Like we mentioned in previous astronomy highlights, the summer months are packed full with objects and events to observe, despite it being the brightest skies of the year. Throughout the summer, there are planets, meteor showers, constellations and spectacular noctilucent clouds to observe. So let’s get stuck in to July 2025.

Mercury at greatest elongation – July 4th

When Mercury is at its greatest elongation, it reaches its maximum apparent distance from the Sun as seen from Earth. Because Mercury orbits so close to the Sun, it’s usually hidden in the Sun’s glare. During the greatest elongation, either eastern (after sunset) or western (before sunrise) Mercury appears highest above the horizon, making it easier to observe with the naked eye. This is one of the best times to spot the elusive planet in the twilight sky. At the beginning of July, Mercury will be visible after sunset.

Mercury – NASA

Full Buck Moon – July 10th

The Full Buck Moon occurs in July and is named after the time of year when male deer, or bucks, begin to grow new antlers. In 2025, it will reach full illumination on July 10. This Moon is part of a long-standing tradition of naming full moons based on seasonal changes. This allowed civilisations before us to understand better what time of year it was to assist with seasonal tasks like hunting and land preperation.

Full Moon Matt Robinson

Moon and Mars Conjunction – July 28th

On July 28th, the Moon and Mars will appear very close to each other in the evening sky. The moon will be in a beautiful crescent phase alongside Mars, glowing a bright red. Conjunctions are a great way to visually observe and understant the layout of our solar system with your very eyes as the Moon moves accross our skies quicker than the planets. The Babylonians and Greeks were the first to notice the planets moving differently from the fixed stars and it’s because of the Greeks we call them planets, which comes from the Greek word planētēs which means wanderer.

Moon Mars Conjunction by hypern0va_

Noctilucent Clouds – All Month

We’re going to mention these clouds as much as we can during the summer months, they have already been spotted over the last few days and can be absolutely spectacular.  Noctilucent clouds are rare, high-altitude clouds that glow after sunsetand before sunrise in the northern and eastern sky. They form about 80 kilometres (50 miles) above Earth’s surface in the mesosphere, making them the highest clouds in our atmosphere. Composed of tiny ice crystals, they’re visible during summer at high latitudes when the Sun is just below the horizon. The sunlight illuminates these clouds from below, causing them to shimmer with a bluish or silvery light, making them a stunning and unusual atmospheric phenomenon.

NLC Matt Robinson

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Image Credits: Matt Robinson, hypern0va_, NASA