July, Mid-Northern Latitudes (July 15th, 10:30 p.m. local time)

Western Horizon
Eastern Horizon

West

We are in July as we are now gifted with the typical summer skies. The Summer Triangle, that is, and the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. Both those distinctive features are to be found South. Let's turn South! Dead South, the fine view of Scorpio, the Scorpion is seen -and in its entirety provided for a plain horizon! Left of there, conspicuously, you'll easily find, in Sagittarius, the Archer, the center for our Milky Way Galaxy. Due to that we are part of the Galaxy, we're unable to see it, except under the form of the Milky Way. At that period of the year, in summer, we have access to the view of the center of the Galaxy, that bulge of old, yellowish stars -well known to the observers from the usual views of spiral galaxies- and the famed supermassive galactic black hole which is lurking there, like in any other galaxy. The black hole of our own Galaxy is wide like the orbit of Mercury, as a black hole is a place of higher density -the highest found in the Universe- where the gravity force is so high that nothing, not even light, may exit from there! A fine view. Let's now head to the Summer Triangle! This month, it's slightly northeast, high. The Summer Triangle, this distinctive feature of our summer skies, is thus called due to that it's a large figure composed through the three main stars of constellations Cygnus, the Swan, Lyra, the Lyra, and Aquila, the Eagle. The topmost, upper left spike of the triangle is now Deneb, of Cygnus, with Vega, of Lyra to its lower right, as the bottom spike is constituted by Altair, of Aquila. Another fine view! The season is fine too for a full view of Ophiuchus, the Serpent Holder, with its two Serpents either side. Hercules is high above. West, now, you'll see how it's still a good time to check the astronomical saying 'Arc to Arcturus, speed on to Spica.' With the Great Bear northwest, just follow the handle of the Dipper, and the bright star there is Arcturus, of Bootes, the Herdsman, and keeping still, and the other bright star is Spica, of Virgo. Leo, the Lion, is now sinking under the horizon, as the deep-sky galaxy fields of Coma Berenices, the Berenice's Hair, are tending low too. to a printer-friendly chart
West for the tropics. West for the mid-southern latitudes

East

Let's turn East! Small constellations are finely associated with the Summer Triangle, like Sagitta, the Arrow, Delphinus, the Dolphin, or Equuleus, the Little Horse. Cepheus, Cepheus, an often overlooked constellation has now reached high northeast, followed by Cassiopeia, the Queen, or Lacerta, the Lizard. The Great Square of Pegasus is mostly unseeable now, too low, and the same for Capricornus, the Goat. The northern horizon, during summer, is mostly dark, except for the Polaris, as it's the faint Camelopardalis, the Giraffe, which is now transiting in its circumpolar journey over the horizon. to a printer-friendly chart
East for the tropics. East for the mid-southern latitudes

(color maps with Stellarium; printer-friendly charts with Cartes du Ciel, Patrick Chevalley)