What's Up? July 2025

Each month I highlight a number of objects in the night sky visible with the naked eye.

This month there will be a Moon illusion and Saturn steals the planet show!

Planets

Mercury

Mercury is always difficult to spot as it is visually close to the Sun. However if you have a low western horizon you may be lucky this month! The best evening is on the 4th July.

On this date it sets just over an hour after the sun, low down in the west-northwest horizon. (NEVER use binoculars if the Sun is in the sky -it can easily cause blindness)

Mercury around 21:45 on the 4th July low down in the west

Venus

Venus is a brilliant morning object during July. It appears in the eastern horizon around 90 minutes prior to sunrise. Around mid July it should be higher enough to view if you have a good low horizon. At the end of the month it will have climbed to about 20 degrees, still low but given its brightness you'll stand a good chance of spotting the planet.

Venus in the east at 4:00am toward the end of the month -for you early risers!

Jupiter

The king of planets is just emerging as a morning object this month and is probably too tough to spot but maybe worth a try at the end of the month pre dawn - low down in the east below Venus. Better next month!

Saturn

Saturn is the best placed planet this month as a morning object located amongst the stars of Pisces. Early in the month it rises around 12:30am BST and climbs to (a relatively low) 20 degrees before dawn. The viewing improves during the month and by the end it is rising around 10:30 pm achieving 20 degrees by 1am and ascending to around 35 degrees by 3:45am.

Currently Saturn's southern hemisphere is titled in our direction. The glory of its rings is temporarily in abeyance from our perspective. You would need a small telescope to see the rings in any case.

Saturn in the east late in the month around midnight

MOON ILLUSION

A full moon appears when the Moon is opposite the Sun in the sky - or in other words when its elliptical longitude is 180 degrees from the Sun.

The Moon rises just after 22:00 BST on the 10th July. Being so low against a background of stars it creeps slowly across the sky at a very shallow inclination, appearing just 6 degrees above the horizon at 23:40 BST. A similar low trajectory takes place on the night of the 11th also.

With such a low declination this is a great time to see the Moon illusion. At this low angle the Moon will look artificially big! That's the Moon illusion!

The Moon low down in the south on the 10th and 11th July - looking enormous!

Enjoy the night sky this month and let me know what you spot!

Chris Baker