September 2024
Hello and welcome to UT Skywatch!
There will be a very shallow partial lunar eclipse on the night of the 17th and morning of the 18th. First contact with the penumbra begins at 8:41 p.m. Partial begins at 10:12 p.m. with maximum occurring at 10:44 p.m. Partial ends at 11:15 p.m. and the penumbral will end at 12:47 a.m. You do not need to travel anywhere to observe the eclipse. Simply go outside and enjoy the event.
The Autumnal (or Fall) Equinox will occur at 8:43 a.m. on the 22nd. We will observe equal hours of day and night on this date.
Look for Venus low in the West this month after sunset. It is the brightest object. A very thin waxing crescent moon will be just to the left of Venus on the 5th. The bright star above and a bit to the right is Arcturus in the constellation of Bootes.
Saturn is rising around 7:30 on the 8th and will be at opposition so it will be in the sky all night. The ringed planet will be joined by a very bright waxing gibbous moon on the 16th.
Jupiter is next up around midnight by mid-month. The gas giant will be joined by a waning gibbous moon on the 24th.
Next comes the red planet Mars rising about 1:00 a.m. and is joined by a bright waning crescent moon on the 25th.
The moon phases for this month are new on the 2nd, first quarter on the 11th, full on the 17th and last quarter on the 24th.