Whitby & District Astronomical Society

Saturn is also drawing closer to the west horizon, but is at least readily visible all month low to the Southwest.  If you plan to observe Saturn using a telescope, do so as soon as it becomes dark enough to spot. Look for a conspicuous pearly white ‘star’ in that direction. A modest telescope will reveal the ring system, which is orientated favourably at present; but due to low altitude patience is required at the eyepiece, waiting for those tantalising steady seeing moments. Our Moon lies nearby on the 26^th.

Venus is visible in the pre-dawn sky located low in the ENE from around 03:00h. The brilliant ‘morning star’ should be unmistakeable. View on the 1^st around 05:00h when Venus is in conjunction with M44 (the ‘Beehive’) in Cancer, lying just below the star cluster.  Later in the month Venus slides toward Regulus – chief star of Leo, the crescent moon joining them on the 18^th.

Both Mars and Mercury will also be visible in the dawn sky over in the east. Mercury actually has its best morning apparition of the year gaining nearly 10 degrees above the horizon by September 12^th.  Start viewing from the 5^th around 05:30h. It will be joined by Mars as the red planet moves out of the glare of the sun and up into the dawn sky during September. On the 5^th Mars lies upper left of Regulus, with Mercury off to the right, but by the 10^th both planets lie below Regulus. All will be in the same 7 x 50 binocular field of view.

Mars and Mercury are closest on the 16^th and 17^th, the two planets crossing paths over those dates. Mercury will start the month quite faint, brightening as September rolls by, becoming conspicuous to the eye by the 20^th . Mars will have an orange tinge, and appear slightly less bright than Regulus.