Dave Mitsky
07-September-2004, 01:42 AM
September Calendar by Dave Mitsky
All times are UT (subtract 4 hours and when appropriate 1 calendar day
for EDT)
9/1 Venus is 1.9 degrees south of Saturn at 01:00; the equation of time equals 0 at 03:00; Mercury is stationary in right ascension at 18:00 - direct or prograde (eastward) motion commences
9/5 The moon is 1.7 degrees south-southeast of M45 (the Pleiades) at 11:00; minimum lunar libration of 5.0 degrees occurs at 22:00
9/6 Last Quarter Moon occurs at 15:10
9/8 The north pole of the Sun is at its greatest inclination (7.25 degrees) towards the Earth today; the Moon is at apogee, subtending 29'33" from a distance of 404,454 km, at 21:00
9/9 Titan (magnitude 8.3) lies due north of Saturn this morning; Mercury is at greatest western elongation (18.0 degrees) at 14:00; the Moon is 1.6 degrees south of the first magnitude star Pollux at 22:00; Saturn is 5 degrees north of the Moon at 22:00
9/10 Mercury (magnitude -0.4) is 3' south of the first magnitude star Regulus (magnitude 1.4) at 05:19
9/11 The Moon is 3.6 degrees north-northeast of M44, the Beehive Cluster, at 01:00; maximum lunar libration of 7.3 degrees occurs at 23:00
9/12 The Moon is 4.1 degrees north of Regulus at 21:00
9/13 Mercury is 4 degrees south of the Moon at 01:00; Mercury is at perihelion at 04:00; asteroid 1 Ceres is in conjunction with the Sun at 05:00; asteroid 4 Vesta (magnitude 6.1) is at opposition at 07:00; Venus is 2.7 degrees south of the center of M44 at 19:00
9/14 The Moon is 1.3 degrees southwest of asteroid 6 Hebe at 05:00; asteroid 9 Metis (magnitude 9.1) is at opposition at 06:00; New Moon (lunation 1011) occurs at 14:29; the Moon is 2.4 degrees north-northeast of Mars at 16:00
9/15 The Moon is 1.9 degrees north-northeast of Jupiter at 01:00; Mars is in conjunction with the Sun at 13:00
9/16 The Sun enters Virgo (ecliptic longitude 173.95 degrees) at 12:00
9/17 Comet C/2003 T3 (Tabur) is in conjunction with the spiral galaxy NGC 3198 in Ursa Major this morning; Titan is due south of Saturn this morning; Mercury reaches its greatest illuminated extent (21 square arc seconds) today; the Moon is 2.8 degrees north-northeast of the first magnitude star Spica at 00:00
9/18 Minimum lunar libration of 3.7 degrees occurs at 11:00
9/20 Martian summer solstice occurs at 03:00; the Moon is 1.4 degrees north of the first magnitude star Antares at 07:00
9/21 First Quarter Moon occurs at 15:54
9/22 Jupiter is in conjunction with the Sun at 00:00; the autumnal equinox occurs at 16:30; the Moon is at perigee, subtending 32'30" from a distance of 369,589 kilometers, at 21:00
9/23 Mercury is at greatest heliocentric latitude north at 09:00
9/24 Neptune is 5 degrees north of the Moon at 15:00
9/25 Maximum lunar libration of 7.2 degrees occurs at 06:00
9/26 Uranus is 4 degrees north of the Moon at 03:00
9/27 Mars is 0.18 degrees south-southwest of Jupiter at 00:00
9/28 Full Moon, known as the Fruit Moon and this year's Harvest Moon, occurs at 13:09; Venus is at the ascending node at 18:00
9/29 Mercury is 0.61 degree north-northeast of Jupiter at 01:00; Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter lie within a 1.06 degree diameter circle at 08:00; Mars enters the southern hemisphere sky at 13:00; Mercury is 0.76 degree north-northeast of Mars at 17:00
9/30 The Moon is at the ascending node (longitude 32.2 degrees) at 13:31
Times and dates for the lunar light rays predicted to occur this month are available at http://www.lunar-occultations.com/rlo/rays/rays.htm
September marks the best morning apparition of Mercury this year for northern observers. It shines in the east at -0.9 magnitude at morning twilight by the middle of the month.
As September progresses Venus (magnitude -4.2) recedes from its close approach to Saturn on the 1st quite rapidly. Both planets rise about four hours before sunrise. On the morning of September 14th Venus passes 2.5 degrees south of M44 in Cancer as it heads on its way towards Regulus, the lucida of Leo.
