Adrian Dening's Stars Over Somerset

Monday 5th to Sunday 11th September 2022

If you fancy a bit of a challenge and don't mind an early start around 4.30am, there is an opportunity on Thursday 8th to spot minor planet 3 Juno that lives in the Asteroid Belt and the gas giant Neptune. 3 Juno will be at opposition, or in other words, the brightest it gets at a magnitude of +7.8. Neptune will have a similar magnitude so you will need to dig out that telescope to see them. A Gibbous Moon will have already set in the west, so no light pollution to spoil your view.

Look towards the south west and find Jupiter. Our pair of targets form a line running down from Jupiter at an angle of about 5 o'clock. Neptune is a little below the constellation of Pisces and 3 Juno is above Aquarius. I have provided some star charts to help you locate them.

On Saturday 10th, a Full Moon rises above the horizon to the east just as it gets dark. This Full Moon is the closest one to the Autumn Equinox when we have equal periods of light and dark, so is called a Harvest Moon.

The Autumn Equinox occurs on September 23rd and on that day, the Earth's tilt of 23.5 degrees is side-ways on to the Sun. The Sun also appears to rise due east that morning and sets due west in the evening. If you were on the Equator, the Sun would be directly overhead at midday.

While looking at the Moon, you could also take a look at Jupiter to the left of it and Saturn to the right, but the bright Sunlight reflecting off the lunar surface will spoil the contrast somewhat.

Screenshots courtesy of Stellarium

Copyright Adrian Dening and Radio Ninesprings 2022