Summer Sky Watch: Milky Way to Act as a Beautiful Backdrop During July's Astronomical Event

Summer days are generally followed by warm nights, providing ideal circumstances for stargazers seeking to put up a telescope, watch the International Space Station sail overhead, or lie back and stare at the stars. This year is no different, with July presenting a slew of cosmic views for novices, seasoned observers, and everyone.

(Photo : Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Milky Way's Visibility

Aside from the upcoming celestial events, July is one of the greatest months of the year to observe the Milky Way. Throughout the month, the side of the Earth experiencing night is turned toward the center of the Milky Way, with the galaxy visible for most of the night.

The drawback to witnessing this celestial extravaganza is that it may need some travel since light pollution has rendered the Milky Way invisible to 80 percent of Americans.

The new moon, which happens during the last week of July, is the optimum time to organize a journey to a dark region to observe the Milky Way.

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July's Celestial Events

(Photo : Photo by Philippe Donn from Pexels)

While the Milky Way may be viewed practically every night from a dark location on a clear night, certain things can only be seen on specific evenings of the month. Here are the best astronomical events to keep on your calendar in July, ranging from a supermoon to shooting stars:

July 13: Super Thunder Moon

The second of three consecutive supermoons will rise on Wednesday, July 13, making it one of the most popular full moons of the year.

The first supermoon of 2022 appeared in mid-June, officially beginning supermoon season in the night sky. The third and final supermoon will rise during the second week of August after July.

In addition to being a supermoon, the full moon in July is also known as the Thunder Moon, owing to the many thunderstorms that occur throughout the summer.

According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the full moon in July is also known as the Buck Moon, Salmon Moon, Berry Moon, and Halfway Summer Moon.

July 14: Comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS)

This month will provide a rare opportunity to glimpse a comet in the night sky, albeit a telescope will be required to observe the distant object as it slowly moves through the solar system.

According to EarthSky, comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) will make its closest approach to Earth on July 14, 2022, at a distance of 168 million miles. Despite being nearly twice as far away as the sun, Comet PanSTARRS is bigger than other comets, making it visible through a telescope lens.

This new comet is unlikely to be as brilliant as Comet NEOWISE, which wowed skywatchers in July 2020 when it was visible with the naked eye. Instead, it will appear as a fuzzy green blur through a telescope's lens, sticking out among a sea of flashing white stars.

Telescopes should be aimed toward the southern sky, above the constellation Scorpius, to observe Comet PanSTARRS. Around 11 p.m. on July 14, It will appear about midway between the brilliant star Arcturus and Saturn around midnight local time.

If the sky is hazy on July 14, the comet should be visible in the same location as the sky throughout the remainder of the month.

July 29-31: Back-to-back meteor showers

July will begin with fireworks during Independence Day festivities and finish with astronomical fireworks as two meteor showers peak within 48 hours of one other.

According to the American Meteor Society, the Southern Delta Aquarids will peak from July 29 into July 30. The Alpha Capricornids will follow them on the night of July 30 into July 31.

On both evenings, the dueling meteor showers will be vigorous, combining 10 to 20 meteors per hour in cloud-free locations.

These are the first meteor showers since the Eta Aquarids in early May. However, this year, a surprise meteor shower put on a brief but stunning show during Memorial Day weekend.

While 20 meteors per hour translate to one shooting star every several minutes, the Alpha Capricornids might provide some spectacular sparkles in the sky.

The Alpha Capricornid event is notable for fireballs, very intense meteors that can flash brighter than every star in the sky for a few brief seconds, according to the AMS.

Meteors or fireballs can occur anywhere in the sky, so it is advisable to sit back and observe as much of the sky as possible for the best chance of seeing a shooting star. This might be as easy as spreading a blanket in the backyard or resting in a zero-gravity chair.

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