On this page, we’re looking at everything to do with the moon for astronomers this month. If you need more info on September’s planet activity, click here.
The Moon In September
The best time for viewing DSOs this month is between the 8th and 15th of September. The full moon falls on the 26th, so expect a washed-out sky for a good week either side of that date. If you enjoy observing the moon itself, then evenings in the second half of September offer the best opportunity, and mornings during the first week.
September’s Full Moon Name
September’s full moon has one of the most well-known names of them all: the Harvest Moon. There are no prizes for working out that this is linked to the farmers harvesting grain crops at this time of year, which is why it’s also known as the Corn Moon. This year it falls on September 26th, in the constellation Pisces.
The bright moon traditionally gave farmers the chance to harvest into the night by casting its ghostly glow over their fields in a time before powerful floodlights were attached to harvesters as standard.
Viewing Summary
Moon Phases, Rise & Set Times
Whether you are planning to observe the moon, or you want to make sure to avoid it, use the table below to discover when the moon will be above the horizon this month. The ‘Illumination’ column shows how bright it is going to be – the higher the %, the brighter the moon.
Moon Table Notes
- A = Apogee (furthest approach), P = Perigee (closest approach), FQ = First Quarter, LQ = Last Quarter.
- All times are for Kansas City (UTC-5). However, these times will be approximately accurate for your local time zone wherever you are in the northern hemisphere. For example, if you live in London, UK, the moonrise and set times will be no more than an hour different from those shown in the table above.
- There are two moonrise columns in the table. This is because each day is timed from midnight to midnight. On some days the moon is already in the sky at midnight, so it sets first before rising again later in the day. On other days it is below the horizon at midnight, so it rises first and sets later.
- Distance from Earth is measured as the moon crosses the meridian. On the rare day when it does not cross the meridian at all, no distance is shown.
- The data in this table is calculated from the JPL DE421 ephemeris.
Visualization Of The Moon’s Impact
The following chart shows how dark the sky actually is through every night of the month, folding together the moon’s phase, its height above the horizon and the timing of twilight. This should make it easier to plan which nights offer the darkest skies and which provide the best opportunity for observing the moon itself.
First & Last Quarter Moon Locations
The two charts below, from Stellarium, show the last and first quarter moons available to us in September.
The first shows the last quarter moon at 6:15 am on 4 September, 73° high above the southeastern horizon in Taurus. The second is the first quarter view from 7:45 pm on 18 September, when the moon is 22° above the southern horizon in Sagittarius.
Click on the pictures for full screen versions.