Mars and Jupiter both enter into conjunction with the Sun this month and are therefore not visible.
Saturn (magnitude 0.2) lies approximately 7 degrees due south of Pollux in Gemini. By the end of September the Ringed Planet rises about an hour after midnight.
Uranus (magnitude 5.7) moves westward through Aquarius, departing from the vicinity of Sigma Aquarii. Neptune (magnitude 7.9) also travels to the west, away from Theta Capricorni, which is the star that it has been so close to in recent months. Both planets lie in the southern sky at midnight.
Asteroid 4 Vesta rises near midnight. Since it comes to opposition this month, Vesta shines at sixth magnitude and is visible without optical aid with difficulty from a dark site. The 330 kilometer diameter minor planet travels westward through Aquarius and passes between Omega1 and Omega2 at mid-month. Asteroid 9 Metis also reaches opposition in September but is three magnitudes fainter than Vesta. Its course roughly parallels that of Vesta's.
Asteroid 4179 Toutatis makes a close approach to Earth on the 29th, passing by at a distance of about 1.5 million kilometers, four times the Earth-to-Moon distance. During the course of the month, Toutatis may brighten to as much as ninth magnitude as it passes southwestward through Capricornus and eventually into Telescopium and the sky of the southern hemisphere. On the nights of September 20 and 21st Toutatis will pass close to the globular cluster M30. For northern observers the best night to view the 4.5 by 2.4 kilometer object is the night of September 26th when it's moving at a rate of approximately 20 arc minutes per hour.
Comet C/2003 K4 (LINEAR) brightens to about sixth magnitude as it passes south of Epsilon Virginis. As this comet journeys southward it sets by the middle of the evening. It will no longer be visible by the second half of the month. A greatly diminished Comet C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) shines at eighth magnitude and is circumpolar as it heads northeastward through Draco. Comet C/2003 (Tabur) is an eleventh magnitude glow as it travels through southern Ursa Major.
Eighty binary and multiple stars for September: 12 Aquarii, Struve 2809, Struve 2838 (Aquarius); Alpha Capricorni, Sigma Capricorni, Nu Capricorni, Beta Capricorni, Pi Capricorni, Rho Capricorni, Omicron Capricorni, h2973, h2975, Struve 2699, h2995, 24 Capricorni, Xi Capricorni, Epsilon Capricorni, 41 Capricorni, h3065 (Capricornus); Kappa Cephei, Struve 2751, Beta Cephei, Struve 2816, Struve 2819, Struve 2836, Otto Struve 451, Struve 2840, Struve 2873 (Cepheus); Otto Struve 394, 26 Cygni, h1470, h1471, Omicron Cygni, Struve 2657, 29 Cygni, 49 Cygni, 52 Cygni, 59 Cygni, 60 Cygni, 61 Cygni, Struve 2762 (Cygnus); Struve 2665, Struve 2673, Struve 2679, Kappa Delphini, Struve 2715, Struve 2718, Struve 2721, Struve 2722, Struve 2725 (in the same field as Gamma Delphini), Gamma Delphini, 13 Delphini, Struve 2730, 16 Delphini, Struve 2735, Struve 2736, Struve 2738 (Delphinus); 65 Draconis, Struve 2640 (Draco); Epsilon Equulei, Lambda Equulei, Struve 2765, Struve 2786, Struve 2793 (Equuleus); 1 Pegasi, Struve 2797, h1647, Struve 2804, Struve 3112, 3 Pegasi, 4 Pegasi, Kappa Pegasi, h947, Struve 2841, Struve 2848 (Pegasus); h1462, Struve 2653, Burnham 441, Struve 2655, Struve 2769 (Vulpecula)
Challenge binary star for September: 1 Delphini
Fifty deep-sky objects for September: M2, M72, M73, NGC 7009 (Aquarius); M30, NGC 6903, NGC 6907 (Capricornus); B150, B169, B170, IC 1396, NGC 6939, NGC 6946, NGC 6951, NGC 7023, NGC 7142, NGC 7160 (Cepheus); B145, B164, B168, B343, B361, Ba6, Be87, Cr 421, Do9, IC 1369, IC 1516, M29, M39, NGC 6866, NGC 6871, NGC 6888, NGC 6894, NGC 6910, NGC 6960, NGC 6992, NGC 7000, NGC 7008, NGC 7026, NGC 7027, NGC 7063, NGC 7086 (Cygnus); NGC 6891, NGC 6905, NGC 6934, NGC 7006 (Delphinus); NGC 7015 (Equuleus); M15 (Pegasus); NGC 6940 (Vulpecula)
Challenge deep-sky object for September: Abell 78 (Cygnus)
