ASTRONOMICAL BULLETIN FOR JULY, 2026

The Moon

Last Quarter occurs on 08th at h. 00-59 I.S.T.	New Moon occurs on 14th at h. 15-14 I.S.T.
First Quarter occurs on 21st at h. 16-36 I.S.T.	Full Moon occurs on 29th at h. 20-06 I.S.T.
The Lunar Crescent becomes first visible after the New Moon day in the evening of 15th.
The Moon is at Perigee or nearest to the Earth on 13th and at Apogee or farthest from the Earth on 25th.

The Moon passes about 5⁰ north of Neptune on 07^th, about 6½⁰ north of Saturn on 08^th just before sunrise, about 5½⁰ north of Uranus on 11^th, about 5½⁰ north of Mars on 11^th, about 8½⁰ north of Mercury on 14^th, about 1⁰ north of Jupiter on 15^th, about 2⁰ south of Venus on 17^th.

The Earth

The Earth approaches the Aphelion position in its orbit or reaches farthest from the Sun on 06^th.

The Planets

Visibility of Planets:

Mercury: The planet sets about 1 hour to ½ hour after sunset up to 03^rd of the month. From 04^th the planet is too close to the Sun to be visible up to 20^th of the month. From 21^st it becomes visible in the eastern sky and rises about 1 hour to 1½ hours before sunrise for the remaining days of the month. The planet is at Aphelion or farthest from the Sun in its orbit on 01^st. The planet is in Inferior Conjunction with the Sun on 13^th of the month. The motion of the planet becomes Direct with respect to Earth from 24^th.

Venus: The planet sets about 2½ hours after sunset throughout the month.

Mars: The planet rises about 2½ hours to 2 hours after local midnight throughout the month.

Jupiter: The planet sets about 1½ hours to 1 hour after sunset up to the first quarter of the month and about 1 hour to ½ hour after sunset up to 15^th of the month. From 15^th the planet is too close to the Sun to be visible. The planet is in Conjunction with the Sun on 29^th of the month.

Saturn: The planet rises about ½ hour to 1 hour before local midnight up to the second quarter of the month, about 1 hour to 1½ hours before it up to the third quarter of the month and about 1½ hours to 2 hours before it for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in Quadrature with the Sun on 06^th. The motion of the planet becomes Retrograde with respect to the Earth from 27^th.

Uranus: The planet rises about 2½ hours to 2 hours after local midnight up to the first quarter of the month, about 2 hours to 1½ hours after it up to the second quarter of the month, about 1½ hours to 1 hour after it up to the third quarter of the month and about 1 hour to ½ hour after it for the remaining days of the month.

Neptune: The planet rises about 1 hour to 1½ hours before local midnight up to the second quarter of the month, about 1½ hours to 2 hours before it up to the third quarter of the month and about 2 hours to 2½ hours before it for the remaining days of the month. The motion of the planet becomes Retrograde with respect to the Earth from 07^th.

Conjunction of Planet:

Mercury passes about 10½⁰ south of Pollux (Punarvasu) on 04^th.

Venus passes about 1⁰ north of Regulus (Magha) on 09^th.

Mars passes about 5½⁰ north of Aldebaran (Rohini) on 14^th.

Planets	Planets in Zodiacal Constellation	Magnitude
Mercury (Budha)	Moves from Cancer (Karkata) to Gemini (Mithuna) on 07th (Retrograde)	+2.2 to +5.4 +5.4 to +0.4
Venus (Sukra)	Moves from Cancer (Karkata) to Leo (Simha) on 04th	–4.1 to –4.3
Mars (Mangala)	Remains in Taurus (Vrisha)	+1.3
Jupiter (Brihaspati)	Remains in Cancer (Karkata)	–1.8
Saturn (Sani)	Remains in Pisces (Mina)	+0.8 to +0.7
Uranus	Remains in Taurus (Vrisha)	+6.0
Neptune	Remains in Pisces (Mina)	+8.0

Source : Head
Positional Astronomy Centre
India Meteorological Department
Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700 091