Constellations by month

Constellations of July

The 10 constellations at their best in July are Apus, Ara, Corona Borealis, Draco, Hercules, Norma, Ophiuchus, Scorpius, Serpens and Triangulum Australe. The charts show the whole sky at 9 pm on July 15 from 40°N and 35°S. The Southern delta Aquariids and alpha Capricornids peak this month.

The sky at 9 pm in mid-July from 40°N HERCULES DRACO OPHIUCHUS SERPENS SCORPIUS CORONA BOREALIS VIRGO URSA MAJOR PEGASUS LEO BOÖTES CYGNUS CAMELOPARDALIS ANDROMEDA AQUILA CASSIOPEIA CEPHEUS LYNX LIBRA CANES VENATICI LUPUS LYRA VULPECULA URSA MINOR LEO MINOR LACERTA CORVUS SCUTUM EQUULEUS N S E W
From 40°N (the United States, southern Europe, northern China, Japan). North at top; turn the chart so the direction you face is at the bottom.
The sky at 9 pm in mid-July from 35°S HERCULES OPHIUCHUS SERPENS SCORPIUS ARA APUS CORONA BOREALIS NORMA TRIANGULUM AUSTRALE HYDRA VIRGO CENTAURUS BOÖTES SAGITTARIUS AQUILA LIBRA VELA CARINA COMA BERENICES PAVO GRUS TUCANA INDUS OCTANS LYRA CRATER VULPECULA TELESCOPIUM PISCIS AUSTRINUS HYDRUS ANTLIA MICROSCOPIUM DELPHINUS CORVUS DORADO MENSA VOLANS MUSCA RETICULUM SCUTUM EQUULEUS CRUX S N W E
From 35°S (Sydney, Cape Town, Buenos Aires). South at top; the center is overhead and the rim is the horizon.

Bright lines and names: constellations at their best in July. Gold dashes: the ecliptic, where the Moon and planets travel. 9 pm local standard time on July 15; the same view comes an hour earlier at the end of the month and an hour later at the start. Click a name to open its chart.

Apus, Ara, Corona Borealis, Draco, Hercules, Norma, Ophiuchus, Scorpius, Serpens and Triangulum Australe are at their best in July

A constellation is at its best when it stands highest in the evening, due south from the northern hemisphere or due north from the southern. The last two columns give its height above the horizon at 9 pm in mid-July.

ConstellationMeaningHemisphereBrightest starMessierAt 40°NAt 35°S
ApusBird-of-ParadiseSouthernApodisbelow horizon51°
AraAltarSouthernBeta Araebelow horizon68°
Corona BorealisNorthern CrownNorthernGemma79°22°
DracoDragonNorthernEltanin163°below horizon
HerculesHerculesNorthernKornephorus283°20°
NormaSquare (and Rule)SouthernGamma2 Normaebelow horizon73°
OphiuchusSerpent BearerSouthernRasalhague752°51°
ScorpiusScorpionSouthernAntares412°87°
SerpensSerpentNorthernUnukalhai243°41°
Triangulum AustraleSouthern TriangleSouthernAtriabelow horizon57°

Constellations more than 20° high at 9 pm in July

Measured at the center of each constellation. Large constellations can be partly visible when their center is lower.

From 40°N: 24 constellations

From 35°S: 33 constellations

Meteor showers peaking in July

Rates are the zenithal hourly rate, the count one observer would see under a dark sky with the radiant overhead; real counts are lower. Peak dates move by about a day from year to year.

ShowerPeakActiveRate per hourRadiantParent body
Southern delta AquariidsJul 31Jul 12 - Aug 2325Aquarius96P/Machholz complex
alpha CapricornidsJul 31Jul 3 - Aug 155Capricornus169P/NEAT
July gamma DraconidsJul 28Jul 25 - Jul 315Draco
July PegasidsJul 10Jul 1 - Jul 203PegasusC/1979 Y1 (Bradfield) (probable)
Alpha CygnidsJul 1Cygnus
Alpha/Beta PerseidsJul 23Perseus
alpha LacertidsJul 7Lacerta

Video: July stargazing

July Stargazing: Constellations · Watch on YouTube

Constellations month by month

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