Midmonth Check-In: September 2026 and Fish Lake

                               

  Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    The first half of September has been relatively clear and cool. I haven't had a chance to use any of my gear, but I hope to soon. I was, however, able to watch the Moon go from fully lit to completely dark. During its transition, I observed Jupiter rising in the early morning sky, and I'm looking forward to watching it rise earlier with each passing day. Orion is also returning to the morning sky, which is one of my favorite times of the year since it signals cooler temperatures for the Northern Hemisphere observers. 

    The remainder of the month will give observers the chance to see the Moon pass close to Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The Autumnal Equinox will occur on the 22nd, giving the Northern Hemisphere an equal amount (12 hours) of daylight and night. This also marks the time when days get shorter, nights get longer, and the weather gets colder. Many observers start bundling up while stargazing! Neptune will reach opposition on the 25th, and the Full Moon will be visible on the 26th. 

      

Fish Lake Adventure

    As mentioned earlier, I traveled to Fish Lake, Utah, near the peak of the Perseids on August 12. I took my new scope, a 100mm refractor, and my DSLR camera. I wasn't expecting much, since the forecast predicted rain and clouds for my entire stay. I actually debated bringing any of my gear because of that forecast. Thankfully, it wasn't 100% accurate, and some stargazing was possible.

    We left on the 12th, with the entire day and night plagued by rain and clouds. Perhaps "plagued" is the wrong word, since I really do enjoy the rain, clouds, and cooler temperatures that accompany this type of weather. Of course, the astronomer in me does not like this weather at all and often gets frustrated planning trips like this one when the weather does not cooperate. 

    Friday started mostly clear, but clouds quickly rolled in and blocked out the sky for most of the day. We went on a nice hike during this time while the temperatures were cool, likely in the low 60s, and then returned to camp to read and play games for a while. I wasn't expecting much in the way of stargazing due to the clouds. However, after having dinner and playing some card games, which I won, of course, I stepped outside to see what I could see. I was shocked to see that there were only a few wispy clouds in the sky! We quickly loaded my DSLR camera and phone tripod and headed to the northern end of Fish Lake. I took a few decent pictures, but we were disappointed by how few meteors we saw. We each only saw one. We only stayed out until approximately 10:30 because it was cold. The temperatures dropped into the 30s that night, and we weren't prepared for temperatures like that. At least the few pictures I took turned out! 

Andromeda and aircraft taken with DSLR

Meteor and Milky Way taken with DSLR

Milky Way Pilot taken with DSLR

Milky Way, Meteor, and Fish Lake taken with smartphone

Aircraft and the night sky taken with smartphone

Aircraft, Andromeda, and the Milky Way taken with smartphone

    Saturday started out very much the same as Friday. However, the clouds stayed away for most of the day and didn't start rolling in until late afternoon. During the day, we went on a different hike and sat by the lake for a few hours before returning to our cabin to really relax and soak up the mountain air. We were really hoping for a clear night for our last night there, but the patchy clouds didn't seem ready to leave. We loaded up the telescope and camera anyway and drove to the north end of Fish Lake again to see if the astronomy gods would grant us another clear night. To my amazement and delight, the clouds mostly hugged the eastern horizon, and I felt confident rain would stay away, so I set up my new scope. I futzed around with the scope for a few hours trying to get a good star alignment but was unsuccessful. We did still manage to view the Andromeda Galaxy and a couple of double stars, but nothing more. I also set up my DSLR to take a timelapse of the sky to try to catch some meteors, and everything was going great until some people came to the same location with their headlights, ruining part of the images. Below are the best images from the attempted timelapse and from my phone. 

Andromeda with Perseid Meteor and some strangers taken with DSLR

Bright Milky Way taken with smartphone

Milky Way in Fish Lake taken with smartphone

    All in all, it was a fantastic end-of-summer trip. Even though the tracking was off and I grew frustrated, I was still impressed by the views of the stars through my new scope. The views through my big Dobsonian are better since it's about three times as large; I feel the new scope is a great addition to my mini fleet of astronomy gear. Once I work out the bugs, I should be able to set up my new scope more quickly. While my Dobsonian breaks down into smaller units for easier transport than a typical Dobsonian, it's still large, takes up a lot of space in a car, and takes time to assemble and collimate. My new scope is much smaller, takes up less space, and assembles more quickly. I look forward to my next outing with either one, or even both, of these scopes.   

