Your Stargazing Calendar for September 2022
Jupiter will reach opposition near the end of the month, making it one of the best times to view the planet.
The autumnal equinox marks the time when the sun crosses from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere.
September’s full Moon, the Harvest Moon, comes early in the month.
Following a summer full of meteor showers, stargazers can look forward to distinct planetary events that will highlight the September sky.
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September offers views of shooting stars, one of the best chances to get a good look at Jupiter, an opportunity to check out exactly what an occultation is (more the absence of seeing things than the actual event of seeing them), and time to enjoy the sun’s transition from the northern to the southern hemisphere during the autumn equinox.
🪐 Jupiter in Opposition
Let’s skip right ahead to the big event of the month, when Jupiter reaches opposition on September 26. The largest planet in our solar system will position itself so that Earth is directly between Jupiter and the sun. That alignment means the planet appears bigger and brighter to us on Earth—bright enough that it can be seen without the aid of binoculars or a telescope (although, you’re going to get a much better look at Jupiter with those aids).
Known for the belts of gas that ring the planet, Jupiter’s hydrogen- and helium-filled areas will be visible if you’re using a telescope. When those elements present in the rings combine with methane, ammonia, and water, they offer up a mix of colors.
Along with the view of Jupiter proper, the planet’s four largest moons—Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto—will show off their icy surfaces.
🌘 Rare Occultation
Known more for what you can’t see than what you can, the September 14 occultation of the moon and Uranus is considered a rare event. During the lunar occultation, which runs for about 50 minutes during the evening hours on the East Coast (5:30 p.m. E.T.) and in the afternoon on the West Coast (2:30 p.m. Pacific), Uranus will slide behind the moon before it appears again on the other side. This will be tough to see in North America, but still worth noting.
🌕 Harvest Moon
Enjoy your September full Moon, the Harvest Moon, on the evening of September 9 and into the early morning hours of September 10. While not as bright as the supermoons we saw through the summer, the Harvest Moon still offers a nice opportunity to get a good look at the moon, especially if the weather remains clear in your area.
☄️ Meteor Showers
Okay, let’s call it how it is: the best of the meteor showers came and went in August. The Perseid meteor shower, which peaked between August 11–12, is the largest shower annually. While it officially lasts until September 1, don’t expect many more opportunities to view shooting stars. But if you’re still angling for a star or two, you might just catch a straggler.
Expect to find a pair of minor meteor showers in September, including the September 1 peak of the Aurigid meteor shower and the September 9 peak of the ε-Perseids, which have no real relation to the spectacular August showers.
🌜 Opportunities
A conjunction occurs when two celestial bodies get super cozy, sometimes appearing to meet. The moon and Saturn will have a conjunction event on September 8, and the moon and Mars will have their own special conjunction on September 16.
The moon will be less full for the later event, about 56 percent full versus the 96 percent shortly after the Harvest Moon, so expect to get a nice view of Mars for this one.
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