A Sky Full of Heavenly Lights, Ushering Us Through the Lion’s Gate
STARWALK ASTRONOMICAL NEWS: 07/29/2025
Get ready for a double meteor shower in the night sky! At the end of July, two meteor streams – the Southern Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids – will peak on the same night, offering an especially rich display of shooting stars. In total, four meteor showers will reach their maximum in late July, but this overlapping peak is the real highlight.
The radiant of the Southern Delta Aquariids lies near the faint star Skat (δ Aquarii). Use the bright star Fomalhaut and the Great Square of Pegasus to help locate it. In the Northern Hemisphere, the radiant appears in the southern sky; in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s closer to the zenith. The left side of the image shows the view from Springfield, Illinois, USA; the right side shows the view from Sydney, Australia.
Southern Delta Aquariids
The Southern Delta Aquariids (often simply called the Delta Aquariids or δ-Aquariids) are one of the most reliable and long-lasting meteor showers of the year. Although they don’t produce a dramatic peak, their activity remains steady over several weeks. In 2025, this shower will be especially exciting because it will peak on the same night as the Alpha Capricornids, creating a double display of shooting stars.
Peak: July 30–31
Maximum Activity: Around 21:00 GMT on July 30, 2025
Meteors per hour: 25
Moon illumination: 42%
Active: July 12 – August 23
Constellation: Aquarius
Best visible from: Southern Hemisphere
Parent body: Comet 96P/Machholz
The best time to observe the Southern Delta Aquariids is from midnight to early morning. Although the shower technically peaks around 21:00 GMT on July 30, this time doesn’t always correspond to the best local viewing conditions. Instead, plan your observation for the nights of July 29–31, ideally at around 3 a.m. local time, when the radiant is high enough, the Moon has set, and the sky is dark.
How to tell the Delta Aquariids apart from the Perseids?
Since the Delta Aquariids and the Perseids are both active in late July, it’s common to see meteors from both showers on the same night in the Northern Hemisphere. The Delta Aquariids radiate from the constellation Aquarius, generally in the southern sky, while the Perseids come from the northeast, from the constellation Perseus.
Alpha Capricornids 2025
The radiant of the Alpha Capricornids lies in the constellation Capricornus, near the star Algedi (α Capricorni). You can use the bright star Altair in Aquila to locate it. In the Northern Hemisphere, the radiant appears low in the southeastern sky, while in the Southern Hemisphere, it rises higher and is easier to spot. The left side of the image shows the view from Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; the right side shows the view from Melbourne, Australia.
The Alpha Capricornids (α-Capricornids) are a minor meteor shower in terms of meteor count, but they are famous for producing bright, slow-moving fireballs.
Peak: July 30–31
Meteors per hour: 5
Moon illumination: 42%
Active: July 3 – August 15
Constellation: Capricornus
Best visible from: Southern Hemisphere
Parent body: Comet 169P/NEAT
The Alpha Capricornids are best observed in the evening and early night hours, as their radiant rises earlier than that of the Delta Aquariids. After 22:00 local time, the meteors begin to appear, with activity continuing into the early morning. Their slow speed and tendency to produce large, long-lasting fireballs make them especially easy to observe, even from light-polluted areas.
While the meteor count is low, what makes this shower special is the quality over quantity. The bright fireballs can be truly stunning, and when combined with the more numerous Delta Aquariids.
Minor meteor showers to watch in late July 2025: Piscis Austrinids and Gamma Draconids
See StarWalk website for further details.
August Events: Six-planet alignment, and spectacular conjunction of Venus and Jupiter.
Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn in a planetary alignment on August 10, 2025, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere.
August 10: 6-Planet Alignment in the Pre-Dawn Sky
On the morning of August 10, 2025, a rare six-planet alignment will grace the pre-dawn sky, featuring Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. About an hour before sunrise, four of these — Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn — will be visible to the naked eye. Uranus and Neptune will also appear nearby but will require binoculars or a small telescope to observe.
This alignment coincides with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, so stargazers might also catch a few shooting stars. The nearly full Moon will appear below Saturn in Aquarius, washing out Neptune but offering a dramatic view.
Don’t miss this impressive planetary parade — the next chance won’t come until February 2026.
More Details on the Planetary Parade
August 11-12: Peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower
The Perseids, one of the most popular and reliable meteor showers of the year, will peak on the night of August 11–12. During the peak, the meteor shower produces up to 100 meteors per hour, many of them bright and fast, often leaving glowing trails. This year, however, a nearly full Moon will brighten the sky and wash out the dimmer meteors. Still, the Perseids are known for frequent fireballs, which can be seen even with moonlight.
August 12: Venus Near Jupiter in the Morning Sky
On the morning of August 12, look up to see Venus and Jupiter shining side by side in the eastern sky. These two brilliant planets will appear so bright and close together that they might even be mistaken for a pair of UFOs!
In the morning of August 12, at 06:37 GMT, Venus and Jupiter will appear extremely close together in the eastern sky, almost like a double planet. The separation between them will be a mere 0°51′. This stunning conjunction will be easily visible to the naked eye about an hour before sunrise, low above the horizon. If you have a small telescope, you’ll get an even better view – Venus will reveal its gibbous phase, and Jupiter may reveal its moons and signature stripes.
Moon Phases in August 2025
This is what the Moon will look like in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres on every day of August 2025. Explore the lunar phases more closely with our interactive Lunar Calendar.
Details of the Full Sturgeon Moon, and the Month of the Hungry Ghosts
Posted on the New Moon, July 24, 2025
Mayan Calendar Time and Synchronicity
The heavenly vault looks like a star wars scene in a battle between good and evil. And, Earth in aphelion, its farthest distance from the Sun, positioning us to see the Big Picture.
