The night sky tonight and on any clear night presents an ever-changing display of fascinating objects you may view, from stars and constellations to bright planets, the moon, and sometimes unique events like meteor showers.
Observing the night sky can be done with no special equipment, however a sky chart can be very beneficial, and a good telescope or binoculars will enhance some experiences and bring some otherwise invisible objects into view.
You can also use astronomy equipment to make your observation easier, and use our Satellite Tracker page provided by N2YO.comto find out when and how to see the International Space Station and other satellites. We also have a handy explanation on how you can see and track a Starlink satellite train. You may also capture the night sky by utilizing any of the finest cameras for astrophotography, along with a selection of the best lenses for astrophotography.
Read on to find out what's up in the night sky tonight (planets visible now, moon phases, observing highlights this month) and other resources (skywatching terminologies, night sky observing techniques and extra reading).
Sunday, Sept. 1 - Earthshine moon near Mercury (pre-dawn)
Early risers on Sunday, Sept. 1 can search for the fragile crescent of the old moon gleaming several finger-widths to the upper left (or celestial north) of the bright speck of Mercury in the eastern sky before sunrise.
The two will be comfortable enough to enjoy the view with binoculars (orange circle), but take care to turn all optics away from the eastern horizon before the sun rises. Watch for earthshine, sunlight bounced off the Earth and cast onto the unlit region of the moon's face, illuminating it significantly.
Monday, Sept. 2 - Morning zodiacal light for mid-northern viewers (pre-dawn)
During autumn at mid-northern latitudes every year, the ecliptic reaches nearly vertically upward from the eastern horizon before dawn. That geometry favors the appearance of the feeble Zodiacal light in the eastern sky for roughly half an hour before dawn on moonless mornings.
Zodiacal light is sunlight scattered by interplanetary particles that are concentrated in the plane of the solar system - the same material that creates meteor showers. It is more readily visible in locations free of urban light pollution. Between now and the full moon on Sept. 17, look for a broad wedge of weak light spreading upwards from the eastern horizon and centered on the ecliptic (the green line).
It will be greatest in the lower third of the sky below the twin stars of Gemini. Don't mix the zodiacal light with the Milky Way, which is positioned nearby in the southeastern sky.
Monday, Sept. 2/Tuesday, Sept. 3 - New Moon
On Monday, Sept. 2 at 9:56 p.m. EDT (or Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 0156 GMT), the moon will officially reach its new moon phase. At that time our natural satellite will be placed in Leo, 1.5 degrees north of the sun.
While young, the moon is traveling between Earth and the sun. Since sunlight can only illuminate the far side of the moon, and the moon is in the same region of the sky as the sun, it becomes entirely concealed from view from anywhere on Earth for nearly a day. After the new moon phase, Earth's celestial night light will return to shine as a young crescent in the western evening sky.
Tuesday, Sept. 3 - The Andromeda Galaxy (all night)
September evenings showcase the Andromeda Galaxy, which is already climbing the northeastern sky after nightfall. This enormous spiral galaxy, also termed Messier 31 (or M31) and NGC 224, is the closest big galaxy to us — at a distance of "only" 2.5 million light years. It covers an area of the sky measuring 3 by 1 degrees (or six by two full moon diameters).
Related Article: Why Is the Moon So Bright Tonight? What So Far
Under dark skies, the galaxy can be seen with unaided eyes as a faint smudge about 1.4 fist diameters to the left (or 14 degrees to the celestial northeast) of Alpheratz, the star that forms the left-hand (northwestern) corner of the square of Pegasus.
The three highest (westernmost) stars of Cassiopeia, Caph, Shedar, and Navi (Gamma Cas), also neatly form a triangle that points towards M31. Binoculars (orange circle) will show the galaxy best. For telescopes, utilize low magnification and look for M31's two smaller companion galaxies, the foreground Messier 32 and more distant Messier 110 (inset).
Wednesday, Sept. 4 - Young moon visits Venus (after sunset)
Immediately after sunset on Wednesday, Sept. 4 and Thursday, Sept. 5, the waxing crescent moon will be posing above the western horizon near the dazzling planet Venus. On Wednesday, the moon's exceedingly thin crescent will appear several finger-widths to Venus' lower right (to its celestial west) – proximal enough to share the view via binoculars (orange circle).
