Plan your trip to dark sky areas for better chances of viewing meteor showers. Did you know that New Moons provide the best time to view the stars and celestial objects.
Jun 18: New Moon
Make the most of a moonlight-free night to look for some stars and planets in the skies.
Jun 21: June Solstice
This solstice is the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, where it is the longest day of the year.
In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the winter solstice and the shortest day of the year.
Jul 3: Buck Moon
July’s Full Moon is known as the Buck Moon, signifying the new antlers that emerge on deer buck’s foreheads around this time. This year it falls at 11:38 UTC on July 3.
Jul 6: Earth’s Aphelion
At 20:06 UTC, the Earth will reach its aphelion—the point on its orbit farthest from the Sun.
Jul 17: New Moon
July’s New Moon comes at 18:31 UTC on July 17. The period around New Moon can be a good time to look at the night sky—without a bright Moon around to lighten the sky.
New Moon – the invisible phase
Aug 1: Super Sturgeon Moon
August’s Full Moon is traditionally called the Sturgeon Moon. Other names include the Green Corn Moon, Barley Moon, Fruit Moon, and Grain Moon. This year, it is also a Supermoon.
Aug 10: Mercury at Greatest Elongation East
This might be a good time to try and spot Mercury: the planet appears at its farthest distance from the Sun in the evening sky.
Find Mercury with our Interactive Night Sky Map
Aug 12/13: Perseid Meteors
The Perseid meteor shower is usually one of the most active and brightest meteor showers of the year. Good news: in 2023 the peak nights are around the time of New Moon, which means more meteors will be visible against the dark sky.
Aug 16: Micro New Moon
Two weeks after the Super Sturgeon Moon, August’s New Moon is a Micromoon.
Aug 27: Saturn at Opposition
The ringed planet, Saturn, lies on the opposite side of Earth to the Sun, and is visible from sunset to sunrise.
Find Saturn with our Interactive Night Sky Map
Aug 31: Super Blue Moon
This is the second Full Moon of August 2023, making it—by one definition—a Blue Moon. As with the previous Full Moon, it is also a Supermoon.
Sep 15: New Moon
A New Moon in the sky means no moonlight to hinder your view of stars and planets. Use the Interactive Night Sky Map to find out what planets are visible tonight and where.