    Show that you support dark skies, like me, by being one of the first Utahns to get a Dark Sky license plate! Visit Dark Sky Utah to apply for a new license plate for your vehicle. 

         

    

Now get outside and look up!

   

Monthly Night Sky Report: September 2026

                          Introduction

   August was still warm, with a few cooler, rainy days mixed in. Utahns experienced some evening thunderstorms, reminiscent of the summer storms I remember as a kid. I saw a few Perseid meteors and took one of my scopes out to view the stars. I also saw part of the Partial Lunar Eclipse before the clouds rolled in. 

    September should offer some great nights of stargazing. Cooler temperatures bring a steadier atmosphere and let observers use high-powered eyepieces to better reveal the details of the Moon, planets, and deep-sky objects. This month will be a less exciting month for stargazers, with no major meteor showers and no eclipses. Neptune will reach opposition during September, making it the best time of the year to view the most distant planet in our solar system.   

                      

Mercury

   Mercury will be a difficult target for Northern Hemisphere observers in September. The ecliptic brings Mercury close to the horizon, so a high, clear view of the western sky will be needed shortly after sunset. The best chance to see this tiny world will come on the 12th when the Moon is just 11° away. Venus will also be nearby. 

  

Venus

   Venus will be easy to spot after sunset, even before the glow of the Sun retreats from the evening sky. This world will sink below the western horizon earlier with each passing day, but it will remain prominent in the sky. Venus will reach its greatest illumination on the 18th, shining brightly at -4.8 magnitude. Observers with binoculars or a telescope can see the planet's different phases, with about 25% of its disk illuminated on the 21st.

    

Mars

    

   Mars can be found rising with the stars of Gemini in early September, around 2:30 AM. By the end of the month, the Red Planet will have crossed into Cancer, the Crab, and rise approximately an hour earlier. This outer rocky world will not offer much detail through a telescope because of its distance from Earth, but better views will present themselves in early 2027.

       

Jupiter

Saturn

   Jupiter will begin the month among the stars of Cancer. This giant planet rises above the eastern horizon around 4:30 AM as the month begins. Close to the time that Mars is crossing into Cancer, Jupiter will leave this region of the night sky and move to the stars of Leo. At the end of the month, Jupiter can be found just 11° from Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. The early morning hours are a great time to view this planet. A telescope will easily reveal Jupiter's four large Galilean Moons and the cloud bands in its atmosphere. Colored filters can help reveal Jupiter's band structure. Several moon transits are visible during September. I recommend using the Moons of Jupiter & Saturn app to find the transit times for a specific location.  

    It is nearly peak Saturn observation time as it approaches opposition in October. For the time being, the Ringed World can be found rising above the eastern horizon around 10:30 PM at the start of the month and by approximately 8:30 PM by month's end. A telescope will reveal Saturn's ring structure and its largest moons. You can observe several moon transits this month. I recommend using the Moons of Jupiter & Saturn app to find when these transits will occur at your location.

       

Neptune

Uranus

    

   Uranus can be found hiding among the stars of Taurus. This distant world is about halfway between the Pleiades and the Hyades star clusters throughout September. While technically visible to the unaided eye from a dark, Moon-free sky, binoculars or a telescope will help you distinguish it from the background stars. 

   Neptune reaches opposition on the 25th, making this date one of the best times of the year to view this most distant world. Neptune can be found rising with Saturn and the stars of Pisces. You will need binoculars or a telescope to see this world.

Deep Sky Objects

   This September, there aren't many exciting astronomy targets to view. However, plenty of DSOs are visible with a telescope. Observers may also catch up to seven meteors per hour during any night of the month, although the best time to view will come during the New Moon phase. I recommend bringing a comfortable chair and warm clothing to a dark-sky site, relaxing, and looking up at the wonders of our night sky.   

Monthly Breakdown

September 03: Moon passes within 5° of Uranus

September 04: Last Quarter Moon🌗 

September 06: Moon passes within 3° of Mars

September 08: Moon passes within 1° of Jupiter

September 10: New Moon 🌑

September 14: Moon passes within 1° of Venus 

September 18: First Quarter Moon 🌓 

September 22: Autumnal Equinox

September 25: Neptune reaches opposition 

September 26: Full Moon 🌕 

September 26: Moon passes within 5° of Neptune

September 27: Moon passes within 7° of Saturn 

September 30: Moon passes within 5° of Uranus 

 

 

         

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos image was taken by Jeff Greenland.

