Waning moon produces great stargazing conditions

The last quarter moon was Thursday night. The moon is waning. Meaning, it will rise later and later each night. Also, a smaller percentage of the surface will be illuminated by sunlight as we see it on Earth.

This is the time to get out and take a look for some faint objects like the Milky Way or distant galaxies. Also, the planets really stand out with the lack of moonlight. Jupiter and Mars dominate the night sky; you can’t miss either. Mars is the real story, though, this month. If you haven’t seen it, look to the south after midnight; it’s a stunning sight.

The new moon is Thursday night. There will be a partial solar eclipse with the new moon, but you will have to be in the Southern Ocean or Antarctica to see it.

Spotting the Milky Way can be tricky. You need clear skies and a lack of light pollution. Even if you live in a city, you may be able to photograph the Milky Way. For more tips finding the Milky Way, check our our guide here.

Here are a couple of sky maps to help you with the position of the planets over the next week.

We have been talking about Mars a lot lately, but for good reason. Mars reaches it’s maximum brightness late in the month. But, there will be a few other things to look for around this time. Several minor meteor showers occur at the end of the month, and there could be a short outburst from one! The Gamma (γ) Draconids peak the month of July 28. A few hours of meteor rates of 100-per-hour are expected. There will also be a lunar eclipse with the next full moon on July 27, but it will not be visible in North America. Then, the best meteor shower of the year lurks right around the corner. The Perseids peak on August 11/12 but start to show up in July. It's going to be a great summer for Astronomy!

The best things in life are free, and not too many things are free anymore; however, looking at the night sky is still one of those things. Thanks for reading! Just look up; you never know what you will see.

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