September Is Packed With Stunning Sky Events—With Planet Parades, Eclipses, and Northern Lights

Fall may be prime time for leaf peeping, but stargazers have loads to look at this month, too. Spectacular planet gatherings, eclipses, and Saturn’s opposition are among the many marvels on the horizon.

Plus, September means it’s officially aurora season in the northern hemisphere—and experts say this year could produce above-average lights sightings given the sun’s 11-year peak of activity, known as solar maximum. September is also one of the last months for Milky Way core viewing in the U.S. Our galaxy’s luminous center remains visible until about November, so there’s no time like the present to visit a dark-sky park to see it, especially around the Sept. 21 new moon.

Now it’s time to plot your September stargazing. Here’s what to watch for in the night sky this month.

Sept. 1-7: Morning Planet Parade

Throughout the month of September, stargazers can catch Venus, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn in the pre-dawn sky. (As always, spotting Uranus and Neptune will require strong binoculars or a telescope.) The lineup turns even more enchanting in the first week of the month, as Mercury joins the party just below Venus for around an hour before sunrise. Catch Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter aligned in the eastern sky, Uranus in the south, and Saturn and Neptune in the southwest.

Sept. 7: Lunar Eclipse

September’s full corn moon will experience a lunar eclipse in certain parts of the world, including Asia, Russia, eastern Africa, and Australia. The U.S. won’t see another lunar eclipse until March 2026. If you’re not in the viewing area, tune into Time and Date’s livestream to watch the spectacle from home.

Sept. 16: Moon Meets Jupiter

The thin crescent moon will appear just above bright Jupiter in the early morning hours of Sept. 16. You can watch the duo dance above the eastern horizon around 2 a.m. local time; they’ll climb higher as the morning goes on, with Venus joining when it rises around 4:30 a.m.

Sept. 21: Saturn Reaches Opposition

The ringed planet will be at its largest and most vivid as it reaches opposition on Sept. 21. During opposition, Earth lies smack-dab between the planet and the sun. Our bright star puts the planet in the spotlight—kind of like the full-moon effect—and it’s best viewed around midnight. While Sept. 21 marks Saturn’s opposition, you can enjoy stellar views of our solar system’s sixth planet into October.

Sept. 21: Partial Solar Eclipse

Mid-September will bring a partial solar eclipse to the skies above Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, and portions of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, according to NASA. New Zealand has arguably the best view, with both the north and south islands enjoying optimal visibility that morning, from roughly 5:40 a.m. to 8:40 a.m. NZST, per Time and Date.

Sept. 22: Fall Equinox

This year’s autumn equinox hits on 2:19 p.m. ET. It’s the first day of fall, and during this time, the sun appears to pass over the celestial equator, according to Adler Planetarium. It’s also known to be an exceptional time for northern lights activity, so if you’ve been waiting to plan an aurora chase, now’s the time.