The months advance and leave behind great astronomical events that we can observe in the celestial vault. The summer solstice opens the doors to the astronomical calendar for July 2021, which provides us with a brilliant shower of stars and the opportunity to observe Mercury in the firmament.
After the summer solstice, the second half of the year began and the meteor showers are approaching their maximum activity. The cosmic energy of the month of July provides us with interesting astronomical phenomena to observe, including the Delta Aquarids meteor shower. Do not miss the opportunity to reconnect with outer space and get ready to learn the details of the movements of the stars.
Astronomical calendar July 2021
July 4: Mercury at greatest western elongation
POT
The astronomical events of the month of July 2021 start with the greatest western elongation of Mercury. The closest planet to the Sun, it will reach its maximum western elongation, which means that the best time to observe it is before dawn.. Mercury will reach 21.6° from the Sun and can be seen at its highest point above the horizon.
For those who love astrophotography and astronomical observation, they should only look for the planet on the horizon just before sunrise. This is the best opportunity to see it shine in the celestial vault. To observe it with the naked eye, no specialized instrument is required, although of course for those telescope owners the experience can be extremely interesting.
July 24: Full Moon of the Stag
Like every month, the The moon will reach its maximum illumination with the entry of the full moon, commonly known as the full moon.. This is a lunar phase that occurs when our planet is located exactly between the largest body in the Solar System and its natural satellite. That is, between the Sun and the Moon. Right now, the Moon’s angle of elongation is 180°, which means that it is completely opposite the Sun as seen from Earth.
This alignment allows observing the Earth’s natural satellite in its maximum fullness, fully illuminated by sunlight. The full moon in July is called the full deer moon, thanks to the Native American tribes. They used to live in complete harmony with nature, for them all natural phenomena were interconnected, so they distinguished this season of the month of July as the one in which the new antlers of the deer usually appear. Thanks to this, they attributed the name Full Deer Moon to the full moon that occurred in July.
July 28 and 29: Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower
Jheinson Huerta
Meteor showers always draw attention among cosmonauts, they are the perfect moment to get lost in the light poetry that these events give us. The Delta Aquarids meteor shower occurs thanks to the interaction of the Earth’s atmosphere with the cosmic dust left behind by Comet 96P Machholz.
The rain runs annually from July 12 to August 23. Although this year reaches its peak between the night of July 28 and the early morning of July 29. However, the full moon will be an impediment to visualizing the stellar flashes, although if you look towards the constellation of Aquarius, you may catch one or another shooting star.
Find out about all the events that the cosmos has in store for us this year in our 2021 astronomical calendar and don’t miss the opportunity to reconnect with the cosmos.
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