Every Monday I pick the northern hemisphere’s celestial highlights (mid-northern latitudes) for the week forward, however remember to verify my principal feed for extra in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and extra.
The Evening Sky This Week: September 4-10, 2023
Jupiter is rising. There are nonetheless two months to go earlier than the enormous planet reaches its vivid annual opposition, when it’ll rise at sundown and set at dawn. Nonetheless, between now and December 30, Jupiter shall be in a interval of obvious retrograde movement whereas within the constellation Taurus—showing to go backwards within the sky.
Why? Earth orbits the solar a lot quicker than the outer planets, so usually overtakes them. They then seem in our sky to be shifting backwards for a short while—very like when you overtake a car on the freeway.
This week you’ll be able to see Jupiter with the moon and likewise near Uranus. Right here’s all the things it’s essential learn about watching the moon, planets and stars this week:
Monday, September 4: Moon Aligns With Jupiter, Uranus And The ‘Seven Sisters’
With the total “Blue Moon” rising final week our pure satellite tv for pc is now showing a couple of hours after sundown, which is creeping ever earlier as the autumn equinox approaches later this month.
Look to the east-northeast simply earlier than midnight and also you’ll see a 68%-lit waning gibbous moon about 5º every from Jupiter (proper) and the glowing seven stars of the closest open cluster to us, the Pleiades, additionally referred to as the “Seven Sisters” (left). Slightly below the moon, and detectable by binoculars, would be the blueish dot of Uranus.
Tuesday, September 5: The Moon And The ‘Seven Sisters’
Yesterday evening’s pre-bedtime tableau is tonight tweaked barely with the moon now 57%-lit and slightly below the Seven Sisters. One other spectacular sight for bare eyes—however even higher by way of binoculars.
Wednesday, September 6: Final Quarter Moon
In the present day our satellite tv for pc will attain its Final Quarter part, rising after midnight and clearing the best way for 10 successive nights of darkish, moonless skies. Take advantage of the nice and cozy late-summer nights within the northern hemisphere as a result of stargazing will subsequent month grow to be a extra chilling expertise.
No marvel this month—and particularly this week and subsequent—are such a preferred time for annual star events above the equator.
Saturday, September 9: A Crescent Moon And Venus In A ‘Winter Sky’
Look east an hour earlier than dawn right now and also you’ll see the fabulous sight of a 26%-lit waning crescent moon above a super-bright planet Venus—and all in opposition to a backdrop of well-known winter stars comparable to Orion’s Belt, Betelgeuse, Procyon, Sirius, Capella and Aldebaran. Wow!
Star-Shapes Of The Week: The ‘Teapot’ And The ‘Summer season Triangle’
Though it’s at its greatest in June and July from the northern hemisphere, take a look for the well-known “Teapot” asterism (star-shapes) within the southwest after darkish and also you’ll have discovered Sagittarius, which lies throughout the Milk Manner’s heart.
A lot larger—and simpler to see—would be the huge three-pronged “Summer season Triangle” asterism. Discover these two patterns and also you’ll be in the correct place to see the dense star fields of the Milky Manner streaming all the way down to the horizon. Look to the left of the Summer season Triangle for the ringed planet, Saturn.
Stargazing Tip Of The Week: Seeing Crimson
Evening imaginative and prescient is all the things in stargazing. When you don’t consider me, go stand at the hours of darkness for 20 minutes and also you’ll realise you’ll be able to see a lot greater than if you first ventured exterior. Keep exterior for an hour and you will notice much more. Nonetheless, this evening imaginative and prescient is definitely misplaced. Even a short a look at a vivid white mild from a smartphone display screen can spoil your evening imaginative and prescient, which can then take you one other 20 minutes to get again.
The easiest way to make use of mild at evening is to get a pink flashlight, which gained’t injury your evening imaginative and prescient practically as a lot. Most stargazing apps for smartphones now have pink mild modes—although remember to activate them earlier than it will get darkish. Regardless, flip down the brightness of your smartphone’s display screen. Crimson mild beats white mild, however the much less mild of any coloration, the higher.
Occasions and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For essentially the most correct location-specific data seek the advice of on-line planetariums like Stellarium and The Sky Stay. Verify planet-rise/planet-set, dawn/sundown and moonrise/moonset occasions for the place you might be.
Wishing you clear skies and vast eyes.