September 2026

Hello and welcome to UT Skywatch!

The autumnal equinox will occur on the 27th at 8:05 p.m. We will see approximately equal hours of day and night and the sun will be directly overhead at the equator. The nights will become longer and the days shorter as we progress toward fall and winter.

Venus is rapidly moving toward earth in its orbit as it sinks in the western sky, approaching greatest illumination. A thin waxing crescent moon joins Venus on the evening of the 14th at sunset. Should be a nice view with binoculars.

Saturn is rising about 8:30 p.m. mid-month. The moon will be full on the 25th and is just above the ringed planet.

Mars rises around 2:20 a.m. mid-month and is joined by a waning crescent moon on the 6th and the 7th.

A waxing gibbous moon visits the Pleiades on the morning of the 3rd.

The moon phases for this month are last quarter on the 4th, new on the 10th, first quarter on the 18th and full on the 26th.

—Paul Lewis, Astronomy Outreach Director