Night Sky Tonight: What to See This Week

~2 min
Topics:Skywatching
Night Sky Tonight: What to See This Week
©Vito Technology

Looking for what to see in the sky this week? This guide highlights the upcoming astronomical events. Scroll down for sky maps and viewing tips, and use the Sky Tonight app to check when and where each object will appear in your sky.

Contents

Sky Events Tonight: July 20

  • Moon tonight: Waxing crescent Moon.
  • Planets visible tonight: Evening — Venus. Morning — Saturn, Mars, Uranus, Neptune.
  • Stars and constellations tonight: Northern Hemisphere — Scorpius, Ophiuchus, Draco, Hercules. Southern Hemisphere — Scorpius, Triangulum Australe, Ara, Norma.

Upcoming Astronomical Events: July 20–27, 2026

DateEventBest timeEquipment
July 21First Quarter Moon near SpicaEveningNaked eye
July 21Lunar X and VAround 20:00 GMT, for about 3–4 hoursTelescope
July 22Mars aligns with Aldebaran and ElnathBefore sunriseNaked eye
July 22Venus with Regulus and DenebolaAfter sunsetNaked eye
July 24Moon near AntaresEveningNaked eye

Below, you’ll find sky events arranged by date, with quick viewing tips to help you choose the best nights for stargazing. All dates are listed in GMT, so the exact calendar date may differ in your local time zone; however, the times shown on the sky maps are given in local time.

July 21: First Quarter Moon near Spica; Lunar X and V

Night Sky Tonight: Spica near the Moon on July 21
On July 21, the Moon will reach its First Quarter phase. That evening, look for a bright dot nearby — that’s Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. This is also a great time to explore the Moon’s surface. The terminator — the line between lunar day and night — will cut across the lunar disk, making mountains, craters, and ridges stand out in sharp relief.
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Night Sky Tonight: Lunar X and V on July 21
Around this phase, you may also spot the famous Lunar X and Lunar V: short-lived patterns of light and shadow that appear when sunlight hits the rims of certain craters at just the right angle. They should begin to appear around 20:00 GMT on July 21 and remain visible for about 3–4 hours. The best views will be from places where the Moon is already above the horizon, and the sky is dark at that time. Good locations include Africa, especially central and southern regions, as well as parts of Europe and South America.
©Dylan O’Donnell

July 22: Mars aligns with Aldebaran and Elnath; Venus equidistant from Regulus and Denebola

Night Sky Tonight: Mars with Aldebaran and Elnath on July 22
Before sunrise on July 22, look for an almost straight line of three bright points in the morning sky. Reddish Mars will appear between Aldebaran and Elnath — two bright stars in Taurus. The line will stretch across about 15 degrees, so it’s best viewed with the naked eye. Luckily, all three objects are bright enough to see without any equipment.
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Night Sky Tonight: Venus with Regulus and Denebola on July 22
Later that evening, Venus will form a wide isosceles triangle with Regulus and Denebola, the two brightest stars in Leo. This triangle will be quite wide — about 25 degrees across — so again, your eyes are the best tool for the job.
©Vito Technology

July 24: Moon near Antares

Night Sky Tonight: Moon near Antares on July 24
On the evening of July 24, the Moon will appear close to Antares, the bright reddish star in Scorpius. Both will be easy to spot with the naked eye.
©Vito Technology
Night Sky Tonight: Lunar occultation of Antares on July 24
On the same day, the Moon will briefly cover Antares. This lunar occultation will be visible from Antarctica, the South Sandwich Islands, and the Falkland Islands — so the main audience will be penguins and seals.
©Vito Technology

Night Sky Tonight: Bottom Line

There is almost always something worth seeing in the night sky. Use this guide to choose the best events for tonight and the coming days, but remember that visibility depends on your location, local time, weather, and light pollution. For the most accurate view, check the exact position of each object in the Sky Tonight app before you go outside.

Want to plan beyond the dates listed here? Check the full monthly calendar of astronomical events in July 2026.

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Topics:Skywatching
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