This is the continuing monthly column for the astronomer in all of us, or the aspiringastrophysicist. Compared to areas near Boston or New Bedford, generally speaking, the Tri-Town has pretty good dark skies and thus is very fortunate in that regard.
The regulars are all visible this month: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. There are no major meteor showers, however, though that doesn’t mean you won’t catch a shooting star.
September 11 brings a New Moon, making it the best day to see faint objects like galaxies or nebulae.
On September 22, Venus reaches its greatest brightness, hovering low and yellow over the horizon at sunset.
The September Equinox is on September 23 (at 8:06 pm to be exact), which means past that, summer is officially over! The word “equinox” is a combination of the Latin words aequalis (equal) and nox (night), highlighting that at this time, both hemispheres receive the same amount of light, or darkness. This also makes the Aurora Borealis more likely.
This month, the full moon is on Saturday, September 26. The Harvest Moon kicks off the fall and reminds us that harvesting season is nearing its end.
Astronomy Update for September
By Sam Bishop