 15; 10:00 p.m. on August 31; 9:00 p.m. on September 15; and 8:00 p.m. 
on September 30. Add one hour for daylight time. The map can be used an hour 
or so before and after the times given. 
Editor’s Note: Beginning this month, the Celestial Events Sky Map returns on a different 
schedule, supplemented at times by other illustrations of interest. Sky Maps in July, 
October, January, and April will show the evening constellations and stars associated 
with summer, autumn, winter, and spring. The precise time for using the maps changes 
during the season, as the above times indicate, but the principal stars and groups 
can be found from the maps at any evening hour throughout the season. Other kinds 
of maps, sketches, and photographs during intervening months will call attention to 
special areas and events. 
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