The big news this month is that Jupiter will be in opposition on the 26th and will be the closest distance to Earth in decades. We also have the Autumnal Equinox on the 22nd and the full Moon on the 10th. This month’s full Moon is commonly referred to as the Harvest Moon due to its proximity to the Autumn Equinox, also rising around sunset it is thought to provide extra light for farmers bringing in the harvest.
Several planets continue to be visible in September including:
- Saturn: Rises before sunset and can be observed all evening.
- Venus: Just before sunrise towards the east early in the month.
- Jupiter: Rising near sunset.
- Mercury: Setting just after sunset early in the month.
You may also be able to catch a glimpse of Mercury low on the western horizon close to sunset on the 1st and 2nd.
There are also a number of deep sky objects visible clearly throughout the month including:
- Planetary Nebula – Blinking (NGC 6826)
- Crescent Nebula (NGC 6888)
- Ring Nebula (M57)
- North America Nebula (NGC 7000)
- Fireworks Galaxy (NGC 6946)
- Blinking Planetary Nebula (NGC 6826)
September 10th – Full Moon
September 17 – Last Quarter Moon
September 22 – Autumnal Equinox
September 25 – New Moon
September 26 – Jupiter in opposition
Finally, here is a great article from NASA on objects in and around the Summer Triangle asterism:
The Summer Triangle’s Hidden Treasures
