Volume 23 Issue 9
September 2023
September 2023
Month at a Glance:
This month is the second of the two equinox months so on the 22nd the Sun, in its apparent path along the ecliptic, will reach the astronomical coordinates of 12hours: 0o. This places the Sun crossing the celestial equator moving southward toward its December low point , (23.5o) and the December solstice.
Click here for the month at a glance calendar.
What is this? "It's a prediction of when Lees Summit, MO, will have good weather for astronomical observing." Click on the graphic to go to the Clear Sky web site.
This month is the second of the two equinox months so on the 22nd the Sun, in its apparent path along the ecliptic, will reach the astronomical coordinates of 12hours: 0o. This places the Sun crossing the celestial equator moving southward toward its December low point , (23.5o) and the December solstice.
Click here for the month at a glance calendar.
What is this? "It's a prediction of when Lees Summit, MO, will have good weather for astronomical observing." Click on the graphic to go to the Clear Sky web site.
Mercury moves out of inferior conjunction during the first part of this month, and then reappears as a morning planet rising ahead of the Sun for the rest of this month.
Venus shines very brightly above the southeastern horizon before sunrise local time. Venus's orbit is carrying further from the Earth and as a result its apparent diameter reduces. However on the 19th Venus reaches its greatest brilliance, apparent magnitude -4.8, for this orbit.
Mars continues to shrink in apparent diameter as the distance between the Earth and Mars increases. Watch for an occultation of Mars by the thin crescent Moon on the 16th. Due to the small diameter of Mars, about 4", the occultation will only last a few seconds.
Dwarf Planet Ceres is above the southwestern horizon at sunset for much of this month, however with an apparent magnitude greater than 8.0 it would only be visible with optical assistance.
Jupiter remains visible shining brightly in the morning skies high above the southern horizon. Jupiter begins its retrograde motion this month and will appear to move westward across the constellation Aries the Ram.
Saturn reaches opposition on the 27th and is still undergoing retrograde motion across the stars of Aquarius the Water Bearer. Watch for a conjunction with the near full Moon on the 30th.
Uranus has an apparent magnitude of less than 6 and so it should be visible with optical assistance or possibly naked-eye in dark enough skies as it moves in retrograde motion across the stars of Aries the Ram.
