The bright waxing gibbous moon will pass through the arrowhead shape of Capricornus the Sea-goat on the evenings of August 25 and 26. Try to block out the moon to see some of the stars that form the “arrowhead” shape. You can catch them until around dawn. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
This image is from the sun-observing SOHO spacecraft. It’s showing activity around the sun from August 19 to 21, 2026. The dark disk blocks the bright sun so that eruptions from the sun are easier to see. We can also see the majestic return of the sun’s innermost planet, Mercury, to our line of sight to the sun. Mercury will be most directly behind the sun, at superior conjunction, on August 27. Then it’ll return to our evening sky. Image via SOHO/LASCO. Image via SOHO/NASA.
Late August morning planets: Saturn, Mars, Jupiter
As viewed from the Northern Hemisphere, the late August morning sky will feature 3 bright planets: Saturn shining in the south, Mars climbing in the east and Jupiter hugging the eastern horizon. Note that these planets lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Chart via EarthSky.
August 29 and 30 evenings: Moon near Saturn
The waning gibbous moon joins Saturn on the evenings of August 29 and 30. You can catch them until dawn. Chart via EarthSky.
September 1 evening: Moon near Saturn
The waning gibbous moon will rise in the east in the late evening on September 1. And the golden light of the planet Saturn is nearby. Saturn is well placed for observing this month and will reach opposition – when Earth flies between it and the sun – early next month. Chart via EarthSky.
September morning planets: Northern Hemisphere view
As viewed from the Northern Hemisphere, the early September morning sky features 3 bright planets: Saturn in the west, Mars high in the east, and Jupiter lower in the east. Note that these planets lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Chart via EarthSky.
September 2 and 3 evenings: Moon near Pleiades
As the middle of the night approaches on September 2, the waning gibbous moon will float near the Pleiades star cluster. On the following night, September 3, the moon will be shining on the other side of the Pleiades. Chart via EarthSky.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Mandy Daniels captured this image of the last quarter moon on September 14, 2025, in the UK. Thank you, Mandy! The moment of the 3rd quarter moon will fall at 7:51 UTC on September 4, 2026. That’s 2:51 a.m. Central Daylight Time. And it’s 7:51 p.m. New Zealand Standard Time. It’ll rise in the middle of the night and set around midday. Look for it high in the sky before dawn.
September 5 morning: Moon visits Mars and a pair of bright stars
On the morning of September 5, the thick waning crescent moon will pass between the bright stars Capella and Betelgeuse. And the red planet Mars is nearby. Chart via EarthSky.
September 6 and 7 mornings: Moon near Jupiter, Mars and a trio of bright stars
On the morning of September 6, the waning crescent moon will hang close to the red planet Mars with bright Jupiter closer to the horizon. Then on September 7, the moon will lie between Jupiter and Mars and be close to the stars Castor (the dimmer twin star) and Pollux (the brighter twin star) in Gemini the Twins. And the bright star Procyon joins them as well. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
September 8 and 9 mornings: Moon near Jupiter
Before sunrise, on the mornings of September 8 and 9, the thin waning crescent moon will hang near the bright planet Jupiter. And at 18 UTC on September 8 the moon will occult – or pass in front of Jupiter – for observers in parts of North America, Greenland, eastern Russia, and the Caribbean. Chart via EarthSky.
Watch for the zodiacal light
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Michael Flynn in Pine Mountain Club, California, took this image on September 26, 2022. Thank you, Michael! The zodiacal light might be visible before morning twilight for Northern Hemisphere observers in dark skies around the September equinox. Southern Hemisphere observers? Look for it as darkness falls.
September 11: New moon
NOAA’s CCOR-1 coronagraph aboard the GOES-19 spacecraft spotted the moon drifting through its field of view, on its way to the August 12, 2026, total solar eclipse. CCOR-1 blocks the sun’s blinding face with an occulting disk so it can watch the faint outer corona for coronal mass ejections. The moment of new moon will fall at 3:27 UTC on September 11, 2026. That’s 10:27 p.m. Central Daylight Time on September 10 in the Americas. And it’s 3:27 p.m. New Zealand Standard Time on September 11. New moons rise and set with the sun. Nights around the new moon offer the darkest skies. See EarthSky’s best places to stargaze. Images via NOAA/ GOES.
Shortly after sunset on September 13 and 14, the thin waxing crescent moon will join up with the brilliant planet Venus. In fact, Venus is at its greatest brilliancy this week! Venus will slip away in the evening twilight next month and emerge in the morning sky in November. Also, at 11 UTC on September 14, observers in parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe will see the moon occult – or pass in front of – Venus. Chart via EarthSky.
