Don’t miss the Supermoon Eclipse in September

In September 2024, what are the top skywatching destinations?

A total of five planets are visible; the Harvest supermoon partially eclipses us before slicing through the Pleiades. Additionally, there have been sightings of solar sails and international moon nights!

A Supermoon Eclipse for Harvest.

The September 17th full moon is especially spectacular due to a partial lunar eclipse. There’s also a global night for observing this month, as well as opportunities to view five planets.

Key points.

From sunset to the end of the month, Venus remains low in the western sky. Saturn is visible all night long. Southeast before sunrise, Jupiter and Mars can be seen rising a few hours after midnight.

September 1–7: Mercury can be seen this week during morning twilight if you can find an unobstructed view toward the east if you live in the Northern Hemisphere. It appears just before dawn, low in the eastern sky.

September 2 marks the new moon.

September 14: Find an event or just watch at home on this International Observe the Moon Night, and join in with moon enthusiasts worldwide. Visit moon.nasa.gov/observe for more information.

September 16: This evening, the Moon travels ahead of Saturn in the sky. After sunset, locate them in the southeast sky. Concerning the western U.S. s. Early the next morning, before sunrise, the Moon will start to occult, or cover, Saturn.

September 17: Supermoon, Harvest moon, full moon, and partial lunar eclipse. The eclipse occurs in the U.S. evening. s. observers (during the West Coast’s lunar rise). The Moon appears marginally larger and brighter than the typical full moon, but in reality, it’s difficult to distinguish the difference. Because September is traditionally associated with harvest time in the Northern Hemisphere, it is sometimes referred to as the harvest moon.

September 22: This evening, the Moon crosses through the Pleiades star cluster for U. s. Observers.

September 23: This evening, Jupiter and the Moon will both be gliding across the sky. They rise late tonight and as dawn draws near, they ascend high into the southeast.

September 25: This morning, a crescent moon can be seen close to Mars. In the predawn sky, see them alongside Jupiter and the dazzling stars of the winter constellations.

a transcript of the video.

A worldwide night for the Moon, a supermoon eclipse involving five planets, and a NASA solar sail visible from Earth are all scheduled for September. And watch some of the highlights from last month’s video by staying until the very end.

Venus can be seen low in the west in the hour after sunset, to start with this month’s planetary visibility. It will rise higher over the coming months and eventually settle into the early evening sky for the remainder of the year. Early evening finds Saturn in the southeast sky. From there, it will remain visible over the course of the night, setting in the west as dawn draws near.

Regarding the ongoing conjunction of Jupiter and Mars, Jupiter is rising at midnight or shortly after, while Mars is rising between an hour and an hour and a half behind Jupiter. Therefore, the best time to search for them is in the early morning, just before sunrise, high in the south-southeastern sky. And for those in the Northern Hemisphere, the first week of September morning twilight is a good chance to see Mercury if you can get an unobstructed view eastward.

Turning now to the moon, on September 17th there will be a supermoon, which is a full moon that occurs slightly closer to Earth than a regular full moon. It appears ever so slightly brighter and bigger, but in actuality, it’s difficult to tell the difference. A partial lunar eclipse will also be visible, making it an incredible event. The full moon in September is known as the “Harvest Moon” because it coincides with the Northern Hemisphere’s harvest season.

Over the course of an hour, you will witness a small portion of one side of the Moon being devoured.

Using your preferred skywatching app or website, find out when the eclipse will occur in your local area. The eclipse occurs early in the morning in Europe, but in the U.S. S. for the West Coast, it is evening and the Moon is rising at that time.

When it comes to Moon-planet pairings, on the sixteenth the Moon moves ahead of Saturn in the sky.

Search for the two in the southeast after sundown. Regarding individuals in the U. S. as they lower themselves in the western sky, the pair will appear very close together early on the 17th. Actually, individuals in the western portion of the U.S. s. may truly observe the Moon begin to occult, or move in front of, Saturn before the sun sets.

Almost exactly opposite the Pleiades, the Moon rises on the 22nd, a few hours after dusk. Additionally, if you’re in the U.S., this pairing is somewhat unique. s. because throughout the course of the night, the Moon will actually pass directly through the Pleiades. Therefore, during the course of the night, you can periodically check with binoculars or a small telescope as the Moon passes directly in front of the bright star cluster.

The Moon rises alongside giant Jupiter on the 23rd in the late evening. As dawn draws near, they ascend high into the southeast sky.

And then the crescent Moon appears close to Mars on the morning of the 25th.

The last full week of September is particularly beautiful before the sky gets brighter, with the Winter constellations’ bright stars accompanied by the Moon and two bright planets. Therefore, don’t pass it up!

There’s a new chance to spot a luminous NASA spacecraft cruising through the night sky. A tiny satellite called NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System, or “ACS3,” is testing novel technologies in low Earth orbit. Its thirty-foot-wide solar sails were recently deployed. With this kind of propulsion, tiny spacecraft might be able to “sail on sunshine.”. Being highly reflective, the ACS3 solar sails give the spacecraft an appearance almost as bright as the brightest star in the sky, Sirius. Using the NASA app on your smartphone, you can determine when the solar sail spacecraft will cross your location.

September 14 is designated as International Observe the Moon Day. Observing our nearby natural satellite and participating in events are the highlights of this annual global gathering of Moon enthusiasts. You can participate from any location. Participate in a virtual or live event, organize one yourself, or just watch the Moon from home.

20. This year presents a chance to view the Marius Hills, which are volcanic domes and cones that are notoriously difficult to observe even with a telescope, unless sunlight is streaming across them nearly horizontally. The 14th also offers access to numerous lunar maria and all six of the Apollo landing sites. Luckily, we will be able to witness a lunar sunrise over this rugged terrain on International Observe the Moon Night in 2024. So, whatever way you say it, grab your telescope, or look for an event nearby, and come celebrate observation every year.

Here are some angles of the celestial highlights from the previous month.

Here are September’s lunar phases as well.