September 2004

 

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Summer Triangle still dominates the sky, but now appears toward the west.  The winged horse of Pegasus flies in full view heading toward the east. North of Pegasus lies Cepheus, and at the northwest corner of the square of Pegasus is Andromeda.  Cassipoeia, forming a flattened W-shape, swings in the circumpolar region directly north of Andromeda.  South of the square, over the second fish of Pisces and Aquarius, is the bright star Fomalhaut.

 

In the Southern Hemisphere, Pegasus races across the sky from east to west.  Now the famous square shows clearly toward the north.  Fomalhaut dominates night the sky and farther south, beyond Grus and Phoenix, Achernar in Eridanus is a brilliant sight.  Toward the west is the alluring Milky Way, with Aquila to the north and Sagittarius and Corona Australis to the south.  Just west of Sagittarius is the hook of Scorpius and to the northwest, Ophiuchus can once again be seen grappling with Serpens.

 

Moon  ~  The Moon reaches greatest northern declination on September 8 (+28 degrees) and it’s greatest southern declination on September 22 (-28 degrees).

 

Mercury  ~  Mercury reaches greatest elongation west (18 degrees) on September 9.  During the month it brightens and emerges rapidly in morning twilight in the east, becoming the best morning apparition of the year for northern observers.  At midmonth, it rises about 1.5 hours before the Sun, but by late in the month it becomes lost in the glare.  Southern observers will find it challenging to view very low in the east-northeast before sunrise in the first week of the month.

 

Venus  ~  Venus rises nearly 4 hours before the Sun and stands about 20 degrees high in the east for northern viewers, and less than 2.5 hours before the Sun and only about 10 degrees high in the east-northeast for southern viewers.  Venus is in conjunction with Saturn on September 1st.

 

Mars  ~  Mars is in conjunction with the Sun on September 15 and cannot be observed this month by either northern or southern observers.

 

Jupiter  ~  Jupiter is in conjunction with the Sun on September 22 and cannot be observed this month by northern observers.  Southern observers can glimpse Jupiter only early in the month, very low in the west after sunset.

 

Saturn  ~  Saturn, in Gemini, rises after midnight in the east-northeast and stands about 35 degrees high in the east after the beginning of morning twilight for northern observers.  It rises near 3:00 AM in the east-northeast and stands about 20 degrees high in the northeast for southern observers.  Saturn is in conjunction with Venus on September 1.