September 15 evening: Moon near Venus and Antares
Shortly after sunset on September 15, the waxing crescent moon will hang between brilliant Venus and the bright red star Antares. It’s the brightest star in Scorpius the Scorpion. Chart via EarthSky.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Amol Gaikaiwari took this picture on May 23, 2026, in India and wrote: “The moon was in its first quarter phase. It was roughly 51% illuminated, with half of the lunar disk brightly lit against the night sky.” Thank you, Amol! This month’s moment of 1st quarter moon will fall at 20:44 UTC on September 18, 2026. That’s 3:44 p.m. Central Daylight Time in the Americas. And it’s 8:44 a.m. New Zealand Standard Time on September 19. A 1st quarter moon rises around noon your local time and sets around midnight. Watch for a 1st quarter moon high in the sky at sundown.
On the evening of September 18, the 1st quarter moon will lie low in the south near the direction of the center of the Milky Way. It’ll be near the spout of the Teapotasterism of Sagittarius the Archer. Then, on the following evening, the waxing gibbous moon will float among the stars of the Teapot. They’ll set around the middle of the night. Chart via EarthSky.
These are satellite views of Earth on the solstices and equinoxes. The September equinox – aka the autumnal equinox – marks the sun’s crossing above Earth’s equator, moving from north to south. Earth’s tilt on its axis is what causes this southward shift of the sun’s path across our sky at this time of year. Earth’s tilt is now bringing fall and winter to the Northern Hemisphere. At the same time, the September equinox marks the beginning of spring – and a shift toward summer – in the Southern Hemisphere. The sun crosses the celestial equator – a line directly above Earth’s equator – at 0:05 UTC on September 23, 2026 (7:05 a.m. CDT on September 22). And it’s 12:05 p.m. New Zealand Standard Time on September 23. Read more about this image. Images via NASA Earth Observatory.
Full Harvest Moon September 26
The bright full Harvest Moon will float near Saturn in the eastern sky after sunset on September 26. If you don’t spot Saturn right away, try to block out the light of the full moon with your finger. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
September 28 evening: Moon near Pleiades
The bright waning gibbous moon will float near the Pleiades star cluster on the evening of September 28. Chart via EarthSky.
September 29 and 30 evenings: Moon near Pleiades
Late on the evenings of September 29 and 30, the waning gibbous moon will visit the Pleiades star cluster. The fiery eye of Taurus the Bull, Aldebaran, will shine nearby. Chart via EarthSky.
August evening planet
In early August shortly after sunset, brilliant Venus lied low in the west. To its upper left was Spica, the brightest star in Virgo the Maiden. By month’s end, Spica is much closer to Venus. Venus reached its greatest distance from the sun on August 14-15. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
August morning planets
In the first half of August, Mars was rising out of the morning twilight and near the star Betelgeuse and the twin stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux. In the second half of the month, Mars along with Castor and Pollux have climbed higher above the horizon. The bright star Procyon is also above the eastern horizon. Chart via EarthSky.Jupiter was shining bright in the morning twilight before sunrise around August 12, with Mercury nearby. After August 15, for a few days, Mercury was seen below Jupiter before disappearing in the bright morning twilight. Then during the second half of the month, Jupiter is steadily climbing higher each morning. Chart via EarthSky.
September evening planets
This chart is for the Northern Hemisphere. Brilliant Venus will hang low in the west shortly after sunset in early September. On September 1 and 2, it will lie in the bright twilight close to Spica, the brightest star in Virgo the Maiden. They’ll be roughly 2 full-moon widths apart. By the middle of the month, Venus has moved away from Spica. On September 14, the crescent moon will be near Venus. And around September 18, Venus will be at its greatest brilliancy. By the end of the month, Venus will be quite low in the bright western twilight. Chart via EarthSky.This chart is for the Southern Hemisphere. Brilliant Venus will hang low in the west shortly after sunset in mid-September. And elusive Mercury will lie low on the horizon, with the bright star Spica between them. The moon will also float between them on September 12. Around September 18, Venus will be lower in the sky and Mercury is easier to spot. And around September 18, Venus will be at its greatest brilliancy. Then, around September 25, Mercury will lie close to Spica. Chart via EarthSky.Saturn will lie in the east in the evening hours of September. It is in a lonely part of the sky as there are no bright stars near it. Chart via EarthSky.
September morning planets
Bright Jupiter will lie in the east shortly before sunrise in early September. By mid-month, it will be joined by Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion. At the end of September, their gap will narrow as they climb higher above the eastern horizon. Chart via EarthSky.Red Mars will float near the stars Castor and Pollux high in the eastern sky shortly before sunrise in early September. By mid-month, Mars will move close to Pollux. Then, on September 25, Mars will line up with Castor and Pollux. Chart via EarthSky.
