Introduction
August was a great month as far as weather and astronomy are concerned. The Perseids did not disappoint observers and viewing Saturn around its opposition was a treat. Jupiter was also a delight to view as it nears its own opposition. We also experienced two Full Moons during August, which aren't necessarily great for stargazing, but still an extraordinary event for the month.
September typically brings cooler temperatures to Utah as well as an increase in stormy weather. Astronomically speaking, September will bring the opposition of Neptune and great views of Saturn, which just reached opposition, and Jupiter, which will reach opposition in early October. Mercury and Venus will inhabit the morning sky with Jupiter being easy to spot in the southwest shortly before sunrise. September also brings the autumnal equinox. The most exciting event will come during the first half of the month when a naked-eye comet will be visible in the early morning sky. Read on for more information!
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| Mercury |
Mercury will move to the morning sky and can be visible just before sunrise. In fact, September will bring the best morning views of Mercury during 2023. The innermost planet will not be visible until about mid-month due to its inferior conjunction with the Sun on the 6th. Mercury will quickly rise above the horizon and decrease in magnitude as it brightens through September. It will reach its greatest western elongation on the 22nd and will shine brightly at magnitude -0.3 on this date. A thin Crescent Moon can be found close by on the 13th. For the observers who are attempting to view all of the planets in a single night, Mercury will be the last target as it rises shortly before the Sun.
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| Venus |
Venus will likely steal the show from Mercury during September as it begins the month shining brightly at -4.6. By the 19th, Venus will be shining at -4.8 magnitude, its greatest brilliance. A thin Crescent Moon will join Venus in the sky on the 11th, standing just 11° north of the planet. For observers viewing all of the planets in a single night, Venus will be the sixth, or second to last planet.
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| Mars |
Views of Mars will have to come shortly after sunset during September. The Red Planet can be found to the right of Spica, a bright star above the western horizon, around mid-month. On the 16th, a thin crescent Moon will join the Red Planet in the early evening sky. Mars is quickly approaching its November conjunction with the Sun, so grab a view of this planet while you can! For observers interested in viewing all of the planets in a single night, begin with Mars in the west.
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| Jupiter |
Jupiter will rise above the eastern horizon shortly before midnight, Utah time, as the month begins. By the end of the month, this gas giant can be found popping above the eastern mountains two hours earlier. The Moon will join Jupiter in the sky early in the month, on the 4th. For the observer viewing all of the planets in a single night, Jupiter should follow Neptune, making this gas giant the fourth planetary target. The Galilean Moons, which can be seen with a pair of binoculars, are sure to delight an observer of any age. A telescope will reveal the cloud bands, the Great Red Spot, and the shadows of the Galilean Moons as they transit the planet.
Saturn reached opposition on the 27th of August and will be a spectacular object to view during September. The current angle of Saturn as viewed from Earth is favorable for viewing the rings of this planet. For observers attempting to view all of the planets in a single night, following views of Mars, swing the telescope to the east to view Saturn. A telescope will reveal several of the Ringed Planet's Moons, including bright Titan which has an atmosphere of methane, and Enceladus which has liquid water below an icy surface. I recommend using a favorite sky-viewing app to see where the moons of Saturn are on your particular night of viewing. The Earth's own Moon will join Saturn in the evening sky on the 26th.
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| Neptune |
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| Uranus |
The two ice giants can be viewed through a pair of binoculars but will look their best through a telescope. Uranus will rise above the eastern mountains about 30 minutes after Jupiter, making this ice giant the fifth planet to be viewed for observers attempting to view all of the planets in a single night. Uranus will appear as a greenish disk through a telescope. The Moon can be found just 3° above this planet on the 5th.
Neptune will rise above the eastern horizon about an hour after Saturn, which is about an hour before Jupiter throughout September. Neptune should be the third planetary target for observers viewing all the planets in a single night. The most distant planet will appear as a blue-gray disk through a telescope. The best time to view Neptune will come on the 19th when this outer planet reaches opposition. Earth's Moon will pass within 2° on the 1st and again on the 28th.
Potential Naked-Eye Comet
A recently discovered comet has the potential to become a naked-eye comet. Nishimura, a comet discovered by an amateur Japanese astronomer on 12 August has grabbed the attention of many astronomers. As of this writing, Nishimura is glowing at a dim 8.5 magnitude, which requires a pair of binoculars or a telescope to view. However, this comet is quickly brightening and is expected to reach a magnitude close to 3.4 which puts this in the range that a human eye can detect. Comets are extremely unpredictable due to their composition. Nishimura will be closest to the Earth on the 12th and 13th of September and its closest approach to the Sun on the 17th. The comet will be best viewed a couple of hours before sunrise during the first half of the month. Following the 17th, Nishimura can be seen in the evening sky shortly after sunset. The best chances of viewing this comet will be from a high elevation that provides a clear view of the eastern horizon for the first half of the month, and a clear view of the western horizon during the second half of September. A long exposure of the sky should reveal this comet's blueish-green nucleus and its tail.
To catch a glimpse of comet Nishimura, look towards the east shortly before sunrise until September 15th. After the 15th of September, gaze towards the west right after sunset. Find a dark sky location with a high elevation and an unobstructed horizon. Using a long-exposure image can capture the comet's color and tail in greater detail.
Monthly Breakdown
September 01: Moon passes within 2° of Neptune
September 04: Moon passes within 3° of Jupiter
September 05: Moon passes within 3° of Uranus
September 06: Mercury reaches inferior conjunction
September 06: Last Quarter Moon🌗
September 11: Moon passes within 11° of Venus
September 14: New Moon 🌑
September 16: Moon passes within 1° of MarsSeptember 19: Neptune reaches opposition
September 19: Venus shines at its greatest brilliance
September 22: Mercury reaches greatest western elongation
September 22: First Quarter Moon 🌓
September 23: Autumnal equinoxSeptember 26: Moon passes within 3° of Saturn
September 28: Moon passes within 2° of Neptune September 29: Full Moon 🌕
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| Now get outside and look up! |
Planet images were taken by NASA.
Andrew vs. the Cosmos was taken by Jeff Greenland.
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