All times are UT (subtract 4 hours and when appropriate 1 calendar day
for EDT)
9/1 Venus is 1.9 degrees south of Saturn at 01:00; the equation of time equals 0 at 03:00; Mercury is stationary in right ascension at 18:00 - direct or prograde (eastward) motion commences
9/5 The moon is 1.7 degrees south-southeast of M45 (the Pleiades) at 11:00; minimum lunar libration of 5.0 degrees occurs at 22:00
9/6 Last Quarter Moon occurs at 15:10
9/8 The north pole of the Sun is at its greatest inclination (7.25 degrees) towards the Earth today; the Moon is at apogee, subtending 29'33" from a distance of 404,454 km, at 21:00
9/9 Titan (magnitude 8.3) lies due north of Saturn this morning; Mercury is at greatest western elongation (18.0 degrees) at 14:00; the Moon is 1.6 degrees south of the first magnitude star Pollux at 22:00; Saturn is 5 degrees north of the Moon at 22:00
9/10 Mercury (magnitude -0.4) is 3' south of the first magnitude star Regulus (magnitude 1.4) at 05:19
9/11 The Moon is 3.6 degrees north-northeast of M44, the Beehive Cluster, at 01:00; maximum lunar libration of 7.3 degrees occurs at 23:00
9/12 The Moon is 4.1 degrees north of Regulus at 21:00
9/13 Mercury is 4 degrees south of the Moon at 01:00; Mercury is at perihelion at 04:00; asteroid 1 Ceres is in conjunction with the Sun at 05:00; asteroid 4 Vesta (magnitude 6.1) is at opposition at 07:00; Venus is 2.7 degrees south of the center of M44 at 19:00
9/14 The Moon is 1.3 degrees southwest of asteroid 6 Hebe at 05:00; asteroid 9 Metis (magnitude 9.1) is at opposition at 06:00; New Moon (lunation 1011) occurs at 14:29; the Moon is 2.4 degrees north-northeast of Mars at 16:00
9/15 The Moon is 1.9 degrees north-northeast of Jupiter at 01:00; Mars is in conjunction with the Sun at 13:00
9/16 The Sun enters Virgo (ecliptic longitude 173.95 degrees) at 12:00
9/17 Comet C/2003 T3 (Tabur) is in conjunction with the spiral galaxy NGC 3198 in Ursa Major this morning; Titan is due south of Saturn this morning; Mercury reaches its greatest illuminated extent (21 square arc seconds) today; the Moon is 2.8 degrees north-northeast of the first magnitude star Spica at 00:00
9/18 Minimum lunar libration of 3.7 degrees occurs at 11:00
9/20 Martian summer solstice occurs at 03:00; the Moon is 1.4 degrees north of the first magnitude star Antares at 07:00
9/21 First Quarter Moon occurs at 15:54
9/22 Jupiter is in conjunction with the Sun at 00:00; the autumnal equinox occurs at 16:30; the Moon is at perigee, subtending 32'30" from a distance of 369,589 kilometers, at 21:00
9/23 Mercury is at greatest heliocentric latitude north at 09:00
9/24 Neptune is 5 degrees north of the Moon at 15:00
9/25 Maximum lunar libration of 7.2 degrees occurs at 06:00
9/26 Uranus is 4 degrees north of the Moon at 03:00
9/27 Mars is 0.18 degrees south-southwest of Jupiter at 00:00
9/28 Full Moon, known as the Fruit Moon and this year's Harvest Moon, occurs at 13:09; Venus is at the ascending node at 18:00
9/29 Mercury is 0.61 degree north-northeast of Jupiter at 01:00; Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter lie within a 1.06 degree diameter circle at 08:00; Mars enters the southern hemisphere sky at 13:00; Mercury is 0.76 degree north-northeast of Mars at 17:00
9/30 The Moon is at the ascending node (longitude 32.2 degrees) at 13:31
Times and dates for the lunar light rays predicted to occur this month are available at http://www.lunar-occultations.com/rlo/rays/rays.htm
September marks the best morning apparition of Mercury this year for northern observers. It shines in the east at -0.9 magnitude at morning twilight by the middle of the month.
As September progresses Venus (magnitude -4.2) recedes from its close approach to Saturn on the 1st quite rapidly. Both planets rise about four hours before sunrise. On the morning of September 14th Venus passes 2.5 degrees south of M44 in Cancer as it heads on its way towards Regulus, the lucida of Leo.
Mars and Jupiter both enter into conjunction with the Sun this month and are therefore not visible.
