What’s Up in the Night Sky?

Fred Barrett | Sep 07, 2022

Saturn and Jupiter are a must to follow and observe through September. We have a cool fall sky with early darkness and no bugs! Saturn is a month past opposition and Jupiter will be at opposition late in the month. At opposition, a planet is as close to Earth as it can get. Mars and Venus are a spectacular sight too.

As soon as the sun sets, Saturn appears in the southeast. It’s near the bright star Deneb at the tail of the constellation Cygnus, the Swan and above the west part of Capricorn, the Sea Goat. You only need a small telescope to see its wonderful rings as they increase their tilt slightly from 12 to 15 degrees by the end of the month. After this month, the tilt will slowly decrease. Follow Saturn as it rises to 35 degrees in the south later in the night. Watch it through the month, noting any changes and try to make out its moons, especially its largest moon Titan. Now is the time to take advantage of some great Saturn observing.

You’re observing eyes may be drawn away from Saturn to Jupiter several times in the early evening. Jupiter rises in the east soon after 8:30 pm as the month begins. It will be a stunning sight by midnight in the south. Only the Moon will be brighter. Watch the roiling of its equatorial belts from hour to hour and night to night. Find the reddish hue of the spectacular Great Red Spot. Remember that Jupiter has a 10 hour rotation period, so features move quickly. Note, if you take cell phone or other type exposures through your telescope, they can blur if exposed too long because of the fast rotation.

Jupiter’s moons are especially interesting. Since Jupiter will be approaching and receding from opposition (when it is in line with the Earth and the Sun), transits of the moons across its face will have shadows leading or following the moons quite closely - leading the moon before opposition and trailing afterwards. A small telescope can provide many an evening’s entertainment without staying out too late.

Mars and Venus aren’t to be sniffed at! Mars is just above the baleful eye of the star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus, the Bull. Mars is exceptionally bright and the two rise in the east just before midnight early in September and by 10 pm as the month ends. Taurus the Bull seems to shift its gaze as the nights pass and Mars shifts its way east above Aldebaran. Mars, Aldebaran and Betelgeuse, below and to the east, form a nice reddish triangle by month’s end. The best time to view Mars is an hour or so before dawn when it is an astonishing 60 degrees high. Its phase is 88 percent by month’s end and the polar cap stands out in fine contrast with its other features.

Venus shines bright in the morning just before dawn. I expect many UFO reports!

Neptune is at opposition as well this month on the 16th and binoculars can be used to find its faint blue glow in Aquarius. I recommend a star chart. It is well worth the hunt.

Here are a few trailing tidbits: autumnal equinox is on the 22nd, the first Canadian satellite was launched 60 years ago on the 29th and, after the 25th, the Zodiacal light can be seen in the east for the following 2 weeks. Here are this month’s highlights:

September 7: The Moon is at perigee – 362,376 Kms. September 8: Mars passes 4 degrees north of Aldebaran at 9 pm. September 10: This is the ‘Full Moose Calling’ Moon. Is anyone looking for moose out there? Don’t get too close unless you mean it! September 16: Neptune is at opposition. The Moon passes 4 degrees north of Mars at 10 pm. September 17: Last quarter Moon. September 19: The Moon is at apogee – 402,206 Kms. September 22: Autumnal equinox. September25: New Moon at 5:55 pm. Zodiacal light can be observed in the east for the next 2 weeks. September 26: Jupiter in opposition.

It’s a great month for planets! Get out there, look up and enjoy!

Follow the links below for information and upcoming events at the North Frontenac Dark Sky Preserve:

www.northfrontenac.com/en/open-for-business/dark-sky-preserve.aspx

www.visitfrontenac.ca/en/explore-and-do/dark-sky-preserve.aspx

Useful books, star charts and related items for beginners and through to advanced amateurs can be ordered from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada at www.rasc.ca/publications. A subscription to our very own excellent Canadian astronomy magazine “SkyNews” can be arranged at the RASC website.

Fill me in on your observations and send me your questions. I welcome emails and all feedback. You can contact me through this paper or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Clear Skies!