August stars
If you’re out stargazing on any August evening, look for these stars and constellations overhead in the evening sky.
If you have a dark sky, it’s easy to observe the edgewise view into our own galaxy – the Milky Way – spanning across the heavens. Need help finding it? Look toward the constellation Cygnus the Swan. You might know this constellation by its asterism, the Northern Cross. The Swan swims along the Milky Way. Its brightest star is Deneb, the Swan’s Tail. Additionally, the constellation Cygnus contains one of the most beloved double stars in the sky, Albireo, which appears blue and gold. Chart via EarthSky.The constellation Lyra the Harp is another summer favorite. It consists of a triangle and a parallelogram. Its brightest star is Vega. Then, look next to it for the famous Double Double Star, Epsilon Lyrae. It’s really 4 stars in all. Chart via EarthSky.Aquila the Eagle is home to the star Altair, which is one of the corners of the Summer Triangle. In addition, you can use Aquila to starhop your way to the Wild Duck Cluster in Scutum the Shield. Image via EarthSky.This chart shows the 3 stars of the Summer Triangle in the evening sky, looking east. Note the size of Vega’s constellation, Lyra. So the Summer Triangle is big! A 12-inch (30 cm) ruler, placed at an arm’s length from your eye, will span the approximate distance from Vega to Altair. And an outstretched hand with thumb and pinky spread will fill the gap between Vega and Deneb. You can see the Summer Triangle in the evening from around May through the end of every year. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
If you’re out stargazing on any September evening, look for these stars and constellations overhead in the evening sky.
If you have a dark sky, it’s easy to observe the edgewise view into our own galaxy – our Milky Way – spanning across the heavens. Need help finding it? Look toward the constellation Cygnus the Swan. You might know this constellation by its asterism, the Northern Cross. The Swan swims along the Milky Way. Its brightest star is Deneb, the Swan’s Tail. Additionally, the constellation Cygnus contains one of the most beloved double stars in the sky, Albireo, which appears blue and gold.The constellation Lyra the Harp is another summer favorite. It consists of a triangle and a parallelogram. Its brightest star is Vega. Then, look next to it for the famous Double Double Star, Epsilon Lyrae. It’s really 4 stars in all.On September evenings, the house-shaped constellation Cepheus the King lies upside down in the northern sky. It’s between the W shape of Cassiopeia and the Little Dipper, an asterism in Ursa Minor.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
Here is the sky dome view for August 2026. It shows what is above the horizon at mid-evening for mid-northern latitudes. The view may vary depending on your location. Image via Guy Ottewell’s 2026 Astronomical Calendar.Here is the sky dome view for September 2026. It shows what is above the horizon at mid-evening for mid-northern latitudes. The view may vary depending on your location. Image via Guy Ottewell’s 2026 Astronomical Calendar.
Meet Marcy Curran, our voice of the night sky on EarthSky YouTube. Check out her popular short videos in the Sky category on our YouTube channel. When she's not making videos, Marcy is an EarthSky editor, helping to keep our night sky guide up-to-date and just generally helping to keep the wheels turning around here. Marcy has enjoyed stargazing since she was a child, going on family camping trips under the dark skies of Wyoming. She bought her first telescope in time to see Halley’s Comet when it visited the inner solar system in 1986. She co-founded her local astronomy club and remains an active board member. Marcy taught astronomy at her local community college for over 20 years. She and her husband live in Wyoming, in a rural location, with an all-sky camera and super-good horizon views! And, they built an observatory to capture images of the night sky.
“I can sometimes see the moon in the daytime” was a cosmic revelation that John Jardine Goss first discovered through personal observations at age 6. It shook his young concept of the universe and launched his interest in astronomy and stargazing, a fascination he still holds today. John is past president of the Astronomical League, the largest U.S. federation of astronomical societies, with over 24,000 members. He's earned the title of Master Observer and is a regular contributor to the video series, “Global Star Party.” He has authored the celestial observing guides “Exploring the Starry Realm,” and “Carpe Lunam,” and “Take Your First Steps, an Introduction to Amateur Astronomy.” John also wrote for twenty years the monthly stargazing column, Roanoke Skies, for the Roanoke Times, and currently writes a bimonthly column, Skywatch, for Blue Ridge Country magazine. He has contributed to Sky and Telescope magazine, the IDA Nightscape, the Astronomical League’s Reflector magazine, and the RASC Observer’s Handbook.
Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.
Kelly Kizer Whitt writes and edits some of the most fascinating stories at EarthSky.org. She's been writing about science, with a focus on astronomy, for decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and made regular contributions to other outlets, including AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club. She has nine published books, including a children's picture book, Solar System Forecast, and a young adult dystopian novel, A Different Sky.
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