10 night sky events to see in September, from a blood moon eclipse to a prime view of the Milky Way
Plus, catch Saturn and Neptune at their brightest; spy the "string of pearls" galaxy; and a close encounter of the moon and Jupiter.
This September, the night sky is full of reasons to step outside after dark. A total lunar eclipse will paint the moon red, while a partial solar eclipse will briefly dim the sun for skywatchers in the southern hemisphere. Bright planets like Saturn, Neptune, and Jupiter take center stage, with some reaching their peak brilliance and others lining up in striking encounters with the moon. And for those with a telescope, galaxies and star clusters drift into prime view.
From eclipses to the full “corn moon,” here are 10 of the month’s most dazzling celestial events—and when to look up to catch them.
Total lunar eclipse and the “corn moon”—September 7
On the night of September 7, a total lunar eclipse will turn the moon blood red. The spectacle will last 82 minutes—from 17:30 to 18:52 UTC—and will be visible in its entirety from much of Asia, the east coast of Africa, and western Australia. Skywatchers in Europe, Africa, and Oceania will glimpse at least part of the eclipse, while those in the Americas will miss the show entirely, as the moon rises too late.
Still, observers across the Western Hemisphere will have their own treat that night: September’s full “corn moon.” The name, rooted in North American Indigenous traditions, marks the season of the corn harvest.
The moon, Saturn, and Neptune converge—September 8
On September 8, the moon, Saturn, and Neptune will align within about 3.5 degrees of each other. Saturn will shine clearly to the naked eye, while Neptune will need binoculars or a telescope.
They’ll reach their highest point in the night sky an hour or two after midnight, depending on your location, but you’ll be able to see the trio just about all night long.
The moon and Jupiter meet—September 16
In the early hours of September 16, the waning crescent moon will pass within about 4.5 degrees of Jupiter. The pair will appear after midnight, rising in the sky until dawn drowns them out.
If you have binoculars or a telescope, take a close look at Jupiter. You may be able to spot its four Galilean moons.
Venus travels behind the moon—September 19
On September 19, Venus will slip behind the moon in an event called an occultation. The spectacle will be visible across Europe, Greenland, parts of Canada, and Africa.
For those outside the visibility zone, Venus and the moon will still appear exceptionally close in the predawn sky—in some places, they’ll be just mere arc minutes apart.
Prime stargazing conditions—September 21
September’s new moon falls on September 21, and the lack of moonlight lets the fainter objects in our night sky shine. Consult a stargazing map to look for deep-sky objects like galaxies and nebulae.
From the Northern Hemisphere, September is also a prime month to see the Milky Way and its bright galactic core. Astrophotographers, it’s your time to shine.
Saturn at its brightest—September 21
On September 21, Saturn reaches opposition, or the point at which it’s directly opposite the sun from the perspective of Earth. This means Saturn is illuminated brightly, making it the best time to observe the gas giant. As a bonus, Saturn will be visible most of the night, rising in the early evening and setting just before dawn.
(How did Saturn get its rings?)
Saturn’s rings won’t be at their most dazzling, since the planet’s positioning has its rings facing us nearly edge-on, so they’ll be incredibly thin. But it’s still an ideal time to view nonetheless.
Partial solar eclipse—September 22
Stargazers in the South Pacific and parts of Antarctica will enjoy a partial solar eclipse on the morning of September 22 (September 21 in UTC). The moon will pass in front of the sun, blocking up to 85 percent of its surface.
If you’re one of the lucky 16.6 million people living in sight of this eclipse, remember to don appropriate eye protection like eclipse glasses before looking at the sun.
Neptune at its brightest—September 23
Like Saturn earlier in the month, Neptune will reach its own opposition on September 23. The farthest planet in our solar system is also the dimmest, but it will appear its brightest during opposition.
Even with this ideal lighting, Neptune remains impossible to see with the naked eye. Turn your binoculars or telescope toward the distant planet to catch just a glimpse of it—it’ll appear as a faint dot in the sky. Luckily, the waxing crescent moon will only be at 4 percent brightness, minimizing light pollution.
“String of pearls” galaxy is well placed—September 24
In the Southern Hemisphere and the low latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, stargazers will get a good look at NGC 55, also known as the Caldwell 72 or the “string of pearls” galaxy for its irregular shape.
(Oldest known stars in our galaxy.)
Designated a Magellanic-type galaxy—one that falls somewhere between an irregular galaxy and a dwarf spiral galaxy—NGC 55 will reach its highest point in the sky around midnight local time on September 24.
Globular cluster 47 Tuc is well placed—September 27
The second brightest globular cluster in our night sky, 47 Tucanae, or 47 Tuc, will reach its highest point on September 27 around midnight local time. It will, however, only be visible in the Southern Hemisphere.
47 Tuc is visible to the naked eye as a fuzzy patch near the Small Magellanic Cloud. But through binoculars or a telescope, the globular cluster resolves into a glittering sphere comprising hundreds of thousands of stars.
