July 2025 skywatching: Bright planets and a summer constellation 

From bright planets to a mythological bird soaring among the stars, July 2025 has an exciting show lined up in the night sky. 

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has shared its skywatching highlights – revealing what to be on the lookout for this month, from sunset to sunrise.

Planets in motion

Venus reigns in the morning sky all month, shining brightly in the east during the hours before sunrise. Look for it near the Pleiades star cluster and two brilliant stars – Aldebaran and Capella.

Mars is visible in the western sky shortly after sunset, glowing about 20 degrees above the horizon before it sets a couple of hours later. On July 28, it forms a striking pair with the crescent Moon.

Jupiter begins to climb into the morning sky after mid-month. Initially low on the eastern horizon, it rises higher each day, heading toward a dramatic August conjunction with Venus.

Mercury is visible only briefly – watch for it in the west during the first week of July, beginning about 30 to 45 minutes after sunset. It stays close to the horizon and sets quickly, so timing and a clear view are key.

Saturn makes its entrance around midnight and climbs high in the southern sky by dawn – offering a glimpse of the planet for early risers.

The first successful Mars mission

July 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of NASA’s Mariner 4 mission, which performed the first successful Mars flyby in 1965.

The spacecraft sent back the first close-up images of the Martian surface and revealed that the planet’s atmosphere was thin, cold, and not as Earth-like as once imagined. 

Before Mariner 4, many scientists and the public still held out hope that Mars might resemble a second Earth – perhaps even supporting vegetation or signs of life. 

However, the grainy black-and-white images, showing a cratered, barren landscape, were a sobering reality check that reshaped our understanding of the Red Planet.

Despite dashing earlier hopes, Mariner 4 paved the way for decades of Mars exploration. It was the first time humans had seen another planet up close. The mission proved that long-distance robotic exploration was not only possible, but essential. 

Spotting Aquila in the July sky

July is also the ideal time to view Aquila, the Eagle constellation, in the eastern sky during the first half of the night. Its brightest star, Altair, is easy to spot and forms part of the Summer Triangle, along with Vega and Deneb.

Aquila represents the eagle of Zeus in Greek mythology – a powerful messenger and symbol of divine strength.

Altair marks the eagle’s heart, with its wings stretching wide across the night sky. To find it, look for the triangle-shaped pattern and note that Altair sits at the southern point.

While Aquila’s other stars aren’t as bright, they’re easier to trace under dark skies. The second half of July is especially good for observing this constellation, as the Moon rises later and leaves the early night sky darker.

For those in the Northern Hemisphere, Aquila is a summer favorite. Once you’ve located Altair, try to follow the eagle’s full wingspan across the sky. It appears to fly northward with its wings outstretched.

Key dates for July skywatching 

• July 1–7: Mercury is bright and easy to spot in the west after sunset – if you catch it in time. It vanishes within an hour of sundown.
• July 21–22: Look east before sunrise to see Venus and Jupiter joined by a crescent Moon, along with several bright stars.
• July 28: In the evening sky, the Moon passes close to Mars, offering a beautiful pairing.

Whether you’re watching Mars fade into the west or spotting Venus and Jupiter at dawn, July will be a rewarding month to keep an eye on the sky. 

NASA’s monthly “What’s Up” guide helps us stay connected to the ever-changing night sky. To explore more about NASA’s space missions and skywatching tools, visit science.nasa.gov.

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