See The Moon Set Up A ‘Ring Of Fire’ Eclipse: The Night Sky This Week

The Night Sky This Week: September 11-18, 2023

This week provides a perfect opportunity for moon-gazing. While many believe that the best time to observe the moon is when it’s full, I find it more captivating when it appears as a delicate crescent. This week, you can witness the moon transitioning to a slender crescent in the predawn hours before reappearing in the post-sunset sky on the other side of the sun.

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During its transition between morning and evening, the moon moves towards a specific position in its orbit that will result in something extraordinary next month on October 14—an annular solar eclipse visible from nine U.S. states, and a partial solar eclipse visible across the rest of the Americas.

Here’s everything you need to know about observing the moon, planets, and stars this week:

Monday, September 11: A Crescent Moon In ‘The Beehive’

If the Pleiades (M45), which is currently visible in the east late at night, is considered the most visually appealing open cluster of stars in the night sky, the Beehive Cluster (M44) comes in a close second. However, observing it requires waking up early.

In the early morning hours, look towards the east to see a 12% illuminated waning crescent moon positioned just 3º from M44. This star cluster looks stunning when observed through a pair of 10×42 or 10×50 binoculars. A brilliant Venus will be located above and to the right of the moon.

Tuesday, September 12: Crescent Moon Displaying ‘Earthshine’ With Venus

A magnificent sight awaits early risers today in the east-northeast—a very slim, 6% illuminated crescent moon. This moon will be displaying “Earthshine,” which is sunlight reflected by Earth onto the lunar surface. Venus will once again be nearby.

Wednesday, September 13: A Razor-Thin Crescent Moon

To catch a glimpse of an extremely thin, 2.4% illuminated crescent moon today, wake up early and look towards the east-northeast. However, since it will only appear during the early morning twilight, you’ll need a cloudless horizon to see it. Using binoculars will increase your chances of spotting it. Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo, will be located about 4º to the moon’s upper-right.

Friday, September 15: New Moon

Today is the New Moon, when our satellite is positioned roughly between the Earth and the Sun and becomes lost in the Sun’s glare. While it won’t cause a solar eclipse this month, it will cross the ecliptic—the apparent path of the sun through our sky—in 29 days and result in a solar eclipse. On October 14, 2023, a fantastic annular solar eclipse referred to as a “ring of fire” will be visible from eight U.S. states (Oregon through Texas), as well as from Central and South America.

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Sunday, September 17: The Crescent Moon And Spica

Tonight, you can conveniently observe the crescent moon as it rises in the west-southwest shortly after sunset. With only 8% illumination, the bright star Spica will be visible just below the moon’s lower-right. Binoculars may be required to see them. Mars will be nearby, but it may be too low to observe.

Object Of The Week: Summer Triangle

Rising in the east after dark and reaching its zenith around midnight in July and August, the Summer Triangle is one of the prominent features of the summer night sky. It consists of the stars Deneb in Cygnus (top left), bright Vega in Lyra (top right), and Altair in Aquila (bottom, center). With a clear, dark sky, you can observe the Milky Way passing through the Summer Triangle, particularly behind Deneb and Altair.

This week, the Summer Triangle, which is on its last days, will be gradually moving towards the western sky.

Stargazing Tip Of The Week: Get Some Binoculars

Observing the night sky with the naked eye is an incredible experience. Many astronomers enjoy spending their entire stargazing careers without any optical aids, as the wide-eyed view of the night sky immerses them in its beauty.

However, using binoculars can provide a whole new layer of observation, allowing you to see star clusters and other objects that are just beyond the reach of the naked eye. By focusing your binoculars and scanning the Milky Way near the Summer Triangle, you’ll be amazed at the rich star fields that come into view.

Times and dates provided are relevant for mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums like Stellarium and The Sky Live. Check planet-rise/planet-set, sunrise/sunset, and moonrise/moonset times for your location.

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.