What's Up?
The night sky this month - September 2021
This page shows a brief summary of what interesting things we can see in the sky this month.
A more detailed version of 'What's Up' this month is available as a downloadable Word document right at the bottom of this page.
Overview of September 2021
The New Season starts here. Autumn will be with us this month, possibly the best time for observing, dark by nine yet still warm enough for comfort. In the East the Pleiades beckon and Orion peeks. Neptune will be at opposition on the 14th.
The Sun & Moon
The Sun
September 22nd marks the autumnal equinox, the time of year when the Sun appears on the celestial equator, moving southward.
The Moon
The phases of the Moon are as follows:
- New - 7th September
- First Quarter - 13th September
- Full Moon - 20th September
- Last Quarter - 29th September
Darkest nights for observing, due to lack of moonlight, will be from 4th to the 9th September.
Mercury
Mercury is too close to the Sun for observation in the UK.
Venus
Venus is a brilliant evening object low down in the sunset, getting lower daily.
Mars
Mars is too close to the Sun to see this month.
Jupiter
Jupiter is visible all night in Capricorn.
Saturn
Saturn is also visible all night in Capricorn. .
Uranus
Uranus is in Cetus, and is visible all night,
Neptune
Neptune is at opposition on 14th September, and visible all night.
Pluto
Pluto is visible all evening in Sagittarius between Saturn and Jupiter.
Other Events
Deep Sky
First look in the West first and catch these before they set:
- M3, M10, M12, M63 the sunflower galaxy, M51 the Whirlpool and M101 Pinwheel.
- In the South find M55, M8 the lagoon nebula, M20 the trifid nebula, M22, M23, M25, M17 the omega nebula, M16 the Eagle nebula and M11 the wild duck cluster.
- In the North, circumpolar objects include M103 and M81 bodes galaxy.
- Try for Kembles Cascade in Camelopardalis, or for binoculars the double cluster.
- Overhead look for M52, M39, M29, M27 the dumbbell nebula, M71, M56, and M57 the ring nebula, In the East objects are rising, such as M33, M34, M74, M45 the Pleiades, the Auriga triplet M36, 37 and 38. later M1 the crab and M35 rise.