July 2-5, 2025: The First Quarter moon passes near Spica in the west-southwest sky after sunset. Watch as the moon approaches and moves past Virgo’s brightest star, with additional views near Zubenelgenubi. A perfect time for evening skywatching.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
The First Quarter moon approaches and passes Spica during these four evenings. The moon is half-full on the 2nd at 2:30 p.m. Central Time. Look for the moon in the eastern sky during the afternoon.
Highlights
Here’s what to see one hour after sunset.
- July 2: The First Quarter moon is less than one-third of the way up in the southwest. It is 9.7° to the lower right of Spica, Virgo’s brightest star.
- July 3: The slightly gibbous moon, 63% illuminated, is about 30° above the west-southwest horizon, 2.8° to Spica’s lower left. Earlier this evening, the moon occults or eclipses the star from southern South America. This is the 16th lunar occultation of the star in a series that lasts through November 17th.
- July 4: The waxing gibbous moon, 71% illuminated, is less than 30° above the south-southwest horizon. It is nearly 15° to Spica’s lower left and 8.5° to the lower right of Zubenelgenubi, Libra’s brightest star. The name means, “the scorpion’s southern claw.” At one time the Scales were part of Scorpius.
- July 5: Over 25° up in the south, the lunar orb, 79% illuminated, is 7.3° to Zubenelgenubi’s lower left.
Anticipating the Buck Moon
The moon continues eastward with its phase growing each evening. This month’s bright moon, the first of the summer season, is known as the Buck Moon. It occurs on July 10th.
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