M16, the Eagle Nebula, includes the stunning Pillars of Creation and Stellar Spire. Photo by MPAS member Nick Axaris
Highlights this month
- 6SunThe Moon passes Mars — 0.0° apart. (2:44pm)
- 10ThuMars is stationary — begins retrograde (westward) motion. (3:02am)
- 12SatNeptune at opposition — closest and brightest of the year, up all night in Aquarius (mag 7.8). (6:31am)
- 13SunJupiter is stationary — resumes direct (eastward) motion. (8:44am)
- 14MonThe Moon passes Venus — 4° apart. (4:21pm)
- 22TueSpring equinox.
- 25FriThe Moon passes Jupiter — 2° apart. (4:56pm)
- 26SatThe Moon passes Saturn — 2° apart. (7:06am)
- 29TueSaturn is stationary — resumes direct (eastward) motion. (10:29am)
This month, be sure to enjoy the sights of Scorpius, Sagittarius, and Scutum before they disappear below the horizon. The most spectacular objects to look out for in these constellations include M8, the Lagoon Nebula; the open clusters M6 and M7; and the globular cluster M22.
There are a few interesting targets in the sky at the moment in Aquarius. The globular cluster M2 appears as a fuzzy star through binoculars and is near the star Beta Aquarii. And the planetary nebula NGC 7293, the Helix Nebula, appears as a faint fuzzy disc through a small telescope. Another globular cluster, M15 in Pegasus, is thought to be 13.2 billion years old and can be picked out with binoculars, while a small telescope shows it clearly.
With dark skies and a relatively large telescope you can spot M16, the beautiful Eagle Nebula in the constellation Serpens. This nebula is located 7000 light-years from Earth and spans 70 by 55 light-years. It is home to several famous cosmic structures, including the stunning Pillars of Creation, which stretch roughly four to five light-years, and Stellar Spire, approximately 9.5 light-years or 90 trillion kilometres high.
The globular cluster 47 Tucanae is a must-see target in the September southern skies, lying to the south of the constellation Tucana. It is visible to the naked eye as a hazy star, while a small telescope shows its bright centre and many of its glittering stars. This cluster is 15,000 light-years away.
On September 22, the Earth is at Equinox, which is when the Sun shines directly on the equator and the length of day and night are nearly equal. September 24 will see the variable star Mira at its brightest, and on September 25 the waxing moon and Jupiter form a triangle with Saturn.
By Nerida Langcake
This article appeared in the September 2020 issue of the Mornington Peninsula Magazine.
The sky in detail — September 2020
Sun & twilight
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Astro. dark begins | ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 1 | 6:42am | 5:58pm | 11h 17m | 7:26pm | 5:14am |
| Thu 10 | 6:28am | 6:06pm | 11h 38m | 7:34pm | 5:01am |
| Sun 20 | 6:12am | 6:15pm | 12h 02m | 7:43pm | 4:44am |
| Wed 30 | 5:57am | 6:24pm | 12h 27m | 7:53pm | 4:27am |
Days lengthen by about 70 minutes over the month.
The Moon
- Full MoonWed 2, 3:22pm
- Last QuarterThu 10, 7:25pm
- New MoonThu 17, 9:07pm
- First QuarterThu 24, 11:53am
Apogee 6 Sep (405,800 km) · Perigee 19 Sep (358,700 km)
The planets
Rise/set for mid-month at The Briars.
| Planet | In | Mag | Rise | Transit | Set | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Vir | −0.2 | 7:10am | 1:33pm | 7:57pm | Hidden |
| Venus | Cnc | −4.0 | 4:22am | 9:29am | 2:37pm | Morning |
| Mars | Psc | −2.1 | 8:49pm | 2:33am | 8:14am | Morning |
| Jupiter | Sgr | −2.2 | 12:37pm | 7:56pm | 3:19am | Evening |
| Saturn | Sgr | 0.3 | 1:17pm | 8:30pm | 3:48am | Evening |
| Uranus | Ari | 5.7 | 9:56pm | 3:16am | 8:31am | Morning |
| Neptune | Aqr | 7.8 | 5:45pm | 12:03am | 6:25am | All night |
Computed for The Briars, Mt Martha. Times are local (Melbourne).
Generated automatically from the MPAS sky engine on 15 July 2026.
The solar system — September 2020
Evening sky Morning sky Up much of the night Lost in the Sun’s glare
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