2026, July 1: July’s Outlook for the Sun, Moon, and Planets

July 1, 2026: This is the outlook for the visibility of the moon and planets for July 2026.  The moon passes bright stars while the summer noon sun is lower in the sky.

by Jeffrey L. Hunt

Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:20 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:30 p.m. CDT.  Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.

Venus as an Evening Star

• Venus Special Report

July Outlook for Sun, Moon, and Planets

Sun, Moon

Sun: After the solstice ten days ago, the sun appears farther southward losing, 5° of noon altitude during the month.  The sun’s local noon overhead point shifts southward from 23° north latitude to 18°.  Today, at Chicago’s latitude, daylight spans 15 hours, 10 minutes, losing 44 minutes during July.  In Miami, the sun is in the sky for 13 hours, 43 minutes.  It loses only 23 minutes of sunshine by month’s end.  In contrast, Anchorage’s daylight lasts 19 hours, 10 minutes.  It loses 2 hours of daylight – four minutes each day.  South of the equator in Auckland – at nearly the same latitude as Nashville – but south of the equator, daylight is 9 hours 40 minutes, gaining 34 minutes by the end of July.

Moon:Last Quarter, July 7; New Moon, July 14; First Quarter, July 21; and Full (Buck) Moon, July 29.

During July, the moon progresses through all its phases while passing several bright stars and planets. The month begins with a bright waning gibbous moon in the sky nearly all night. Before sunrise on July 1, the lunar orb is in the southwestern sky after appearing farther westward during the nighttime hours. After sunset, the moon rises about 90 minutes after sundown. Three hours later, it is over 10° above the southeast horizon.

Before sunrise, the moon is near Deneb Algedi on the 3^rd, 4^th, and 30^th; Saturn on the 7^th; Hamal on the 9^th; Mars and Aldebaran on the 11^th; and Elnath (Beta Tauri) on the 12^th.

After sunset, the moon is near Venus and Regulus on the 16^th 17^th as Venus approaches its conjunction with Leo’s brightest star. The moon is near Spica on the 20th and Antares on the 24^th.

Watch the moon move eastward through the sky duringthe month as it passes bright stars and planets visible before sunrise and after sunset.

Inner Planets

Mercury: At the beginning of July, the Elusive Planet sets only 40 minutes after sunset during brighter twilight.  It passes between Earth and Sun on the 12^th and moves into the eastern morning sky.  On the 31st – a few days before greatest elongation – it rises 87 minutes before sunrise and about 40 minutes later it is over 5° above the east-northeast horizon as Castor and Pollux return to the morning sky. Look for it through a binocular.

Venus: The Evening Star is in the western sky until early autumn, but now setting at a shorter interval after sunset as the ecliptic’s angle flattens.  An hour after nightfall, Venus is less than 15° up in the western sky, setting 2 hours, 20 minutes after sunset. While still appearing farther from the sun, it sets earlier from the ecliptic’s shallow angle. By month’s end, it sets two hours after sunset. On July 1, it is 8.8° to the lower right of Regulus, Leo’s brightest star.  Their conjunction occurs on the 9^th.  During evening twilight, use a binocular to watch it pass the Lion’s dimmer stars.

Outer Planets

Mars: The Red Planet continues to appear higher in the sky each morning.  On July 1, Mars is nearly 15° above the east-northeast horizon, 4.6° to Alcyone’s lower right, the Pleiades’ brightest star, and 9.8° to Aldebaran’s upper right. Marching eastward in front of Taurus, it passes Uranus on the 4^th and Aldebaran, the Bull’s brightest star, on the 13^th.  During July 7-13, watch planet pass the “V” of Taurus made by Aldebaran and the Hyades star cluster. They tightly fit into the same binocular field. Use the binocular to watch Mars’ eastward march along the ecliptic as it passes the constellation’s dimmer stars.  By month’s end, Mars rises over three hours before sunrise and is nearly 30° above the east horizon, nearly between Taurus’ horns, Elnath and Zeta Tauri.

Jupiter: The Jovian Giant is largely lost in the sun’s glare for most of the month.  After the Venus-Jupiter conjunction, the gap between the two planets widens to 21°, although Jupiter is only 5° above the west-northwest horizon during evening twilight on the 1^st.  It sets about 75 minutes after sunset. Jupiter reaches conjunction with the sun on the 29^th.  Then it begins to climb into the morning sky, reappearing in the eastern sky in front of Cancer.

Saturn: The Ringed Wonder is easily visible before sunrise. It slowly creeps eastward against Pisces’ dim stars and begins to retrograde on the 27th.  On the 1^st at the beginning of morning twilight – about two hours before daybreak – golden Saturn is nearly 30° above the east-southeast horizon.  It is high enough to see its rings that are nearly inclined 10° through a telescope. They are no longer a thin line like during the previous apparition. By the 31^st, it is halfway up in the south-southeast at two hours before sunup.

Far Planets

Uranus: The Tilted World moves eastward very slowly in front of Taurus, in the same binocular field with the Pleiades star cluster. Mars passes by on the 4^th and serves as a guide.  Early in the month, Uranus’ visibility is affected by morning twilight and moonlight. On the 31^st it is nearly 30° above the horizon at the beginning of morning twilight.  Later in the autumn and winter, when the planet is higher in a dark sky, it could be visible without a binocular from rural areas away from outdoor lighting.

Neptune: The Distant Planet is in front of region of Pisces’ faint stars, 10° to Saturn’s upper right.  It is a challenge against any celestial backdrop, but very difficult to find without bright reference stars.  Perhaps it is best found through a computerized telescope, programmed to find celestial bodies.  For those who accept the challenge, the bluish planet is in the same binocular field with 27 and 29 Piscium (27 Psc, 29 Psc). Attempt to find it before the beginning of morning twilight, on moonless nights, and away from city lights.

Watch the solar system’s bodies move in their typical patterns.  Jupiter disappears into evening twilight, while Mercury appears briefly in the morning sky.  Venus dominates the evening western sky, while Mars and Saturn are easier to locate.

LATEST ARTICLES

• 
  2026, July 1: July’s Outlook for the Sun, Moon, and Planets
  July 1, 2026: This is the outlook for the visibility of the moon and planets for July 2026.  The moon passes bright stars while the summer noon sun is lower in the sky.
• 
  2026, June 30: Full Strawberry Moon Lights the Sky While Venus Approaches Regulus
  June 30, 2026: The Full Strawberry Moon remains a bright nighttime sight while Mars moves away from the Pleiades, Saturn climbs higher in the eastern morning sky, and Venus approaches Regulus before their upcoming conjunction.
• 
  2026, June 29: Full Strawberry Moon Lights the Sky as Mars Passes Pleiades
  June 29, 2026: The Full Strawberry Moon shines all night while Mars passes Alcyone, the Pleiades’ brightest star, before sunrise. Find Saturn, Uranus, Venus, and Jupiter during this busy skywatching period.
• 
  2026, June 28: Mars Passes the Pleiades While the Strawberry Moon Nears Full Phase
  June 28, 2026: Mars approaches the Pleiades before sunrise while the Strawberry Moon nears Full Moon phase after sunset. Saturn, Venus, Jupiter, and Uranus add to a sky filled with planetary sights.
• 
  2026, June 27: Mars Nears the Pleiades as the Strawberry Moon Approaches Full
  June 27, 2026: Mars closes in on the Pleiades before sunrise while the Strawberry Moon nears Full Moon phase. Saturn, Venus, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune add to a sky filled with planetary targets.