NASA's Skywatching Tips for July Feature Venus and Milky Way

NASA has two special skywatching tips to offer for the month of March.First, July is a great month to see Venus, Earth's closest planetary neighbor (in terms if its closest approach).Venus, also known as the Morning Star or the Evening Star depending on when it is visible, joins the former this month. It will be visible in the west around an hour after sunset. Mars is faintly nearby.You can actually watch Venus and Mars getting closer each night, culminating in a close conjunction on July 12, NASA states. They will be just a few fingers apart.Gazing at Venus can be a great way to reflect on the fact that NASA has just announced two missions. VERITAS spacecraft and DAVINCI+ spacecraft are going to analyze Venus' atmosphere and surface in an effort to understand how it became so hot.Milky WayNASA says this month is a great opportunity to see the Milky Way, which it calls a magical sight.NASA explains how we see our spiral galaxy from the inside.According to the space agency, while some of the Milky Way can be seen in the night sky all year, the bright core and complex core are only visible during specific months.NASA states that the core must rise in the morning to be visible earlier in the season. However, in June and July the core can already be seen well up to 2 a.m., when the sun starts to set.You should look for dark skies and low levels of light pollution to get the best views of the Milky Way. Avoid the full moon days and days that are close to them as their brightness will overwhelm the Milky Way.NASA recommends that you choose three to four nights before the new moon, but it is also a good idea to look at the week before or after. Below is a calendar that shows the best days to see the Milky Way in July.NASA's detailed information page provides a complete overview of everything you should be looking out for in the sky during this month.Digital Trends offers a guide that will help you get the best photos.Editors' Recommendations