Observers watching the duo from southerly latitudes will see the moon more easily. On Thursday, the moon's orbital velocity will bring it approximately a palm's width to Venus' left (or 6 degrees to its celestial southeast). In the interim, skywatchers positioned in areas of Antarctica and the Atlantic Ocean south of Africa can witness the moon obscure Venus in a bright sky.
Thursday, Sept. 5 - Mercury at greatest western elongation (pre-dawn)
On Thursday, Sept. 5, the planet Mercury will attain a maximum angle of 18 degrees from the sun, and peak visibility, for its current morning appearance. Look for the innermost planet blazing brightly while it climbs the eastern pre-dawn sky between about 5:45 and 6:15 a.m. in your local time zone.
In a telescope (inset) Mercury will exhibit a 47%-illuminated, waxing phase. Mercury's position above the almost vertical morning ecliptic (green line) will make this a great apparition for Northern Hemisphere observers, but a so-so one for those stationed south of the Equator, where the ecliptic will be tipped over.
Friday, Sept. 6 - Crescent moon covers Spica (after sunset)
Look low in the western sky after sunset on Friday, Sept. 6 to see the slim, waxing crescent moon glowing well to the left of the dazzling planet Venus. Use binoculars (orange circle) to search just to the right of the moon for Virgo's brightest star, Spica. The moon travels eastward in its orbit by its own diameter every hour.
Rewinding time to midday on Friday in the Americas will see the moon passing squarely in front of Spica in a daytime lunar occultation that will be visible in large binoculars and backyard telescopes (inset).
Read Also: Super Blue Moon: What You Know So Far?
The zone in which the occultation is visible will include northeastern North America and Bermuda, then south and east over the Atlantic to the Azores, Ascension Island, and much of western and central Africa, where the occultation will occur in a dark sky.
Saturday, Sept. 7 - Saturn at opposition (overnight)
On Saturday night, Sept. 7 in the Americas, Saturn will attain opposition. You can see the creamy-yellow dot of the ringed planet all night long, glowing to the left of the somewhat weak stars of Aquarius. Planets at opposition rise at sunset and set at sunrise because Earth is positioned between them and the sun.
That night, Saturn will be at a distance of 804.7 million miles, 1.295 billion kilometers, or 72 light-minutes from Earth. It will glow with a magnitude of 0.57, its brightest for 2024.
While planets always look their brightest near opposition, Saturn's brilliance will be amplified by the Seeliger effect - backscattered sunlight from its rings. In a telescope (inset) Saturn's disk and rings will show maximum apparent sizes of 19 arc-seconds and 44 arc-seconds, respectively.
Saturn's rings will be aligning more edge-on to Earth every month until March 2025. Opposition is also the ideal period to view Saturn's moons with a backyard telescope under a dark sky. Owners of powerful telescopes can witness the transits of the larger Saturnian moons and their black shadows across the planet's globe.
Sunday, Sept. 8 - Mars clips a cluster (wee hours)
On the path to Mars' dazzling opposition in January, the red planet will move closely past several planets and deep sky objects. On Sunday night, Sept. 8, Mars will pass less than a finger's width to the lower right (or 0.9 degrees to the celestial south) of the massive open star cluster in Gemini termed the Shoe-Buckle, Messier 35, and NGC 2168.
Read Also: Why Is The Moon So Bright Tonight
The planet and the distant cluster will share the field of vision with a backyard telescope (green circle) from Friday to Wednesday, and in binoculars for a week on either side of Sept. 8. Mars will approach the cluster from the right (celestial west), but your telescope will likely flip and/or reflect the image.
Monday, Sept. 9 - Mercury raids Regulus (before sunrise)
Skywatchers with a clean view to the east before sunrise on Monday morning, Sept. 9 can use binoculars (orange circle) or a backyard telescope to observe the fast planet Mercury blazing quite near to the 7 times fainter, white star Regulus.
Mercury's daily descent towards the sun will cause it to approach Regulus from above on the prior mornings and then slip out of sight roughly a week later. On Monday, Mercury will appear just half a degree to Regulus' left (or celestial north). In a telescope, Mercury will display a waxing gibbous phase.
