Tonight's Night Sky for the Month of September
With Venus shining bright, Saturn’s rings on display, a Harvest Supermoon eclipse, and more, September promises to be a stargazer’s dream! Join The Old Farmer’s Almanac astronomer Bob Berman as he guides you through the month’s highlights. Don’t miss out on these amazing astronomical events.
September 5: Venus Dazzles!
This evening, shortly after sunset, look towards the western sky. You’ll find a slender crescent Moon with Venus shining just below and to its right. Venus will be visible low on the western horizon throughout the month.
September 8: Saturn Sighting
Saturn, the ringed planet, is easy to locate this evening. You can observe the golden planet as it comes into opposition. Surrounded by the dim stars of Aquarius, the planet’s rings can be seen as almost edgewise this year. Use any telescope with more than 30X magnification, and you can see the rings!
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This is also the beginning of Saturn’s departure from the far southern regions of the zodiac (where it can be for nearly a decade!), which has caused the planet to be low in the sky and telescopically blurry for viewers in the United States and Canada.
September 17: Full Harvest Supermoon Rises and a Lunar Eclipse!
You won’t want to miss the magical Full Moon on September 17, which peaks at 10:34 P.M. This particular Moon happens near the fall equinox. Unlike other full Moons, the Harvest Moon provides extra light around sunset for several nights in a row! Just as the Sun sets, the full Moon makes its way across the horizon, allowing farmers and gardeners to finish their harvests before the frosts of fall arrive. Learn more about the Full Harvest Moon and the history behind it.
This year, the Harvest Moon is even more magical than last year! It is a Supermoon, which means that it will appear larger and brighter in the night sky.
But that’s not all! A shallow partial lunar eclipse will be visible across much of the globe, including the United States and Canada. During this eclipse, a small portion of the Moon will pass through Earth’s dark shadow, creating a subtle darkening on the lunar surface. The Moon will reach maximum obscuration at 10:44 P.M., when 9% of the Moon will be dark.
September 20: Neptune in Opposition
The other blue planet, Neptune, comes into opposition this evening. This means that the Earth is directly between the planet and the sun. However, if you want to look at this tiny, blue, 8th-magnitude disk, you will need to employ your trusting telescope to bring it into view.
September 22: Autumnal Equinox
Sunday morning, September 22, brings the autumnal equinox—at 8:44 A.M. EDT. This marks the start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and the start of spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Learn more about the first day of fall!
Pegasus Shines in September
Watch for Pegasus, the Winged Horse in the southeastern sky this month! A helpful guide to this asterism (unofficial star pattern) is the Great Square, which outlines Pegasus’ body. See our star chart and how to find Pegasus.
Bob Berman
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I always howl at the full moon. Hubby thinks I'm weird and says it's bad luck. I believe it's good luck, because we have been married for almost 34 years! I'll be checking out tonight's Full Harvest Supermoon and looking for the partial lunar eclipse. Thank you so much for the information.
Thank you! I always look forward to your monthly column. At 30°N I can also see the beautiful lonely Autumn star Fomalhaut beneath Saturn. Such a treat!
Thank you for this article on 9/18/2022 A little after midnight in New York I was in my car looking at the sky when all of a sudden I saw something white like a skinny oval very odd and I was staring like what the hell is that I thought my mind was playing tricks on me so I started talking to God and then a small cloud came and it almost look like it turned and flipped and then the moon popped out. I immediately ran inside and told my daughter but I never knew what it was until I ran across this article. I also saw whatever was close to the moon yesterday I guess another planet thank you for explaining these oddities or at least confirming that my eyes were not deceiving me. The gift of sight is a wonderful gift
Hi Neighbor, I have followed you for many, many years, and being a Greene County old timer, I wish too thank you for years of invaluable information, service to our community, and reading ?entertainment. I live not far from you, in Palenville, NY, the setting of Rip Van Winkles wandering up our cove, too go bowling with the crew of the Halfmoon and sleep. When I walk my best pal, at approximately, every evening before bed, between 10:30PM and 11:00PM, and then again every morning around 5:30-6:00 AM, and as I look at most of the wonderous and fantastical night and pre-dawn sky events, they are always at different compass positions, from your great articles of our beautiful nocturnal heavens. Take Jupiter, last night it was low in the SW sky, not South, and has been there for, pretty much, all summer long. Then in the morning it sits due East/South East, very bright in the dawn rising sun, again all summer long. Mars, has moved around a bit over the last few months, and has brightened and dimmed as it moved in the sky all summer. This morning, September 3rd, 2020, it was very bright, directly above my head, as bright and big as I have ever seen the red planet with my naked eye. And, last night at 11:00PM Mars was in the N/NW Sky, directly over Katterskill Cove notch. Saturn has not been as easy too see with the naked eye, but I have, about a couple/few weeks ago, Jupiter and Saturn were due west fairly high in the evening sky, not far from each other, just under the waxing, or was it waning, I forget, moon for several nights, moving a bit each night's bedtime walk. My view is limited living in a Cove, (bowl, notch, waterway), and surrounded by tall pines, oaks, hemlocks, and maples, making Venus, and Mercury sightings virtually impossible. All that being said, generally my veiw is always slightly skewed from your insightful points of veiw. And, I just have always wondered why? Again Bob, thank you for years of service too, not only the Almanac and local newspapers, but for your work connserving our beautiful home, here in Greene County New York.
This is a very exciting season! I am very much looking forward to all the events Bob has beautifully described. Thank you so much OFA and Bob for this column!