The Milky Way and Trees image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

Orion, Taurus, and Pleiades image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

                

   

Midmonth Check-In: August 2026 and the Ecliptic

                              

  Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    August has been quite warm. A little too warm for my taste, which discourages me from taking my gear out at night. The smoke has also been a deterrent, but I still spotted Venus in the early evening sky and followed the Moon through its phases. It's currently approaching the New Moon phase to set up a Total Solar Eclipse. During the New Moon phase, the Perseids will also peak, creating a spectacular show for those with cloud-free skies.

    I traveled to Fish Lake, Utah during the peak of the Perseids. I wasn't expecting much, since the forecast predicted rainstorms for the entire trip. Fortunately, it was only overcast for one of the three nights! I have not looked at all the pictures I took of the night sky during the two clear nights, but the few I have reviewed look great, and I'm excited to share them and my trip to Fish Lake in my next Midmonth Check-In post!

    The remaining days of August will still offer observers a chance to catch some Perseid meteors and the Moon moving against the background stars. On the 28th, Utahns will see a Partial Lunar Eclipse. Several of the planets may also be seen in the early morning sky before sunrise. 

The Ecliptic

      I often mention the ecliptic and how the planets and Sun seem to follow this imaginary line through our sky, but what is it and why do these celestial objects follow this path?

    Approximately 4.6 billion years ago, an event occurred, most likely a distant supernova, which agitated an otherwise peaceful cloud of dust in an otherwise lonely region of space. This agitation caused the cloud of dust to begin spinning and collapsing inward. As the cloud spun faster, it flattened out, much like a pizza maker throws dough in the air and spins it. Over time, the Sun and planets formed from this disk, all of which lie roughly on the same plane, like a pizza pan or dinner plate.

    Before the solar system became what we know today, with the planets in their current positions and the moons around them, several collisions or near-collisions occurred. These events caused some planets, like Earth, to tilt on their polar axis. For Earth, this axial tilt allows us to experience seasons. 

    The path the Sun takes through our daytime sky is known as the ecliptic. This path changes throughout the year because of Earth's axial tilt. Since the planets were formed from the same rotating disc of dust as the Sun, they closely follow the ecliptic as well. In fact, if an observer were standing on another planet in our solar system, they would also experience the Sun and planets following an imaginary line, an ecliptic, in their sky. Think of the swing ride, Turn of the Century, at Lagoon. Everyone on the ride sits on the same plane and follows the same arc as the speed increases. This is the same concept as the arc that the Sun and planets follow in the sky.       

    Show that you support dark skies, like me, by being one of the first Utahns to get a Dark Sky license plate! Visit Dark Sky Utah to apply for a new license plate for your vehicle. 

         

    

Now get outside and look up!

   

Monthly Night Sky Report: August 2026

                         Introduction

   July was hot! Utahns experienced record-setting temperatures and a few major rain and thunderstorm events. Southern and Central Utah experienced severe flooding, with some towns having to be evacuated. I was able to take out my new telescope a couple of times this month to enjoy the sights of the night sky. My main objective was to learn how to use my scope more proficiently. I need just one more clear evening, and I should be ready to tackle any situation! I am hoping for that opportunity during the last part of July. 

    August will be a great month for any type of observing! For the unaided eye and astrophotographers, August will offer a Total Solar Eclipse, visible in Europe, a partial Lunar Eclipse, visible across the US, and the Perseids peaking under a Moonless sky. All of the planets excluding Venus will be visible in the morning sky. Observers with binoculars or a telescope can enjoy the DSOs of the summer nights and can, of course, target the planets and Moon for better views.     

                      

Mercury

   Mercury will be visible in the morning twilight nearly the entire month of August. This tiny world will reach its greatest western elongation on the 2nd, meaning this will likely be the best morning to view the planet. On the 11th, the Earth's Moon will pass within 2° of Mercury but may be difficult to spot since it is the day before the New Moon phase and Total Solar Eclipse. The observers fortunate enough to witness this Total Solar Eclipse will be able to see Mercury during totality. The other planets will also be visible, with Jupiter being the nearest planet to Mercury. On the 15th, Mercury and Jupiter will be in conjunction with less than a degree separating the two. Unfortunately, this planetary conjunction will be difficult to spot as the pair rise less than an hour before the Sun. Any chance of seeing this conjunction will require a clear view of the eastern horizon before sunrise.   

