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Meteor Fire, Planet Parades & the Buck Moon Rising — What’s Coming in North Carolina’s Skies This July 2025

Updated: Jul 8

By Juxtaposed Tides | Adventure Forecast: Celestial Chaos Worth Chasing

Meteor, planets, and Buck Moon over landscape. Text: What to shoot in NC skies July 2025, meteor fire, planet parades, Buck Moon rising. Juxtaposed Tides logo at the bottom

Introduction to this Month's Carolina’s Night Skies


The strawberry moon of June hung low, keeping its secrets. Those who braved the humid dusk in Deep Gap or the warm salt air of the Banks know that when the moon barely clears the horizon, it speaks in color. It tells stories and brings stillness. Our team, Juxtaposed Tides Aperture Abenteuer, enjoyed this celestial event from Mocksville, NC. An evening skate under the moonlight was a pure delight. From the beautiful community garden to the quaintest main street, the epic strawberry moonrise was grand, and charming to say the least.



Now, July stretches across the skies with a unique celestial drama that simply cannot be ignored. This month, the stars shout. Planets gather like traffic on the dawn horizon. Meteors fall freely. The Milky Way arches pridefully above our Carolina skies. For a few golden nights, we become travelers wandering through fire, dust, and starlight.


Whether you're equipped with a DSLR, a smartphone camera, or just your own two eyes, remember: July isn't subtle. She will not appear quietly.


A Planet Parade Worth Peeling the Lids Back For

All Month | Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune


In July 2025, the planets align beautifully. Almost every major planet gets a role in the early-morning sky. Venus and Jupiter glow the brightest. Venus still reigns in the east before sunrise while Jupiter rises late in the month in the northeast with a faint orange gleam.


Mars lingers in the dusk, quietly glowing in the east after sunset. Saturn rises after midnight and reaches its peak visibility before dawn by month’s end. Neptune and Uranus trail behind in the twilight—faint, distant, but unwavering.


Don’t Miss:

  • Saturn and Neptune’s rare conjunction on July 16, just 1° apart. If you have a telescope or a long lens, this is your moment.

  • The triad of Venus, Jupiter, and the Crescent Moon – July 21–23 in the dawn sky. Make sure to pull off the road, set up your tripod, and capture celestial geometry at its finest.


Best Spots to Watch:

  • Pilot Mountain overlook — Shoot the full dawn lineup over the misty valley.

  • OBX boardwalks or fishing piers — A perfect flat eastern horizon awaits.

  • Hanging Rock State Park — A predawn hike offers stunning ridge silhouettes.


The Buck Moon: Standing Tall in the Heat

July 10 | Full Moon | 4:36 PM (rises ~8:40 PM local)


It's mid-summer, and everything is growing—antlers, gardens, fireflies, intentions, and especially the mercury in the glass. The Buck Moon rises with weight. It has authority. High in the heat and thick in the atmosphere, it casts light that clings to the skin. This moon lights the path for adventure, both mental and physical.


Unlike June’s Strawberry Moon, this one is bolder. It rises higher, appearing less delicate and far more dramatic. We all know what they say about the wild ones when the full moon hangs high!


Where to Capture the Rise:

  • Waterrock Knob — High elevation offers long western views.

  • Uwharrie’s Badin Lake shore — Perfect for moon reflection shots.

  • Salem Lake dock — A local, lush, and luminous viewing experience.


Shot Tip: Bring a long lens for the rise, then switch to wide for some breath-taking moonlight captures over your landscape.


New Moon = Galactic Gateway

July 24 | New Moon | All Night


You’re holding a deep-sky golden ticket. With the moon hidden, there’s no light pollution from the sky’s brightest spotlight. It is time to chase the Milky Way, track down the Dumbbell Nebula, and peer into cosmic time. Buckle your safety belts, folks!


Starry night sky with shimmering stars across a dark expanse, fading into a deep red glow at the bottom, evoking a sense of wonder. milky way featuring aurora borealis sighting in Black Balsam Knob NC
The Milky Way and Aurora Borealis illuminate the night sky from atop Black Balsam Knob, beautifully captured by a Juxtaposed Tides team member.

This is prime time for stacked exposures, star trails, and dreams in full-frame.


Milky Way Season Must-Captures:

  • M8 Lagoon Nebula

  • M16 Eagle Nebula

  • M22 Globular Cluster

  • M27 Dumbbell

  • Sagittarius Star Cloud


Where to Go:

  • Grayson Highlands (VA line) — Known for great elevation and darkness.

  • PARI (Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute) — A mix of science and scenery.

  • Rural farmland in Yadkin or Alleghany County — Enjoy wide open and wild skies.


Two Meteor Showers, One Epic Sky


Delta Aquariids: July 18 – August 21 (Peak: July 29–30)

Alpha Capricornids: July 12 – August 12 (Fireballs mid-month through peak on July 30)


The first shower is steady, while the second brings fiery excitement. Together, they might just light the sky ablaze. This year, their peaks will occur during a dark moon window, ensuring perfect visibility—if the clouds cooperate.


What to Know:

  • Delta Aquariids = Fainter but consistent (15–20 meteors/hour).

  • Alpha Capricornids = Rare but can produce bright fireballs.


When and Where to View:

  • After midnight, especially post-new moon (July 24–30).

  • Waterfalls Park (Newland) — Offers wide viewing angles.

  • OBX sound-side beaches — Enjoy open skies and gentle sea whispers.

  • Celo Knob area — Quiet, high, and dark for optimal viewing.


Tip: Set up a time-lapse. Instead of watching the sky, let your lens do the work while you relax in a hammock.


The Lunar X and V — Moon Illusion Magic

July 2 | 10:40 PM (UT) = ~6:40 PM EDT (low angle)


This phenomenon lasts for just a couple of hours. When the light strikes the Moon just right, it creates an optical illusion of a bright “X” and “V” near the terminator line. It’s fleeting, weird, and utterly beautiful.


Use a telephoto or simply grab binoculars and a lawn chair to enjoy.


Noctilucent Dreams and Planet Lineups

All Month | Just After Sunset or Just Before Sunrise



If the upper atmosphere cooperates, you might see noctilucent clouds—those rare glowing blue whispers—just after sunset or just before sunrise. Combine that beauty with the planet parade early and late, and you have sky drama around the clock.


Visual Poetry Tip: Capture silhouettes beneath glowing streaks. Add a human element for scale or simply bask in the beauty.


Camera with constellations in a dark sky. Text: July 2025, What to Shoot in Carolina's Night Skies, Brought to You by Juxtaposed Tides.

Photographer’s Corner: What to Bring, What to Chase


  • Wide-angle and long zoom lens combo

  • Dark sky maps (SkyTonight app or Clear Outside)

  • Bug spray and a headlamp with a red filter

  • Extra batteries (and caffeine)

  • Tripod and intervalometer for star trails or occultations

  • Optional: Camp chair, old friend, thermos of tea, open heart


Table titled Photographer’s Corner 2025 with July celestial events. Includes dates, notes, and viewing tips for events like Lunar X and meteor showers. Designed by Juxtaposed Tides

Final Word


July embodies movement—heavenly and earthly. It’s a migration of light, heat, shadow, and sound. Fireflies flicker, meteors tumble, and planets align. The camera stands ready—quiet, curious, and wide open.


Take the picture, but also—take the pause. Let the sky imprint something within you. Be here now!

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