Astroblog: Thursday July 16 to Thursday July 23

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Thursday July 16 to Thursday July 23

The First Quarter Moon is Tuesday July 21. In the morning Saturn and Mars form a long line. Saturn is rising just before midnight. Mars is below the red star Aldebaran. In the evening, Venus draws forms a triangle with the crescent moon and the bright star Regulus on the 17th. The following night the crescent moon, Venus and Regulus form a line.

The First Quarter Moon is Tuesday July 21.

North-Eastern horizon on the morning of Saturday, July 18 as seen from Adelaide at 5:53 ACST (90 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).

Saturn is high above the northern horizon with Mars low in the east. Saturn is now high enough for telescopic observation, and its rings are widening.

Mars is below the bright red star Aldebaran.

The inset shows the telescopic view of Saturn at this time.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes before sunrise).

Western sky on the evening of Friday, July 17 as seen from Adelaide at 18:22 ACST (60 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

The bright star Regulus, he crescent Moon, and Venus form a shallow triangle. The inset is the telescopic view of Venus at this time.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset).

Whole sky on Saturday, July 18 as seen from Adelaide at 18:53 ACST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Venus is prominent in the north-west. forming a line with the crescent Moon and Regulus.

Bright Canopus and Sirius are sinking into the west. Scorpius, is readily seen above the south-eastern horizon.

The Southern Cross is at its zenith in the Southern sky. The Moon is waxing and the fainter clusters and nebula are easier to see to see.

Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).

Mercury is lost in the twilight.

Venus climbs higher in the evening twilight and is now visible when the sky is fully dark. Venus is close to the bright star Regulus (Alpha Leonis). Venus draws forms a triangle with the crescent moon and the bright star Regulus on the 17th. The following night the crescent moon, Venus and Regulus form a line

Mars is climbing in the twilight. Mars is below the red star Aldebaran.

Jupiter is low above the horizon, setting around civil twilight.

Saturn is climbing higher in the morning sky above Mars.

Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm ACST, Western sky at 10 pm ACST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.

Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/

Labels: weekly sky