Saturn at Opposition and a Celestial Trio: What to See in the September Sky
September is here, and with it comes a true celestial spectacle. The month promises incredible performances, with Saturn shining brightly, a trio of celestial objects dancing together at dawn, and the official start of autumn in the northern hemisphere.
Saturn at Opposition: The Lord of the Rings Shines
Throughout September, Saturn will be the star of the night. The ringed planet will be incredibly bright, visible in the eastern evening sky and the western early morning sky.
The main event occurs on September 21, when Saturn reaches opposition. This means Earth will be positioned exactly between the Sun and Saturn. In this configuration, the planet will be at its closest and therefore brightest point of the year.
You can see Saturn with the naked eye, but with a small telescope, the view becomes even more magical, with the possibility of distinguishing its iconic rings.
Triple Conjunction at Dawn
Mark your calendar: in the early hours of September 19, just before sunrise, look to the east. You will see a magnificent triple conjunction.
The waning crescent Moon will be nestled comfortably next to both Venus and Regulus, one of the brightest stars in the night sky. Regulus is the main star of the constellation Leo.
A conjunction occurs when celestial objects appear to be close together in the sky, even if they are millions of miles apart in space. To find the trio, just look for the Moon.
The Autumnal Equinox
On September 22, we welcome the autumnal equinox. Astronomically, this is the moment when the Sun is positioned directly above the Equator. On this day, our planet is not tilted toward or away from the Sun, resulting in a day and night that are almost exactly 12 hours long each.
