September 2021 Astronomical Highlights
The Visible Planets
Mercury is not easily visible this month from our latitude as Mercury appears very low along the western horizon at sunset, setting slightly after the Sun. Observers in the southern hemisphere will have a much better placement of Mercury in the early evening western sky.
Venus is still found low in the west-southwestern sky at sunset but may be difficult to see with the sunset glow from our northerly latitude. As with Mercury, southern latitude observers will see Venus well in the early evening sky as it appears much higher in the sky from those southerly latitudes.
Mars is not visible this month as it is too close to the Sun.
Jupiter continues to shine brightly low along the southern sky in the constellation of Capricornus, the sea goat, during the night. Look slightly further to the west from Jupiter and you will see planet Saturn, also found in the constellation of Capricornus. The waxing gibbous Moon will be just below Jupiter on the night of September 17.
Saturn is seen low above the southern horizon during the night and is in the constellation of Capricornus, along with Jupiter. The waxing gibbous Moon can be seen just below Saturn on the evening of September 16. Saturn continues to be one of the highlights of evening observing at the RASC Observatory into the fall/winter period.
Moon Phases
September 6 New Moon
September 13 First Quarter Moon
September 20 Full Moon (The Harvest Moon or Corn Moon)
September 28 Last Quarter 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 11, the ISS visible passes will all take place in the morning hours before sunrise. From September 16 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 6 Labour Day holiday
September 11 Neptune at opposition
September 7 to 11 Northern Prairie Star Party 2021
Black Nugget Lake, AB
See https://edmontonrasc.com/northern-prairie-star-party/ for details.
September 13 Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (Edmonton Centre) Meeting Tonight.
The RASC Meeting will be through Zoom this month. Find the Zoom link at https://edmontonrasc.com/. No in-person meeting this month.
September 14 Mercury at greatest elongation east (27°)
Neptune at opposition
September 22 Fall equinox occurs at exactly 1:21 p.m. MDT