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.
Upcoming Astronomical Events: July 31–August 7, 2026
Date
Event
Best time
Equipment
July 30–31
Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids peak
Night
Naked eye
August 2
Mercury at greatest elongation
Before sunrise
Naked eye
August 3
Neptune near the Moon
Before sunrise
Telescope
August 4
Saturn near the Moon
Before sunrise
Naked eye
August 7
Uranus, the Pleiades, and the Hyades near the Moon
Before sunrise
Binoculars or telescope
August 7
Lunar occultation of the Pleiades
03:22–08:37 GMT
Binoculars or telescope
August 7
Eta Eridanid meteor shower peak
Predawn hours
Naked 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 30-31: Double meteor shower — Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids peak
On July 30–31, two meteor showers will peak on the same night: the Southern Delta Aquariids, with up to 25 meteors per hour, and the Alpha Capricornids, with up to 5 meteors per hour. The bad news is this happens just after the Full Moon, so bright moonlight may hide some of the meteors. To get a better view, try observing from a spot where a building, tree, or another object blocks the Moon from direct view.
On August 2, Mercury will reach its greatest elongation, appearing at its maximum angular distance from the Sun — 19°28′. Although the greatest elongation is generally the best time to observe Mercury, the viewing window will still be quite short: about half an hour before sunrise. Look for the planet low above the eastern horizon in the constellation Gemini.
On August 3, the Moon will pass close to Neptune in the morning sky. The waning Moon will still be fairly bright and may make the faint planet harder to see. Neptune is visible only through a telescope. Much brighter Saturn will also be nearby. It is easily visible to the naked eye, but since you will already have a telescope with you to observe Neptune, take the opportunity to admire Saturn and its rings as well.
On August 4, the Moon will pass close to Saturn in the morning sky. Although the Moon will be fairly bright, it should not prevent you from spotting the bright planet beside it. Neptune will also be nearby, forming a triangle with the Moon and Saturn. However, unlike Saturn, Neptune cannot be seen without a telescope.
August 7: Uranus and the Pleiades near the Moon; Eta Eridanid meteor shower peak
On August 7, the Moon will pass by Uranus, which will lie almost exactly halfway between the Pleiades and the Hyades. The Pleiades and Hyades are visible to the naked eye, while Uranus lies near the naked-eye limit and will be much easier to find with binoculars — especially with the Moon nearby. To enjoy the view without straining your eyes, bring binoculars or a telescope and look for the objects in the predawn sky.
A lunar occultation of the Pleiades will also occur on August 7. It will be visible from a broad area covering North and Central America, the Caribbean, northern South America, Greenland, and parts of the North Atlantic region. Because the Moon appears smaller than the entire Pleiades cluster, it will not cover all its stars at once. Instead, the lunar disk will slowly move across the cluster, hiding some stars while revealing others.
Finally, the Eta Eridanid meteor shower will reach its peak on August 7. It is a relatively modest shower, producing up to three meteors per hour under ideal conditions, so it may not be worth planning a separate observing session for it. However, while watching the Moon, Uranus, and the Pleiades, you can also keep an eye out for shooting stars. Put your binoculars or telescope aside for this part: meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, so the wider your field of view, the better.
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.