The Lion’s Gate Portal in 2025 will occur between July 28th and August 12th, with its peak on August 8th. This annual astrological event is a time of heightened spiritual energy and potential for transformation, as it aligns with the sun’s transit through Leo, the star Sirius, and the Earth.
As the Lion’s Gate portal is closing, Perseus will be carrying away Medusa’s head (a hungry ghost), which is completes the end of a “marriage” of Jupiter and Venus. The Signs suggest that Love wins in the end. Mercury stations direct August 11, 2025!
In the trecena of Storm/CAUAC Hearts that reach in Faith to the Lord of Creation are grasped by the lightning to the Heart of Sky. Today, 5 Night/AKBAL holds an intention of Empowerment with potential for mystical experiences. AKBAL represents the Eternal Flame, the Light beyond the veil is the Voice that speaks to us in our Dreams. It’s a symbol of Divine Protection and heavenly support from all the Saints, Angels and Archangels in the Legion of Light. As Earth stands up in alignment with her True North, we’re called to stand up in Faith and be counted by the Lord of our Creation.
A GOOD DAY TO: Spend time contemplating the Stars. ~ Ian Xel Lungold
The Jupiter-Venus conjunction in astrology is happening in August 2025, specifically on August 12th, and will be particularly potent as Venus enters Cancer on July 30th. This alignment is considered auspicious, promising blessings in love, wealth, and artistic endeavors for many zodiac signs.
Venus enters the sign of Cancer on July 30, 2025, a time of emotional depth and nurturing connections that brings specific blessings into each zodiac sign’s life. From now until August 25, the energy will feel splendid for the collective, especially once Jupiter and Venus conjunct around August 12, bringing positive energy fueling us with optimism, joy, artistic inspiration, and most importantly, love.
Venus and Jupiter change the vibe completely, helping to mend any problems caused by the Mars retrograde earlier in the year. Venus is showing us how to love, be more compassionate, and be more present. Expect to see changes in your relationships for the better, as Venus in Cancer shows us why emotional vulnerability is important to continue growing and maturing.
(Source: YourTango offers insights for each sign of the zodiac)
TRECENA OF STORM/CAUAC: A BLESSING OF LIVING WATER
MAYAN CALENDAR DAYKEEPER’S JOURNAL
5 Night/AKBAL (awk ‘bahl), Cherokee, Hearth/O’YA, Destiny Kin 83, Position 3
July 29, 2025, 07/29/2025; Rounds Before: 11/11/2024, 02/25/2024
TRECENA THE OF STORM/CAUAC – A RENEWAL AND REGENERATION OF SPIRIT
The “Tzolk’in Field Guide” is my gift to download that includes the Count of Days with the aspects for each Destiny Kin and highlights for a personal practice with each trecena. It’s designed as a companion for daily practice.
Visit the 13-Day Trecena Guide. to download a free copy. Volume 1 covers the first two seasons of the Tzolk’in, and Volume 2 covers the 3rd and 4th to the end of the Tzolk’in round.
Storm/CAUAC is the 1st trecena of the second season of the Tzolk’in round, found in Volume 1. There’s something more to see when you discern the meaning of Time for yourself. The meaning of time is revealed by the thoughts on your mind.
NOTE: If at any time you get lost in the chaos and forget what you’re doing, Tone 1 reflects the 1st Light of Divine Inspiration as the “legend” of this chapter of Time.
5 Night/AKBAL (Cherokee, Hearth/O’YA) – Day 5 of 13 of the 1 Storm/CAUAC Trecena
Descriptions by Ian Xel Lungold (12 Sun/AHAU), wisdom and Tzolk’in calculator preserved on MayanMajix.com
Galactic Tone 5: Empowerment. At the center of the cube we find Five. Five is an intelligent, organizing force which manages communications and materials, knowledge and application. Fives are natural net workers who gather what is needed. These persons can probe directly to the core of any situation making them excellent investigators.
Night/Akbal: Bringers of the Dawn. Dreamers who bring the new sun to clarify and illuminate the road of life. Thus the insecurities and doubts born of darkness of the sub-conscious mind are dispelled. These persons travel the Void… a place where nothing yet exists but all potential dwells, the womb of creation. From this void, Night persons bring forth new solutions and artistic inspiration. Night’s voyages of dreams build confidence and happiness with a sense of well being. If night does not bravely journey into the void they may find themselves wandering the darkness of self doubt and insecurity.
A GOOD DAY TO: Spend time contemplating the Stars.
Cherokee, Hearth/O’YA: Hearth’s symbol is the fire pit in the Center, velvet black as the night. The triangle in Orion. The M42 nebula (home of the Central race from the WingMakers) in the center of the triangle of Orion is the fire in the Hearth, also matching the Mayan. The Hearth is the Torchbearer who holds the light and warmth throughout the night. Belief is so strong that the surrounding elements become entrained to their rhythm and all resistance falls away. With respect and honor of intuition combined with knowledge this energy creates the magic of the center in this dimension. Totem-OWL: Guardian of the Night Sun. Energies for the opening of mystic secrets, seeing through the masks of deception, trickery. High ability of discernment. Portals open to other worlds and dimensions for your learning and spiritual growth. Magical abilities are possible.
[Text in italics was the primary source of inspiration for my journal. These are the sources that started my journey and they are the reference for interpretation each day. By providing the original text, I hope to offer a way to see what inspired my thoughts and by including all the aspects – allow for something more to inspire you. Mayan descriptions are those written by Ian Lungold. Cherokee descriptions came from multiple sources. Links to sources and other resources of study are offered on the Daykeeper Resources Page. ~Debra]