Kari Pettersen
The night sky tonight and on any clear night presents an ever-changing display of fascinating objects you may view, from stars and constellations to bright planets, the moon, and sometimes unique events like meteor showers.
Observing the night sky can be done with no special equipment, however a sky chart can be very beneficial, and a good telescope or binoculars will enhance some experiences and bring some otherwise invisible objects into view.
You can also use astronomy equipment to make your observation easier, and use our Satellite Tracker page provided by N2YO.comto find out when and how to see the International Space Station and other satellites. We also have a handy explanation on how you can see and track a Starlink satellite train. You may also capture the night sky by utilizing any of the finest cameras for astrophotography, along with a selection of the best lenses for astrophotography.
Read on to find out what's up in the night sky tonight (planets visible now, moon phases, observing highlights this month) and other resources (skywatching terminologies, night sky observing techniques and extra reading).
Sunday, Sept. 1 - Earthshine moon near Mercury (pre-dawn)
Early risers on Sunday, Sept. 1 can search for the fragile crescent of the old moon gleaming several finger-widths to the upper left (or celestial north) of the bright speck of Mercury in the eastern sky before sunrise.
The two will be comfortable enough to enjoy the view with binoculars (orange circle), but take care to turn all optics away from the eastern horizon before the sun rises. Watch for earthshine, sunlight bounced off the Earth and cast onto the unlit region of the moon's face, illuminating it significantly.
Monday, Sept. 2 - Morning zodiacal light for mid-northern viewers (pre-dawn)
During autumn at mid-northern latitudes every year, the ecliptic reaches nearly vertically upward from the eastern horizon before dawn. That geometry favors the appearance of the feeble Zodiacal light in the eastern sky for roughly half an hour before dawn on moonless mornings.
Zodiacal light is sunlight scattered by interplanetary particles that are concentrated in the plane of the solar system - the same material that creates meteor showers. It is more readily visible in locations free of urban light pollution. Between now and the full moon on Sept. 17, look for a broad wedge of weak light spreading upwards from the eastern horizon and centered on the ecliptic (the green line).
It will be greatest in the lower third of the sky below the twin stars of Gemini. Don't mix the zodiacal light with the Milky Way, which is positioned nearby in the southeastern sky.
Monday, Sept. 2/Tuesday, Sept. 3 - New Moon
On Monday, Sept. 2 at 9:56 p.m. EDT (or Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 0156 GMT), the moon will officially reach its new moon phase. At that time our natural satellite will be placed in Leo, 1.5 degrees north of the sun.
While young, the moon is traveling between Earth and the sun. Since sunlight can only illuminate the far side of the moon, and the moon is in the same region of the sky as the sun, it becomes entirely concealed from view from anywhere on Earth for nearly a day. After the new moon phase, Earth's celestial night light will return to shine as a young crescent in the western evening sky.
Tuesday, Sept. 3 - The Andromeda Galaxy (all night)
September evenings showcase the Andromeda Galaxy, which is already climbing the northeastern sky after nightfall. This enormous spiral galaxy, also termed Messier 31 (or M31) and NGC 224, is the closest big galaxy to us — at a distance of "only" 2.5 million light years. It covers an area of the sky measuring 3 by 1 degrees (or six by two full moon diameters).
Related Article: Why Is the Moon So Bright Tonight? What So Far
Under dark skies, the galaxy can be seen with unaided eyes as a faint smudge about 1.4 fist diameters to the left (or 14 degrees to the celestial northeast) of Alpheratz, the star that forms the left-hand (northwestern) corner of the square of Pegasus.
The three highest (westernmost) stars of Cassiopeia, Caph, Shedar, and Navi (Gamma Cas), also neatly form a triangle that points towards M31. Binoculars (orange circle) will show the galaxy best. For telescopes, utilize low magnification and look for M31's two smaller companion galaxies, the foreground Messier 32 and more distant Messier 110 (inset).
Wednesday, Sept. 4 - Young moon visits Venus (after sunset)
Immediately after sunset on Wednesday, Sept. 4 and Thursday, Sept. 5, the waxing crescent moon will be posing above the western horizon near the dazzling planet Venus. On Wednesday, the moon's exceedingly thin crescent will appear several finger-widths to Venus' lower right (to its celestial west) – proximal enough to share the view via binoculars (orange circle).
