By Brooke Edwards
With fall fast approaching, the days are beginning to get shorter. As we get less sunlight, we have more time to view the beauty of the night sky. Chances are there will be some clear nights in September and October to enjoy the stars, before the dreaded lake-effect cloud cover and cold air move in.
Many planets have already been gracing our sky for the past month and will continue to do so through September. They appear as bright “stars” in the sky that do not twinkle.
The show begins on clear nights, just after sunset. Saturn and Jupiter appear together in the southern sky. Saturn is on the left; Jupiter appears to its right and is much brighter. Although invisible to the unaided eye, the exoplanet Pluto appears between the two. It is amazing to think these planets are aligned perfectly in their orbits and appear together so beautifully from Earth. With a good pair of binoculars, you can even view 3-4 of Jupiter’s moons. Start looking for Saturn and Jupiter just after sunset, and as they move west overnight. They set before the early-morning hours.
If you are a night owl or early riser, you are in for even more of a show. Mars, a planet of great interest right now, rises in the eastern sky just before midnight and will continue to rise in the sky overnight. It appears as a red star. Again, since it is a planet, Mars does not twinkle. It is worth looking after midnight to catch sight of this beauty. With the Mars Perseverance Rover on its way to the Red Planet, who knows what it might discover about our planetary neighbor in the years ahead.
Early risers have been treated to the sight of Earth’s other neighbor, Venus, for the past month and will continue to be in September. If you are awake at 4-5 a.m., look toward the east to see it. Four proposed missions to study Venus are currently being considered by NASA. The agency will select one and announce its decision by next summer. Venus is full of mystery, from its atmospheric clouds to its high- pressure surface. Only time will tell what secrets our neighbor hides.
Pick a clear night, go outside and look up in wonder. The planets in our night sky through September are other worlds with many secrets. Before we know it, winter’s clouds will ruin any chance of seeing them. So, take this opportunity to get outdoors and view these bright points of otherworldly light in our Solar System.
