July sky will have meteor shower and comet visible; see list of phenomena

Night sky observers will be able, this July, to see a Delta Aquarids meteor shower and see, with the help of binoculars, the point of maximum brightness of the comet 13P/Olbers.

The peak of activity of Delta Aquarids meteor shower will be recorded on the day July 31, but the phenomenon can already be observed from the 12th of this month. It is originated by debris from some meteorwhose identity has not yet been determined by science, and receives this name because it appears in the sky close to the Aquarius constellationmore precisely from one of its brightest stars: the Delta Aquarii.

Check out tips for observing the meteor shower here.

Comet 13P/Olbers, which appears in the sky once every 69 years, will reach its peak brightness on July 6th. It can be seen in the sky with the help of binoculars, in the early evening, in the constellation Lynx. The North and Northeast regions have a greater chance of visibility.

See below the main astronomical phenomena of the month of Juneaccording to guide to astronomical ephemerides at the Valongo Observatory, at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ).

• 1/7: Conjunction between Moon and Mars before dawn, eastward, in the constellation of Aries;
• 2/7: Conjunction of the Moon with the Pleiades cluster before dawn, eastward, in the constellation of Taurus;
• 3/7: Conjunction between the Moon and Jupiter before dawn, eastward, in the constellation of Taurus. On the same day, Moon, Jupiter and Aldebaran will form a beautiful celestial trio;
• 5/7: Earth at aphelion*, point in its orbit of greatest distance from the Sun;
• 6/7: Predicted date for the maximum brightness of comet 13P/Olbers, which will be visible (using binoculars, in dark skies) in the early evening, in the constellation of Lince. Better chances of visibility for the North and Northeast regions;
• 7/7: Conjunction between the Moon, Mercury and the star cluster Presepio (M 44) at the beginning of the night, towards the west, in the constellation of Cancer;
• 7/15: Conjunction between Mars and Uranus before dawn, eastward, in the constellation Taurus. The stars will be separated by just 0.5o. Uranus can only be seen using binoculars, in dark skies;
• 19/7: Mars passes next to the Pleiades cluster, during the early hours of the morning, heading east, in the constellation of Taurus;
• 7/21: Best time to observe Mercury, which will be visible earlier in the evening, towards the west, next to the star Regulus, in the constellation Leo;
• 24/7: Conjunction between the Moon and Saturn, visible towards the east, in the constellation Aquarius, after 9:30 pm;
• 7/30: Conjunction between the Moon, Mars and Jupiter during the early hours of the morning (after 4am), heading east, in the constellation of Taurus. On the same day, the Moon, Mars, Jupiter and Aldebaran will form a beautiful celestial quartet. Maximum activity of the Delta Aquaridas meteor shower, which can be observed throughout the night (30/31) from 9pm.

O astronomical ephemeris guide has been produced since 2016 by Valongo Observatoryfrom the UFRJ (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro)and brings the main phenomena that can be seen in the night sky each year.

With the aim of reviving interest in celestial contemplation, the material lists month by month which celestial bodies will be visible and the best way to look for them. In addition to providing simple explanations about astronomy.

The complete guide, with sky maps, can be downloaded for free here. check out here astronomy apps to help locate and track astronomical phenomena in the night sky.

A third of the most common planets may be in the habitable zone