Astronomical Calendar & Star Chart Summer 2026
Top Ten Skygazing Picks
Summer Planet Visibilities
Mercury
Evening — Brief appearance June
Morning — Brief appearance July
Venus
Evening — June, July, August
Mars
Morning — July, August
Jupiter
Evening — June
Morning — August
Saturn
Morning — June, July, August
Moon Phases Key
New Moon
First Quarter
Full Moon
Third Quarter
Moon Phases
June
8
14
21
29
July
7
14
21
29
August
5
12
19
29
What’s Up?
Meteor Shower Excitement
Welcome the annual Perseid Meteor Shower! The peak of the shower is Aug. 13-14, but several days before there are also great prospects to leave city lights behind and observe under warm summer nights. The radiant point of the shower is the constellation Perseus which rises post-midnight. Up to 140 meteors an hour are expected. With a new moon casting little light, it could be a great show. Also, late July/early August, look for Comet 10P/Temple I, which is predicted to reach peak brightness, Aug. 3.
Image credit: Credit: NASA, Bill Ingalls
Space News
Celebrating Artemis II’s success — orbiting the Moon at the farthest distance humans have ever traveled, and returning astronauts, Reid Weisman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen safely home – NASA aims for the next mission. Artemis III is underway. Its purpose will be to explore docking station possibilities in near Earth-orbit, partnering with private space companies. It is the next step closer to landing humans on the Moon. Pittsburgh’s space company, Astrobotic, aims to assist that next step with their commercial lunar lander, Griffin Mission I, set to launch in 2026.
How do I use the star chart?
Hold it out in front of you with the direction you’re facing at the bottom of the chart. It works even better if you hold it above your head and look up at it.
Why are east and west switched?
They are only switched because you’re used to looking at maps of the ground. Hold it above your head, and you’ll see the directions line up just right.