What to See in the Night Sky in July 2023

While fireworks will dominate the evening skies on the Fourth of July across the U.S., the rest of the month will feature visual spectacles of a different kind, from the first full super moon of 2023 to a visit from a periodic comet with an orbit of only 85 years.

Set your alarm clock, have a blanket ready, and check out some of July's celestial highlights below. Wishing you clear skies!

Take in the Beauty of the Full Thunder Supermoon (July 2/3)

With July being the stormiest month of the year for the Northern Hemisphere, it only makes sense that its full-moon nickname would follow suit. For those lucky enough to have clear skies, the so-called Thunder Moon (frankly, the best moon nickname of the year) will make its trip across the evening sky on July 2-3. Peak illumination will come on the morning of July 3 at 7:39 A.M. EST.

This month’s Thunder Moon is also the first supermoon of 2023, where the full moon is closest to the Earth in its elliptical orbit. Called lunar perigee, the moon will appear 15% larger and 30% brighter at a distance of about 224,895 miles from Earth. By comparison, the average full moon orbits at a distance of nearly 239,000 miles.

In addition to its association with storms, this full moon has also been nicknamed the Buck Moon (for when deer begin growing their antlers), the Ripe Corn Moon, and the Hay Moon. Europeans also called it the Meade Moon, which coincided with the summer honey harvest for making the delicious drink.

Earth is Farthest from the Sun (July 6)

You wouldn’t know it based on the heat waves and crippling wildfire smoke gripping much of the Northern Hemisphere, but the Earth’s elliptical orbit will shortly reach its farthest point from the sun. Called aphelion, this moment will occur on July 6 at 4 P.M. EST at a distance of 94,506,364 miles. Celebrate by jumping in your favorite body of water, investing in an energy-efficient fan, or dreaming of cooler days ahead with an advanced booking at a luxury ice hotel.

July’s New Moon Ushers in its Darkest Skies (July 15-20)

Your best chances for unimpeded views of the night sky (with Mother Nature’s cooperation, of course) will come just before and after the arrival of July’s New Moon on the 17th. 

Need a target? This month, we’re recommending The Hercules Globular Cluster (M13). Discovered in 1714 by Edmond Halley, and located a scant 25,000 light-years from Earth, this globular cluster of several hundred thousand stars is 100 times more densely packed than any stars near our own Sun. According to NASA, the celestial traffic within M13 is so bad, that stars often collide with one another to form new stars. It’s best observed during spring and summer and can be found in the constellation Hercules.

Gaze Upon A Newly-Discovered Comet (July 17)

Just in time for July’s darkest evenings, comet C/2023 E1 (ATLAS) will reach its maximum brightness on July 17. Discovered in early March 2023 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), this periodic comet has an orbit around the sun that lasts just 85 years, with its farthest point from the Sun (aphelion) coming just outside the orbit of the planet Neptune.

Comet C/2023 E1 ATLAS will make its closest approach to the sun on July 1 and then begin making its way back through the inner solar system. It will reach its closest point to Earth on Aug. 18, but will have significantly dimmed by then. To catch it at its brightest, use a pair of binoculars or a small telescope and look toward the constellation Cetus in the evenings up to and after the 17th.

Stay Up for the Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower (July 28-29)

A precursor to the more popular Perseid meteor shower in August, the Delta Aquarids begin mid-July and peak around July 28/29 (The video above is from the 2020 shower). The meteors appear to originate just before the constellation Aquarius the Water Bearer in the southern sky. In reality, they're debris from Comet 96P Machholz, a short-period sun-grazing comet that swings our way every five years. To catch the shower at its best, look up on the morning of the 28 or 29 between 2-3 a.m.

Spot Some Alpha Capricornids Fireballs (July 30-31)

Want another meteor shower? July aims to please.

While the annual Alpha Capricornids meteor shower isn’t known for its prolific numbers of shooting stars, what it lacks in quantity it more than makes up for in quality. This shower, originating from parent body Comet 169P/NEAT, has a habit of producing exceptionally bright fireballs. On the evening of July 31, the storm will reach its peak, with viewing equally good on both sides of the equator. With the moon only 5% full, dark skies should make any Earth-grazing fireballs really pop.

According to a 2010 study of the Alpha Capricornids, it’s estimated that in 300 years time the bulk of the dust left behind by Comet 169P/NEAT will fully intersect Earth’s orbit, transforming it into “a major annual shower in 2220–2420 a.d., stronger than any current annual shower.”

The Return of the 'Ghost of the Summer Dawn' (July 30)

Orion the Hunter is a distinctive constellation during the winter months thanks to the three bright stars, Mintaka, Alnitak, and Alnilam, that make up its belt. On July 30, this constellation will make its eastern return in the early morning hours, an event beautifully nicknamed "the ghost of the shimmering summer dawn." The photo above shows a visualization of the constellation on the morning of July 31 just after 5 a.m. EST.