Night Sky Tonight: What to See This Week

~2 min
Topics:Skywatching
Night Sky Tonight: What to See This Week
©Vito Technology

Looking for what to see in the sky this week? This guide highlights the upcoming astronomical events. Scroll down for sky maps and viewing tips, and use the Sky Tonight app to check when and where each object will appear in your sky.

Contents

Sky Events Tonight: September 4

  • Moon tonight: Third Quarter Moon.
  • Planets visible tonight: Evening — Venus. Late evening to dawn — Saturn and Neptune. Late night to dawn — Uranus. Before dawn — Jupiter and Mars. Details: Planets Visible Tonight
  • Constellations visible tonight: Northern Hemisphere — Aquila, Cygnus, Capricornus, Delphinus, Sagitta, Equuleus, Vulpecula. Southern Hemisphere — Aquila, Capricornus, Pavo, Indus, Delphinus, Sagitta, Equuleus, Vulpecula, Microscopium. Details: Constellations in September 2026

Upcoming Astronomical Events: September 4-10, 2026

DateEventBest timeEquipment
September 6Moon near MarsBefore dawnNaked eye
September 7Moon near PolluxBefore dawnNaked eye
September 8Moon near the BeehiveBefore dawnBinoculars
September 8Moon near JupiterBefore dawnNaked eye; optional binoculars
September 8Lunar occultation of Jupiter17:03–20:25 GMT; mostly in daylightBinoculars or telescope
September 9–10September Epsilon Perseids peakAfter sunsetNaked eye
September 10Uranus near AldebaranLate night to dawnBinoculars

Below, you’ll find sky events arranged by date, with quick viewing tips to help you choose the best nights for stargazing. All dates are listed in GMT, so the exact calendar date may differ in your local time zone; however, the times shown on the sky maps are given in local time.

September 6-7: Moon near Mars

Night Sky on September 6-7: Moon near Mars
Before dawn, look east for the waning crescent Moon near Mars in Gemini. Castor and Pollux shine nearby, creating a striking four-object grouping in the morning sky. From parts of Asia and Western Australia, the Moon will appear inside the triangle formed by Mars, Castor, and Pollux before dawn.
©Vito Technology

September 7: Moon near Pollux

Night Sky on September 7: Moon near Pollux
Before dawn, look east for the thin waning crescent Moon near Pollux, the brightest star in Gemini. The pair is easy to see with the naked eye. Reddish Mars shines nearby, adding a third bright object to the morning scene.
©Vito Technology

September 8: Moon near the Beehive and Jupiter

Night Sky on September 8: Moon near the Beehive
Before dawn, look for the thin waning crescent Moon passing very close to the Beehive Cluster (M44) in Cancer. At closest approach, the Moon and the cluster are separated by less than 1°. Binoculars will provide the best view of the Beehive’s stars.
©Vito Technology
Night Sky on September 8: Moon near Jupiter
Later, the Moon closes in on Jupiter. The thin crescent and the planet will easily fit together in the field of view of binoculars, though no optical aid is needed to see the pair.
©Vito Technology
Night Sky on September 8: lunar occultation of Jupiter
For some observers, the Moon will pass directly in front of Jupiter, temporarily hiding the planet from view. The lunar occultation will be visible from parts of Canada, the United States, Mexico, Greenland, the Caribbean, northern South America, and eastern Russia. For much of the visibility zone, the occultation will occur in daylight. Jupiter can be seen against the daytime sky under favorable conditions, but binoculars or a telescope will make the event much easier to observe.
©Vito Technology

September 9–10: September Epsilon Perseids peak

Night Sky on September 9: September Epsilon Perseids meteor shower peak
The September Epsilon Perseids peak under excellent conditions, with the Moon only about 2% illuminated. Expect up to about 8 swift meteors per hour under dark skies. From mid-northern latitudes, start watching around 10–11 p.m. local time, when the radiant in Perseus is rising higher in the sky.
©Vito Technology

September 10: Uranus near Aldebaran

Night Sky on September 10: Uranus near Aldebaran
From late evening through the predawn hours, look for bright orange-red Aldebaran in Taurus, easily visible to the naked eye. Uranus lies nearby but is much fainter, so you’ll need binoculars to see it. September 10 also marks the beginning of Uranus’ retrograde motion, which continues until February 8, 2027. To notice the planet’s slow backward drift, compare its position against the surrounding stars every few weeks.
©Vito Technology

Night Sky Tonight: Bottom Line

There is almost always something worth seeing in the night sky. Use this guide to choose the best events for tonight and the coming days, but remember that visibility depends on your location, local time, weather, and light pollution. For the most accurate view, check the exact position of each object in the Sky Tonight app before you go outside.

Want to plan beyond the dates listed here? Check the full monthly calendar of astronomical events in September 2026.

Text Credit:
Topics:Skywatching
Trustpilot