Saturn (magnitude 0.2) lies approximately 7 degrees due south of Pollux in Gemini. By the end of September the Ringed Planet rises about an hour after midnight.
Uranus (magnitude 5.7) moves westward through Aquarius, departing from the vicinity of Sigma Aquarii. Neptune (magnitude 7.9) also travels to the west, away from Theta Capricorni, which is the star that it has been so close to in recent months. Both planets lie in the southern sky at midnight.
Asteroid 4 Vesta rises near midnight. Since it comes to opposition this month, Vesta shines at sixth magnitude and is visible without optical aid with difficulty from a dark site. The 330 kilometer diameter minor planet travels westward through Aquarius and passes between Omega1 and Omega2 at mid-month. Asteroid 9 Metis also reaches opposition in September but is three magnitudes fainter than Vesta. Its course roughly parallels that of Vesta's.
Asteroid 4179 Toutatis makes a close approach to Earth on the 29th, passing by at a distance of about 1.5 million kilometers, four times the Earth-to-Moon distance. During the course of the month, Toutatis may brighten to as much as ninth magnitude as it passes southwestward through Capricornus and eventually into Telescopium and the sky of the southern hemisphere. On the nights of September 20 and 21st Toutatis will pass close to the globular cluster M30. For northern observers the best night to view the 4.5 by 2.4 kilometer object is the night of September 26th when it's moving at a rate of approximately 20 arc minutes per hour.
Comet C/2003 K4 (LINEAR) brightens to about sixth magnitude as it passes south of Epsilon Virginis. As this comet journeys southward it sets by the middle of the evening. It will no longer be visible by the second half of the month. A greatly diminished Comet C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) shines at eighth magnitude and is circumpolar as it heads northeastward through Draco. Comet C/2003 (Tabur) is an eleventh magnitude glow as it travels through southern Ursa Major.
Eighty binary and multiple stars for September: 12 Aquarii, Struve 2809, Struve 2838 (Aquarius); Alpha Capricorni, Sigma Capricorni, Nu Capricorni, Beta Capricorni, Pi Capricorni, Rho Capricorni, Omicron Capricorni, h2973, h2975, Struve 2699, h2995, 24 Capricorni, Xi Capricorni, Epsilon Capricorni, 41 Capricorni, h3065 (Capricornus); Kappa Cephei, Struve 2751, Beta Cephei, Struve 2816, Struve 2819, Struve 2836, Otto Struve 451, Struve 2840, Struve 2873 (Cepheus); Otto Struve 394, 26 Cygni, h1470, h1471, Omicron Cygni, Struve 2657, 29 Cygni, 49 Cygni, 52 Cygni, 59 Cygni, 60 Cygni, 61 Cygni, Struve 2762 (Cygnus); Struve 2665, Struve 2673, Struve 2679, Kappa Delphini, Struve 2715, Struve 2718, Struve 2721, Struve 2722, Struve 2725 (in the same field as Gamma Delphini), Gamma Delphini, 13 Delphini, Struve 2730, 16 Delphini, Struve 2735, Struve 2736, Struve 2738 (Delphinus); 65 Draconis, Struve 2640 (Draco); Epsilon Equulei, Lambda Equulei, Struve 2765, Struve 2786, Struve 2793 (Equuleus); 1 Pegasi, Struve 2797, h1647, Struve 2804, Struve 3112, 3 Pegasi, 4 Pegasi, Kappa Pegasi, h947, Struve 2841, Struve 2848 (Pegasus); h1462, Struve 2653, Burnham 441, Struve 2655, Struve 2769 (Vulpecula)
Challenge binary star for September: 1 Delphini
Fifty deep-sky objects for September: M2, M72, M73, NGC 7009 (Aquarius); M30, NGC 6903, NGC 6907 (Capricornus); B150, B169, B170, IC 1396, NGC 6939, NGC 6946, NGC 6951, NGC 7023, NGC 7142, NGC 7160 (Cepheus); B145, B164, B168, B343, B361, Ba6, Be87, Cr 421, Do9, IC 1369, IC 1516, M29, M39, NGC 6866, NGC 6871, NGC 6888, NGC 6894, NGC 6910, NGC 6960, NGC 6992, NGC 7000, NGC 7008, NGC 7026, NGC 7027, NGC 7063, NGC 7086 (Cygnus); NGC 6891, NGC 6905, NGC 6934, NGC 7006 (Delphinus); NGC 7015 (Equuleus); M15 (Pegasus); NGC 6940 (Vulpecula)
Challenge deep-sky object for September: Abell 78 (Cygnus)