The zodiacal light is visible in the east before morning twilight for the first two weeks of the month.
The moon begins September only three days away from last quarter, and an occultation of Aldebaran, visible in extreme northern Canada and Greenland. By Sept. 7, the moon is one degree north of the Beehive Cluster. New phase occurs Sept. 9. Sept. 13, Jupiter is four degrees south of the moon. Saturn is two degrees south Sept. 17 and Mars is five degrees south Sept. 20. The moon is full Sept. 24. By Sept 30, Aldebaran meets up with our satellite for the second time in the month.
Mercury is visible for only a few days in early September morning skies, as it races to superior conjunction (behind the sun) Sept. 21.
Venus is visible in the western evening twilight, but the angle of the ecliptic makes for a poor apparition as the sun has barely gone down when Venus quickly follows. The evening of Sept. 13 would make for a great photo as Venus skirts the horizon, with the moon hanging over Jupiter and Antares and Saturn a bit further east. Venus, the brightest planet, reaches its greatest illuminated extent Sept. 21, but is still a tough observation so close to the horizon.
Mars is moving in proper motion, after retrograding for nearly two months. The speedier Earth pulls away rapidly and the Red Planet loses half its brilliance over the month. The waxing gibbous moon passes by Sept. 19 and 20.
Jupiter is visible low in the western sky after sunset. Watch for the nearby moon Sept. 13.
Saturn is retrograding as the month opens, becomes stationary Sept. 10 and resumes prograde motion.
Uranus rises well before midnight in the constellation Aries, the Ram. The moon, just past full phase, slides by Sept. 26.
Neptune reaches opposition Sept. 7, and is visible (with optical aid) all night in Aquarius, joined by the moon Sept. 22.
— James Edgar has had an interest in the night sky all his life. He joined the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in 2000 and is now the society’s past-president, editor of the Observer’s Handbook and production manager of the bi-monthly RASC Journal. The IAU named asteroid 1995 XC5 “(22421) Jamesedgar” in his honour.
