September 2022 Astronomical Highlights
The Visible Planets
Mercury, while not visible in the early part of the month, begins to slowly emerge out of the Sun’s early dawn glow low along the eastern horizon by September 28.
Venus is seen shining brightly low in the eastern sky before sunrise during most of the month. However, by September 25, Venus sinks low into the glare of the rising Sun that we lose sight of it from then on.
Mars is located in the zodiac constellation of Taurus, the bull, this month. It rises along the east-northeast horizon at around 11:00 p.m. local time and by sunrise is shining high in the southern sky. From the dates of September 1 to 12, look for Mars near and above the bright eye of Taurus, the star Aldebaran. Both objects would have a reddish-orange colour to them, making a nice pairing. On the night of September 17 through the early morning hours of September 18, look for Mars just below the first quarter Moon. Over this month, Mars continues to brighten as it approaches its opposition date in early December 2022.
Jupiter reaches its point of opposition this month, so we see it rising in the east just before sunset and setting in the west by sunrise. It is at opposition, meaning opposite the Sun in the sky, on September 26. Look for Jupiter moving in its retrograde path (moving westward in the sky) relative to the stars of the zodiac constellation of Pisces, the fish. On September 10/11 look for Jupiter above the waning gibbous Moon.
Saturn rises before sunset along the southeastern horizon and is visible almost all night long as it describes a shallow arc low in the southern sky during the night. Saturn is located with the zodiac constellation of Capricornus, the sea goat. On the nights of September 7 and 8, Saturn can be seen just above the waxing gibbous Moon.
Moon Phases
September 3 First Quarter Moon
September 10 Full Moon (The Harvest Moon or Corn Moon)
September 17 Last Quarter Moon
September 25 New Moon
Special Events
International Space Station (ISS) Observable Passes
During the month of September there will be several favourable passes of the ISS. From September 1 to September 10, the ISS visible passes will all take place in the morning hours before sunrise. From September 14 onwards, the ISS visible passes switch to our evening sky. Check the website http://www.heavens-above.com for exact viewing times for your location.
September 5 Labour Day holiday
September 12 Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (Edmonton Centre) Meeting Tonight.
7:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. mix and mingle and 7:30 p.m.– 9:30 p.m. meeting
The RASC Meeting will be both an in-person meeting in the Zeidler Dome at the TELUS World of Science – Edmonton and on-line by Zoom. You can find the Zoom link at https://edmontonrasc.com/. This will be the first in-person RASC Edmonton Centre meeting since March 2020.
September 16 Neptune at opposition
September 20 - 25 Northern Prairie Star Party 2021
Black Nugget Lake, AB
See https://edmontonrasc.com/northern-prairie-star-party/ for details.
September 22 Fall equinox occurs at exactly 7:04 p.m. MDT
September 23 Mercury at inferior conjunction
September 26 Jupiter at opposition