Read our September sky notes to find out what’s in the night sky this month!
Map
Constellations
These constellations are well placed in the evening this month, but many more can be seen. Check the star map for more.
Boötes, the Herdsman, appears at sunset low in the western sky and sets over the course of the evening. At the beginning of the month it sets around 22:30 BST and at the end of the month around 21:30 BST, so best views will be earlier in the month. Look for the bright red giant star Arcturus that forms the lower vertex of the constellation.
Aquila, the Eagle, can be seen in the evening sky high in the south. It slowly sets towards the west over the course of the night, setting in the early hours of the morning. It sets later as the month goes on, so you will be able to see it for longer later in the month. Its brightest star Altair forms one vertex of the Summer Triangle asterism.
Pegasus is a large constellation that can be seen in the eastern sky after sunset, moving across the south and towards the west during the course of the night. It sets around the time of sunrise, so can be seen the whole night. At the beginning of the month, its highest point is around 00:30 BST, and at the end of the month it’s around 22:30 BST. Find it by looking for the Great Square of Pegasus.
Planets
Mercury is too close to the Sun to be seen this month. It will be at superior solar conjunction on the 13th.
Venus is very close to the Sun this month, but may be seen directly above the eastern horizon just before sunrise. Venus is the brightest object in the sky aside from the Sun and Moon. It will undergo lunar occultation on the 19th.
Mars is too close to the Sun to be seen this month. It will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 24th, but not visible.
Jupiter rises around midnight in the east and can be seen rising higher towards the south throughout the morning. Best views will be towards the end of the month, when Jupiter rises earlier and climbs higher before disappearing at sunrise. It will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 16th.
Saturn rises around sunset and sets around sunrise, so can be seen moving across the southern sky from east to west throughout the night. Its highest point will be around 00:30 BST at the beginning of the month and around 22:30 BST at the end of it. Saturn will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 8th and at opposition on the 21st.
Uranus is too faint to be seen with the naked eye. It rises in the north east in the evening and climbs higher towards the south during the night before disappearing high in the sky at sunrise. It rises earlier as the month goes on, so best views will be at the end of the month just before sunrise. Uranus begins retrograde motion on the 6th.
Neptune is too faint to be seen with the naked eye. It rises in the east around sunset, sticking very close to Saturn as it moves across the southern sky to set in the west at sunrise. Neptune will be at opposition on the 23rd.
Meteor Showers
The Aurigids are active from 28th August to 5th September and reach their peak on the night of the 1st. The radiant (apparent origin point of the meteors) will be in the constellation of Auriga. Since Auriga is circumpolar, meteors will be visible all night. Best displays are likely to be just after dawn, as the radiant reaches its highest point after sunrise. You will be able to see up to 5 meteors per hour.
Moon
First Quarter: 30th
Full Moon: 7th
Last Quarter: 14th
New Moon: 21st
The Moon reaches perigee, its closest point to the Earth, on the 10th and apogee, its furthest point on the 26th. This effect is not visually apparent.
The Moon will be at aphelion, its furthest point from the Sun, on the 5th and perihelion, its closest point, on the 24th. This effect is not visually apparent.
Points of Interest
The September Equinox, when daylight and darkness hours are equal, will occur on the 22nd.
Visit Spot the Station to find out when the ISS will be visible from your location.
Last updated: 29th August 2025.