In September, the Moon approaches objects such as Mars, Saturn and the Pleiades cluster. In addition, three meteor showers reach peak activity.
Some minor meteor showers and conjunctions of planets with the Moon occur in the midst of September astronomical events. The month is also marked by the vernal equinox, an important milestone in our calendar.
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September astronomical events
The month of September will have three meteor showers reaching peak activity, but none of them are very intense. It’s just that, even on the busiest days, these rains offer few chances to observe meteors, but we decided to mention them anyway: who knows, maybe you won’t find one of these little-observed objects?
Also, check out the days when planets and other interesting objects will be near the Moon, among other events.
Dry Meteor Shower (01/09)
The Aurigid shower will peak on the first day of the month, with the potential to deliver up to 10 meteors per hour. This is not a very famous shower and its meteors are fast and persistent, i.e. their luminosity remains in the sky for a long time.
The radiant of this rain is the constellation Auriga, the Conheiro, which hosts the sixth brightest star from the sky. Unfortunately observing these meteors won’t be easy, because the radiant will be very close to the horizon.
The best chance of finding a meteor is in the late morning, towards the north. To try to observe them, look for a place free of light pollution.
Close approach between the Moon and Jupiter (04/09)
At around 23:30, the Moon will rise behind Jupiter and you can track the two objects close to each other throughout the night. Earth’s natural satellite will be near the constellation Taurus, with the Pleiades star cluster just below, completing a beautiful scenery.
Approach between the Moon and the Pleiades (09/06)
On the 6th it will be the turn of the Pleiades to approach the Last Quarter Moon, a phase in which half of the lunar disk will be in shadow. The open cluster, also known as The Seven Sisters, contains more than 100 stars visible with simple binoculars, including double and multiple stars.
It’s also interesting to look at the somewhat wider scene, with Aldebaran higher above the Moon and Jupiter to the left, a little further away.
Epsilon Perseids Meteor Shower (09/09)
Another small shower that produces few meteors, the Epsilon Perseids (not to be confused with the perseid rain, which occurs in August) will have a peak of activity on the 9th, when the waning Moon will not be bright enough to disturb the observations. The best time to try and see a meteor will be around 4am.
The Perseid radiant Epsilon is the constellation Perseus, which will be located to the north. Formed from fragments of an unknown comet, these meteors travel across the sky at a speed of 64 km/s, with a speed of 5 falling stars per hour, on average.
Conjunction of the Moon with Mars (9/16)
This conjunction will be interesting, as the Moon will have just exited the New phase and therefore will only be visible as a very thin line. Next to it, the Red Planet will be at a distance equivalent to half the circumference of the Moon itself.
To observe this meeting just follow the sunset, waiting for the moment when the twilight will allow Mars to become visible. When that happens, the two stars will already be together.
Spring Equinox (23/9)
The September equinox occurs at 3:50am on the 23rd, ushering in spring in the southern hemisphere and the beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere. On this day, both hemispheres of the Earth receive approximately the same amount of sunlight.
Also, the day and night at the equinoxes are roughly the same length, approximately 12 hours.
Close approach between the Moon and Saturn (09/27)
Throughout the night of the 27th Saturn will be closer to the Moon, which in turn will be in the waxing gibbous phase. The objects will wander together in the night sky for most of the night, so you can track them until around 4am.
On the same day, the daytime Sextantids meteor shower reaches its peak activity, although of the smaller September showers, this is perhaps the least likely to be observed. Sextantid shooting stars travel at 32 km/s and are produced by debris from the asteroid Apollo 2005 UD.
Like the Perseid Epsilon, its average speed is five meteors per hour. Its radiant, in the direction of the star Sextant, will not be far above the horizon before dawn.
Moon phases in September 2023
Check out the main ones phases of the moon in the month of September:
- 6 September at 7.00pm: Last quarter moon
- September 14th at 11.00pm: New moon
- 22 September at 5.00pm: First quarter moon
- September 29 at 7:00 full moon
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Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
