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 11

  • Tonight’s highlight: Moon near the Pleiades, Mars, and Uranus; Pleiades occultation in some regions.
  • Moon tonight: Waning 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 11–18, 2026

DateEventBest timeEquipment
July 10–11Moon near the Pleiades, Mars, and UranusBefore sunriseNaked eye for the Moon and Mars; binoculars or telescope for Uranus
July 11Pleiades occultation by the MoonBefore sunriseBinoculars recommended
July 14New Moon — dark-sky nightAll nightNaked eye for the Milky Way; binoculars or telescope for deep-sky objects
July 17Moon near Venus and RegulusAfter sunsetNaked eye; telescope for Venus’ illuminated disk

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 10-11: Moon near the Pleiades, Mars, and Uranus

Night Sky Tonight: Moon near the Pleiades, Mars and Uranus on July 10-11
On the night of July 10 to 11, the thin waning crescent Moon will pass close to the Pleiades in the early morning sky before sunrise. Mars and Uranus will also shine nearby, with Mars visible to the naked eye and Uranus requiring binoculars or a telescope.
©Vito Technology
Lunar occultation of the Pleiades on July 11
For some regions, the Moon will pass directly in front of the cluster, briefly hiding some of its stars from view. This lunar occultation of the Pleiades will be visible across much of Asia, including the Middle East, Central Asia, India, China, Southeast Asia, and parts of Eastern Europe.
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July 14: New Moon — the darkest sky of the month

Night Sky Tonight: New Moon on July 14
On July 14, the Moon reaches its New Moon phase, leaving the night sky especially dark. This is one of the best times of the year to see the Milky Way: in July, its bright central region is visible for much of the night, especially from dark locations away from city lights. Let your eyes adapt to the darkness, then look for the pale, cloudy band stretching across the sky. The moonless night is also perfect for observing faint galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters of July.
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July 17: Moon near Venus and Regulus

Night Sky Tonight: Moon near Venus and Regulus on July 17
On July 17, the Moon will appear close to Venus and Regulus in the evening sky. The waxing crescent will form a beautiful triangle with these two bright dots. All three objects are easy to see with the naked eye, low above the horizon after sunset. And if you have a telescope, try pointing it at Venus — you’ll see its disk about 62% illuminated.
©Vito Technology
Night Sky Tonight: Lunar occultation of Regulus on July 17
Also on July 17, the Moon will pass in front of Regulus, briefly hiding the bright star from view. This event is called a lunar occultation. Unfortunately, it will only be visible from a small area over the Pacific Ocean.
©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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