July 2026 Astronomical Highlights Include Visible Planets, Meteor Shower and Full Buck Moon
July 2026 offers opportunities to view Mars, Saturn, Venus, the Southern Delta Aquarids meteor shower and a full Buck Moon, with a new moon on July 14 providing a dark sky for stargazing.
Astronomers and sky-watchers can expect several notable celestial events throughout July 2026. Mars and Saturn will be visible in the southeast sky each night, while Venus will appear in the western evening sky and rise higher each night.
The month’s new moon occurs on July 14, creating a moonless night that enhances visibility of stars and constellations. Starting July 18, the Southern Delta Aquarids meteor shower begins, lasting until August 21. The shower’s radiant is located in the constellation Aquarius near Delta Aquarii, and NASA attributes its debris to comet 96P/Machholz, which orbits the Sun every five years. Observers are advised to find dark locations away from city lights and allow about 30 minutes for eye adaptation; under good conditions, 15-20 meteors per hour may be seen, with a possible peak around July 30.
The month concludes with a full moon on July 29, commonly called the Buck Moon. The name reflects the period when white-tailed deer regrow antlers, and historical references trace its usage to an 18th-century explorer’s account of Indigenous naming. The moon will reach its maximum illumination at 10:35 a.m. EST.