  

Venus

   Venus will be the only planet visible in the western sky shortly after sunset during August. Although it's the only planet in the west, it makes up for it by shining so brightly. Venus will reach dichotomy, 50% lit, near the 11th and 12th this month, coinciding with the Perseids. Venus will glide through the background stars of Virgo during the entirety of August, passing less than 5° from Porrima on the 15th and less than 2° from Spica on the 31st. A thin Crescent Moon will be close to Venus on the 15th.

    

Mars

    

   Mars rises above the mountains with Taurus the Bull around 3:00 AM at the start of the month. Due to the Red Planet's easterly motion from our vantage point, it rises just 30 minutes earlier by the 31st of August in Gemini. Mars transitions to the second constellation during the morning of the 12th, the same day as the peak of the Perseids, a Total Solar Eclipse, and the New Moon phase. On the 9th, a thin Crescent Moon will pass close by Mars. Between the 14th and 15th, Mars will pass within 1° of M35, an open star cluster at the feet of Gemini. The Red Planet lies on the other side of the solar system from the Earth and is quite dim and small in a telescope. However, astrophotographers should take advantage of Betelgeuse, Aldebaran, and Mars showing off their red glow in the eastern sky before sunrise.

       

Jupiter

Saturn

   Jupiter will be lost from view during the first half of August. This giant world will return to view by the 15th as it rises about 30 minutes before the Sun. On this date, Mercury can be found next to Jupiter with less than 1° of separation. A day later, the pair will be nearly 2° apart, with this distance increasing as Mercury sinks closer to the Sun and Jupiter pulls further away. The Earth's own Moon will not be visible near Jupiter this month due to the pair being in close proximity to the Sun from our perspective.

  Saturn rises close to midnight at the start of August and about two hours earlier by the end of the month. The rings of Saturn are tilted so they are nearly edge-on for our Earthly observations, but views will improve as the Earth and Saturn orbit the Sun. This ring tilt should not discourage observers from viewing this planet! It will still offer great views and the chance to see a few of its moons. The Earth's Moon will pass close by Saturn on the 3rd and again on the 31st of August.

       

Neptune

Uranus

    

   Uranus rises around 2:00 AM with Taurus the Bull at the start of the month and about 90 minutes earlier by the end of the month. This distant world can be found nearly halfway between M45 (The Pleiades) and Aldebaran, the red eye of Taurus. Uranus can be seen by the unaided eye from a dark sky site, but a pair of binoculars or a telescope will really help differentiate it from the other stars. With optical aid, this world will appear blue-green in color and as a disk in the field of view instead of a pinpoint of light like a star. The Earth's Moon will pass within 5° of Uranus on the 7th of August.

   Neptune requires optical aid to observe with a light-pollution-free sky, improving the views tremendously. This distant ice giant will be sharing the sky with the stars of Pisces the Fish. The Moon will join Neptune on the 3rd and again on the 30th of August.

Perseids, Total Solar Eclipse, Partial Lunar Eclipse, and Tempel 2

   August treats observers this month with many different things for all interests. The highly anticipated Perseid Meteor Shower returns this month and will peak on the 12th under a Moon-free sky! This gives observers the chance to view up to 100 meteors per hour if they can escape all forms of light pollution. It is best to view the Perseids after midnight, which allows Perseus, the constellation where the Perseids get their name, to climb above the northeast horizon. 

    A Total Solar Eclipse will occur on the same day as the Perseids peak, creating a spectacular day for observers who are in the path of totality. Unfortunately for Utahns, this eclipse favors those in Europe, Iceland, and Greenland. For those able to travel to view this eclipse, I envy you!

    Near the end of August, on the 28th, Utahns as well as all of North America will experience a Partial Lunar Eclipse. The eclipse will already have started at 8:00 PM, when the Moon rises in Utah. The maximum eclipse does not occur until 10:12 PM, giving the Moon ample time to climb high in the sky. A Lunar Eclipse can be enjoyed using an optical aid, photography, or the unaided eye, which is often the preferred method of observation. The eclipse will end by 1:00 AM    

    Comet Tempel 2 can still be seen during the warm August nights. This comet is dimming as it moves away from the Earth and will require optical aid or a camera to see. The best chance comes in early August since Tempel 2 will be brighter, but it will be visible all month. It is visible all night as well, but observers should wait until after midnight to allow it to gain some altitude. Near the 7th of August, Comet Tempel 2 will be about as high in the sky as Saturn but further to the south (right), near but above the bright star Fomalhaut. By the 23rd, Fomalhaut and Tempel 2 will have about the same altitude around midnight. Since its location changes nightly, I recommend using a favorite astronomy app, like Stellarium or SkySafari, to find Tempel 2 in the sky. 

