Night Sky for September 2024: A Harvest Supermoon Eclipse and Bright Planets

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Astronomer looking at the starry skies and crescent Moon with a telescope.
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Tonight's Night Sky for the Month of September

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With Venus shining bright, Saturn’s rings on display, a Harvest Supermoon eclipse, and more, September promises to be a stargazer’s dream! Join The Old Farmer’s Almanac astronomer Bob Berman as he guides you through the month’s highlights. Don’t miss out on these amazing astronomical events.

September 5: Venus Dazzles!

This evening, shortly after sunset, look towards the western sky. You’ll find a slender crescent Moon with Venus shining just below and to its right. Venus will be visible low on the western horizon throughout the month.

September 8: Saturn Sighting

Saturn, the ringed planet, is easy to locate this evening. You can observe the golden planet as it comes into opposition. Surrounded by the dim stars of Aquarius, the planet’s rings can be seen as almost edgewise this year. Use any telescope with more than 30X magnification, and you can see the rings! 

This is also the beginning of Saturn’s departure from the far southern regions of the zodiac (where it can be for nearly a decade!), which has caused the planet to be low in the sky and telescopically blurry for viewers in the United States and Canada.

September 17: Full Harvest Supermoon Rises and a Lunar Eclipse!

You won’t want to miss the magical Full Moon on September 17, which peaks at 10:34 P.M. This particular Moon happens near the fall equinox. Unlike other full Moons, the Harvest Moon provides extra light around sunset for several nights in a row! Just as the Sun sets, the full Moon makes its way across the horizon, allowing farmers and gardeners to finish their harvests before the frosts of fall arrive. Learn more about the Full Harvest Moon and the history behind it.

This year, the Harvest Moon is even more magical than last year! It is a Supermoon, which means that it will appear larger and brighter in the night sky. 

But that’s not all! A shallow partial lunar eclipse will be visible across much of the globe, including the United States and Canada. During this eclipse, a small portion of the Moon will pass through Earth’s dark shadow, creating a subtle darkening on the lunar surface. The Moon will reach maximum obscuration at 10:44 P.M., when 9% of the Moon will be dark.

September 20: Neptune in Opposition

The other blue planet, Neptune, comes into opposition this evening. This means that the Earth is directly between the planet and the sun. However, if you want to look at this tiny, blue, 8th-magnitude disk, you will need to employ your trusting telescope to bring it into view.  

September 22: Autumnal Equinox

Sunday morning, September 22, brings the autumnal equinox—at 8:44 A.M. EDT. This marks the start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and the start of spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Learn more about the first day of fall!

the milky way
The Milky Way Galaxy

Pegasus Shines in September

Watch for Pegasus, the Winged Horse in the southeastern sky this month! A helpful guide to this asterism (unofficial star pattern) is the Great Square, which outlines Pegasus’ body. See our star chart and how to find Pegasus.

About The Author

Bob Berman

Bob Berman, astronomer editor for The Old Farmer’s Almanac, covers everything under the Sun (and Moon)! Bob is the world’s most widely read astronomer and has written ten popular books. Read More from Bob Berman