The planets have been absent for the last few months in 2024, their visibility hampered by the Sun’s glare in the morning sky, compounded by really short Northern Hemisphere nights near the June solstice.
The ecliptic has been at a shallow angle with the horizon at sunrise too, factors adding to a poor recent performance from the main planets.
But things are about to change for the better, as the planets begin to return to our skies in July 2024.
For weekly stargazing advice, sign up to receive the BBC Sky at Night Magazine e-newsletter and listen to our Star Diary podcast.
July 2024 planets
At the start of July 2024, bright morning skies are still present.
Saturn approaches a fair altitude (for the current appearance of Saturn, at least!), of around 25° above the southeast horizon just before sunrise on 1 July.
Nearer the Sun are mag. +1.0 Mars, mag. +5.8 Uranus and mag. –1.9 Jupiter.
On the morning of 1 July, a 25%-lit waning crescent Moon appears near Mars, its diminishing crescent working its way along the line of planets over subsequent mornings, appearing 9%-lit and 4.6° from Jupiter on 3 July.
Mars begins the month in Aries, while Jupiter and Uranus are next door in Taurus.
The bright morning twilight hides some of the lovely stars in this region of sky at the start of the month, but this changes at the end of July.
Throughout the month, Mars tracks east, crossing into Taurus on 11 July and closing the gap on Uranus.
Shining at mag. +0.9, Mars slides just over half a degree south of dimmer Uranus on the mornings of 15 and 16 July.
This should be observable around 02:30 BST (01:30 UT) under deep twilight.
At this time, the Pleiades cluster is also viewable 6.3° northeast of Mars. Jupiter will be 15° from Mars in the direction of the Sun.
Late July is all Mars and Jupiter
Morning darkness improves in the second half of July, Mars continuing to track east, appearing 5° south of the Pleiades on the morning of 21 July.
The gap between Mars and Jupiter will be 12° on this date. In addition, most of Taurus can now be seen as a backdrop under dark conditions.
On the morning of 28 July, with Mars now just 8.7° west of Jupiter, the Moon begins to encroach again.
Appearing at last quarter on the morning of 28 July, the Moon sits further west of the planets in Aries.
On 30 July, the now 28%-lit Moon sits near the Pleiades, 5.3° from Mars.
On the following morning, now 19%-lit, the Moon lies 5.1° from bright Jupiter.
At 02:30 BST (01:30 UT), the sky will be truly dark and although Taurus and its visitors will be low above the east-northeast horizon, this should be quite a sight.
How to see the planets in July 2024
Mercury
- Best time to see: 18 July, 30 minutes after sunset
- Altitude: 4° (very low)
- Location: Leo
- Direction: West-northwest
On 1 July, mag. –0.4 Mercury sets 70 minutes after sunset. Shining at mag. –0.1 on 7 July, a 3%-lit waxing crescent Moon sits 2.2° to the north. Reaching greatest eastern elongation just after mid-month, Mercury remains poorly placed. On 18 July, mag. +0.4 Mercury sets an hour after sunset. By 31 July, this reduces to 30 minutes and mag. +1.1 Mercury is unlikely to be seen.
Venus
- Best time to see: 31 July, 20 minutes after sunset
- Altitude: 2° (extremely low)
- Location: Leo
- Direction: West-northwest
Venus is not well positioned in the evening twilight after sunset, the mag. –3.8 planet setting 30 minutes after the Sun on 1 July and 40 minutes after the Sun by the end of July. It provides an opportunity to navigate to a less than 1%-lit waxing crescent Moon 3.3° northeast of Venus on the evening of 6 July.
Mars
- Best time to see: 31 July, 03:00 BST (02:00 UT)
- Altitude: 17°
- Location: Taurus
- Direction: East
On 1 July, mag. +1.0 Mars rises nearly three hours before sunrise with a 25%-lit waning crescent Moon 7° to the west. On 2 July, now 17%-lit, the Moon sits 6° northeast of Mars. Uranus and Mars appear separated by 39 arcminutes on the morning of 15 July, Mars at mag. +0.9 and Uranus at +5.8, both 6° south-southwest of the Pleiades.
Mars sits 4.8° south of the Pleiades on the morning of 21 July. At the end of July, Mars rises around 00:50 BST (23:50 UT). On the morning of 30 July, mag. +0.9 Mars sits 7.8° west of mag. –2.0 Jupiter. A 29%-lit waning crescent Moon lies 5.6° northwest of Mars and 2.1° east-southeast of the Pleiades on this date.
Jupiter
- Best time to see: 31 July, 03:20 BST (02:20 UT)
- Altitude: 16°
- Location: Taurus
- Direction: East-northeast
- Features: Complex atmosphere, brighter moons
- Recommended equipment: 75mm scope or larger
For more info, read our guide to observing Jupiter in July 2024.
Saturn
- Best time to see: 31 July, 03:20 BST (02:20 UT)
- Altitude: 30°
- Location: Aquarius
- Direction: South
Saturn struggles in the morning sky at the start of July, but improves by the end of the month. Shortly after rising late evening on 24 July, an 83%-lit waning gibbous Moon sits 1.3° east of Saturn. By 31 July, Saturn appears at its highest altitude of 30°, due south, under deep twilight.
Uranus
- Best time to see: 31 July, 02:45 BST (01:45 UT)
- Altitude: 20°
- Location: Taurus
- Direction: East
Mag. +5.8 Uranus is in the dawn twilight and not viable. But, given a flat east-northeast horizon and clear skies on 15 July, look for Uranus 39 arcminutes from mag. +0.9 Mars.
Neptune
- Best time to see: 31 July, 02:40 BST (01:40 UT)
- Altitude: 31°
- Location: Pisces
- Direction: Southeast
Mag. +7.8 Neptune’s position improves during July to reach an altitude of around 30° by the end of the month.
Keep us up to date with you planetary observing and imaging by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com
