Sky Excitement – July 2026

July 17: Crescent moon and Venus

Venus shines for a few short hours in this month’s evening sky. It will turn extra spectacular on July 17, when the wisp of a crescent moon appears within around five degrees, or three finger widths. Look for the luminous duo above the west horizon. They’ll dazzle right after the sun sinks, and remain visible for roughly two hours.

July 28-29: Full ”buck“ moon

July’s full lunar orb, known as the ”buck“ moon, will hit its peak illumination around 10:30 a.m. ET on July 29. For the best view, watch it rise on the evenings of July 28 and 29, or set the morning of July 29. Thanks to an optical effect known as the moon illusion, our neighboring space rock appear larger than normal near the horizon. Why the buck moon? It’s named for the season when male deer’s antlers quickly grow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

— https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/july-night-sky-events-2026