Look Out for Potential Auroras, a Partially Eclipsed Supermoon, and More in September’s Night Sky

Sept. 7: Saturn at Opposition

Saturn and its rings will show off the night of Sept. 7, when the planet reaches opposition—when it lies opposite from the sun when viewed from Earth. It will shine at its brightest magnitude (0.57) of the year tonight. Look for a yellowish dot traveling above the east-southeast horizon in the constellation Aquarius after sunset. You can see Saturn with the naked eye, but a backyard telescope will help you admire its eye-popping rings.

Sept. 17: Partially Eclipsed Full Harvest Supermoon

If you missed the first supermoon of the year in August, you’re in luck. The full harvest moon the evening of Sept. 17 — the second of four supermoons in 2024 — comes with a special treat. Stargazers across much of the world, including the U.S. (outside of Alaska), western Europe, parts of Asia, and Africa, will see a partially eclipsed harvest supermoon around 10:45 p.m. ET, according to SkySafari. The lunar show will begin around 8:41 p.m. ET as the moon enters Earth’s light outer shadow; our neighboring space rock will have that signature eclipse “bite” missing from 10:13 to 11:16 p.m. EDT.

Sept. 20: Neptune at Opposition

Through a backyard telescope or stargazing binoculars, you can snag one of the best views of Neptune for 2024. The distant planet will reach its closest point to Earth (opposition) on Sept. 20 around 6:45 p.m. ET, according to Star Walk. It will be visible through much of the night above the east-southeast horizon. Look for Saturn, visible to the naked eye, to the right of it as well.

Sept. 22: September Equinox

On Sept. 22, the sun will cross the celestial equator, marking autumn in the northern hemisphere and spring in the southern hemisphere. The equinoxes are known to produce particularly powerful aurora displays, so download a northern lights app to keep tabs on the likelihood of a contiguous U.S. sighting — or, even better, plan a northern lights trip to an aurora hotspot for the days leading up to and following Sept. 22. On this night, the moon will also approach the Pleiades star cluster, also known as the Seven Sisters, making for a dazzling end to the summer (or winter) season.

Sept. 22: Chicagohenge

You’ve likely heard of Manhattanhenge, but did you know Chicago’s skyline has its own take on the solar-alignment spectacle, too? On Sept. 22, the sun aligns perfectly with the Windy City’s east-west-facing streets during sunrise and sunset: 6:45 a.m. and 7:02 p.m. local time, according to Secret Chicago, which recommends watching on Washington Street from Millennium Park, or on E. Randolph Street between State Street and Michigan Avenue.