This September, the night sky is full of reasons to step outside after dark. A total lunar eclipse will paint the moon red, while a partial solar eclipse will briefly dim the sun for skywatchers in the southern hemisphere. Bright planets like Saturn, Neptune, and Jupiter take center stage, with some reaching their peak brilliance and others lining up in striking encounters with the moon. And for those with a telescope, galaxies and star clusters drift into prime view.
From eclipses to the full “corn moon,” here are 10 of the month’s most dazzling celestial events—and when to look up to catch them.
The December 2011 total lunar eclipse glows red in the twilight sky above Iran’s snow-covered Zagros Mountains, as seen near Kashan in Isfahan Province. Photograph by BABAK TAFRESHI, Nat Geo Image Collection
Total lunar eclipse and the “corn moon”—September 7
On the night of September 7, a total lunar eclipse will turn the moon blood red. The spectacle will last 82 minutes—from 17:30 to 18:52 UTC—and will be visible in its entirety from much of Asia, the east coast of Africa, and western Australia. Skywatchers in Europe, Africa, and Oceania will glimpse at least part of the eclipse, while those in the Americas will miss the show entirely, as the moon rises too late.