Observers watching the duo from southerly latitudes will see the moon more easily. On Thursday, the moon's orbital velocity will bring it approximately a palm's width to Venus' left (or 6 degrees to its celestial southeast). In the interim, skywatchers positioned in areas of Antarctica and the Atlantic Ocean south of Africa can witness the moon obscure Venus in a bright sky.
Thursday, Sept. 5 - Mercury at greatest western elongation (pre-dawn)
On Thursday, Sept. 5, the planet Mercury will attain a maximum angle of 18 degrees from the sun, and peak visibility, for its current morning appearance. Look for the innermost planet blazing brightly while it climbs the eastern pre-dawn sky between about 5:45 and 6:15 a.m. in your local time zone.
In a telescope (inset) Mercury will exhibit a 47%-illuminated, waxing phase. Mercury's position above the almost vertical morning ecliptic (green line) will make this a great apparition for Northern Hemisphere observers, but a so-so one for those stationed south of the Equator, where the ecliptic will be tipped over.
Friday, Sept. 6 - Crescent moon covers Spica (after sunset)
Look low in the western sky after sunset on Friday, Sept. 6 to see the slim, waxing crescent moon glowing well to the left of the dazzling planet Venus. Use binoculars (orange circle) to search just to the right of the moon for Virgo's brightest star, Spica. The moon travels eastward in its orbit by its own diameter every hour.
Rewinding time to midday on Friday in the Americas will see the moon passing squarely in front of Spica in a daytime lunar occultation that will be visible in large binoculars and backyard telescopes (inset).
Read Also: Super Blue Moon: What You Know So Far?
The zone in which the occultation is visible will include northeastern North America and Bermuda, then south and east over the Atlantic to the Azores, Ascension Island, and much of western and central Africa, where the occultation will occur in a dark sky.
Saturday, Sept. 7 - Saturn at opposition (overnight)
On Saturday night, Sept. 7 in the Americas, Saturn will attain opposition. You can see the creamy-yellow dot of the ringed planet all night long, glowing to the left of the somewhat weak stars of Aquarius. Planets at opposition rise at sunset and set at sunrise because Earth is positioned between them and the sun.
That night, Saturn will be at a distance of 804.7 million miles, 1.295 billion kilometers, or 72 light-minutes from Earth. It will glow with a magnitude of 0.57, its brightest for 2024.
While planets always look their brightest near opposition, Saturn's brilliance will be amplified by the Seeliger effect - backscattered sunlight from its rings. In a telescope (inset) Saturn's disk and rings will show maximum apparent sizes of 19 arc-seconds and 44 arc-seconds, respectively.
Saturn's rings will be aligning more edge-on to Earth every month until March 2025. Opposition is also the ideal period to view Saturn's moons with a backyard telescope under a dark sky. Owners of powerful telescopes can witness the transits of the larger Saturnian moons and their black shadows across the planet's globe.
Sunday, Sept. 8 - Mars clips a cluster (wee hours)
On the path to Mars' dazzling opposition in January, the red planet will move closely past several planets and deep sky objects. On Sunday night, Sept. 8, Mars will pass less than a finger's width to the lower right (or 0.9 degrees to the celestial south) of the massive open star cluster in Gemini termed the Shoe-Buckle, Messier 35, and NGC 2168.
Read Also: Why Is The Moon So Bright Tonight
The planet and the distant cluster will share the field of vision with a backyard telescope (green circle) from Friday to Wednesday, and in binoculars for a week on either side of Sept. 8. Mars will approach the cluster from the right (celestial west), but your telescope will likely flip and/or reflect the image.
Monday, Sept. 9 - Mercury raids Regulus (before sunrise)
Skywatchers with a clean view to the east before sunrise on Monday morning, Sept. 9 can use binoculars (orange circle) or a backyard telescope to observe the fast planet Mercury blazing quite near to the 7 times fainter, white star Regulus.
Mercury's daily descent towards the sun will cause it to approach Regulus from above on the prior mornings and then slip out of sight roughly a week later. On Monday, Mercury will appear just half a degree to Regulus' left (or celestial north). In a telescope, Mercury will display a waxing gibbous phase.