    I have planned a quick weekend trip to a dark sky site and am bringing along my telescope and camera. I hope to capture the Perseid meteors, Tempel 2, and many other wonders of the night sky! I am hopeful for cloud- and smoke-free skies!

      

Monthly Breakdown

August 02: Mercury reaches greatest western elongation
August 03: Moon passes within 5° of Neptune
August 03: Moon passes within 7° of Saturn
August 05: Last Quarter Moon🌗 
August 07: Moon passes within 5° of Uranus
August 09: Moon passes within 4° of Mars
August 11: Moon passes within 2° of Mercury
August 12: New Moon 🌑

August 12: Perseid Meteor Shower peaks

August 15: Venus reaches greatest eastern elongation

August 15: Mercury and Jupiter planetary conjunction

August 16: Moon passes within 2° of Venus 

August 19: First Quarter Moon 🌓 
August 27: Mercury reaches superior conjunction
August 28: Full Moon 🌕 

August 30: Moon passes within 5° of Neptune

August 31: Moon passes within 7° of Saturn 

 

 

         

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos image was taken by Jeff Greenland.

The Milky Way and Trees image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

Orion, Taurus, and Pleiades image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

                

   

Midmonth Check-In: July 2026 and 250 Years of American Astronomy

                             

  Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    July has been hot, with nearly every day under a heat advisory over much of, if not all of, Utah. From the end of June until the second week of July, I have attempted to take at least one of my telescopes out for a night under the stars. It seemed like every weekend the clouds would roll in, but on the 11th, I was finally able to take out my new telescope. I have only used it on one other occasion with decent results, even though I had a limited selection of eyepieces. On the 11th, I had my full arsenal, but I only used two different eyepieces, which were not included with my scope. After a brief setup and quick two-star alignment, I was able to view a few objects. Most notable were Venus, the double star Alberio, and the great globular cluster in Hercules, M13. The views were pretty good, but, of course, could have been better if I had been at a dark-sky location and the seeing had been better. Overall, I was very pleased and am very excited to take it out again soon. 

    During the remainder of the month, observers still have the chance to follow the Moon as it changes phase in our sky and enjoy the Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower. Aside from this, the Milky Way core will be visible until fall, along with many DSOs in the summer night sky.   

250 Years of American Astronomy

      When the United States of America became its own country in 1776, only six planets were known to exist: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Astronomy was used for basic navigation, land surveying, and as a timekeeper for the year during this era. Other galaxies, black holes, exoplanets, and star formation, among other things, were also not yet known at this time.

    The United States oldest operational research-focused observatory, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, was founded in 1890. Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, is the first observatory founded with the primary intention of pure astronomical research. Of course, this observatory is famous for the discovery of Pluto in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh. 

    Seven years before the discovery of Pluto, Edwin Hubble discovered that the Andromeda Nebula was really a separate galaxy from the Milky Way. This was accomplished by using the 100-inch Hooker Telescope and 200-inch Hale Telescope at the Mount Wilson and Palomar Observatories. This also helped define the expanding universe.   

    Edwin Hubble's and other astronomers' discoveries around this time helped push for the need for a space-based observatory. It wasn't until 1990 that the Hubble Space Telescope was launched, enabling many more discoveries about the universe. This paved the way for larger ground-based observatories, such as those in Chile and China, and for other space-based observatories, such as the James Webb Space Telescope. 

    The birth of our great nation may feel like a long time ago, especially for the younger generations. Remember, kids, in 1776, there were no cars, telephones, the internet, or cellphones. But 250 years is just a quick blink of an eye compared to the age of the universe and even our tiny planet. The bright star Spica, which can be found by following the curve of the Big Dipper's handle, lies about 250 light-years from Earth. The light we are seeing from Spica today is the light that left this star in 1776, while the Declaration of Independence was being signed. 

    The world has changed quite a bit in the last 250 years. Imagine what the next 250 years will bring!

    Show that you support dark skies, like me, by being one of the first Utahns to get a Dark Sky license plate! Visit Dark Sky Utah to apply for a new license plate for your vehicle. 

         

    

Now get outside and look up!