09/01/2026
September is full of reasons to look up! Here are some of the best night-sky events to watch for this month:
The Aurigid meteor shower can be seen up until September 5, giving you a chance to spot fast-moving meteors often in shades of blue and green.
On the mornings of September 6–7, a slim crescent Moon will meet up with Mars in the pre-dawn sky. Look low toward the eastern horizon before sunrise to catch this beautiful pairing!
The New Moon arrives September 11, bringing some of the darkest skies of the month. It’s a great time to look for the Milky Way and possibly even the Andromeda Galaxy. Grab a camping spot somewhere dark like Branbury State Park, Brighton State Park, or Mt. Philo State Park for the best night sky views!
Fall officially arrives on September 22 with the autumnal equinox, when day and night are nearly equal in length.
Then, on September 26, the Full Harvest Moon will shine alongside Saturn. Look toward the eastern sky after sunset to spot them.
Cassiopeia is a constellation easily recognized by its distinctive "W" or "M" shape formed by five bright stars. You can find it in the Northeastern sky this time of year.
Each month, we explore a different planet in our solar system, and this month, we’re taking a closer look at our home planet: Earth!
Size & Mass: Fifth-largest planet; largest rocky planet. Diameter: 7,918 miles (12,742 km). Mass: 5.97 × 10²⁴ kg.
Composition: Rocky terrestrial planet with an iron core, rocky mantle, and crust. About 71% of its surface is covered by water.
Notable Features: Oceans, continents, mountains, volcanoes, glaciers, and active plate tectonics. Only known planet with life.
Rotation & Orbit: Rotates in about 24 hours and orbits the Sun in 365.25 days. Its 23.5° tilt creates the seasons.
Moons: 1 moon, which helps cause tides and stabilize Earth's tilt.
Rings: None.
Magnetic Field: Strong magnetic field protects Earth from much of the solar wind and helps create auroras.
Role in the Solar System: Third planet from the Sun and the only known world with liquid surface water and life.
