Fun Facts

July is named after Roman dictator Julius Caesar (100 B.C.–44 B.C.). Caesar developed the precursor to the Gregorian calendar we use today.

July Calendar

July 1 is Canada Day, a Canadian federal holiday that celebrates the creation of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. 

July 3 brings the start of the hot and sultry Dog Days of Summer!  

July 4 is Independence Day (U.S.). On the fourth of July, we celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Don’t forget to raise the flag!   

July 7 marks Islamic New Year, which begins with the first sighting of the crescent Moon after the new Moon in the month of Muharram. This event signals the start of the Islamic lunar calendar year.

July 14 is Bastille Day, which commemorates the storming of the Bastille and the start of the French Revolution.

“Just for Fun” Days

July 11: International Town Criers Day

July 17: National Hot Dog Day

July 22: Spooner’s Day

July 23: National Day of the Cowboy

July 27: Take Your Houseplants for a Walk Day

July 30: National Cheesecake Day

July Weather

Summer temperatures, on average, will be hotter than normal from New England through the Atlantic Corridor, in Florida and the Deep South, through Texas and the Midwest, and on to California. In terms of rainfall, much of the country has normal to below-normal rainfall, especially in New England and the Midwest. However, the West Coast, Texas, and the Atlantic Corridor will see normal to above-normal rainfall.

July Astronomy

The Buck Moon

July’s full Moon, the Full Buck Moon, occurs on Monday, July 21. It reaches peak illumination at 6:17 A.M. (EDT), rising above the horizon after sunrise—but it will still be spectacular in the night sky

July’s Moon Phases

New Moon: July 5, 6:57 P.M. EDT
 First Quarter: July 13, 6:49 P.M. EDT
 Full Moon: July 21, 6:17 A.M. EDT
 Last Quarter: July 27, 10:52 P.M. EDT

Other Astronomy Highlights

July 5 is the time of aphelion when Earth is the farthest it will get from the Sun for the entire year—specifically, we’ll be 94,506,364 miles away from our bright star!

Another highlight of the July sky is the “Summer Triangle.”

Folklore for the Season

Ne’er trust a July sky.

If ant hills are high in July, the coming winter will be hard.

As July, so next January.

No tempest, good July,
 Lest the corn look ruely.

Whatever July and August do not boil,
 September can not fry.

Birth flowers

July has two birth flowers, larkspur and water lily, to provide more variety.

July Birthstone

The July birthstone is the ruby, which is believed to protect its wearer from evil.

“Ruby” is derived from the Latin rubeus, which means “red.”

This gem is a red form of corundum; all other colors are sapphires. The ruby’s color is due to the presence of chromium, which also makes the gem subject to cracks. High-quality rubies are transparent, vibrant, purplish red; cloudier samples, or ones containing brown, orange, or pink tones, are less valuable. Many rubies nowadays are heat-treated to improve color saturation and transparency.

The ruby, along with the related sapphire, is the second hardest natural gemstone, with only the diamond being harder.

The gem was once thought to protect warriors if worn on their armor or embedded in their skin.

Considered the king of gems, the ruby symbolizes love, passion, energy, and success.

Personality

According to a study, people born in July are generally optimistic, but may also experience emotional ups and downs called cyclothymia.

US presidents

Three US presidents, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Adams, died on July 4th. However, Calvin Coolidge, the 30th US president, was born on the same day.

Holidays

July is a celebratory month for fans of revolution, with American Independence Day on July 4th and Bastille Day on July 14th.

Neil Armstrong

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first American astronaut to walk on the moon, famously declaring, “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”.

Midway point

July marks the midway point of the year and is often considered a fun month because of the warm weather and patriotic celebrations.