Looking up - September's Night Sky

By Gibnebula group

When we look up, we see much of the same night sky that sailors, explorers and soldiers saw throughout Gibraltar’s rich history. Long before GPS and radar, those who ventured beyond the Pillars of Hercules relied on the stars to guide them into the unknown. The constellations above the Rock have watched over countless generations of Gibraltarians and now it’s our turn to enjoy them. 

September is one of those months that quietly reminds us why looking up is worth the effort. After an extraordinary August that brought us the partial solar eclipse, the peak of the Perseid meteor shower and a lunar eclipse to round off, the night sky over the rock is showing no signs of slowing down. As the evenings begin a little earlier and the summer heat starts to ease, some of the year's finest celestial objects take centre stage. 

The best part? You don't need a telescope or any expensive equipment to enjoy it. Simply step outside and look up – let’s hope for no Levante! 

CONSTELATIONS TO EXPLORE 

Follow the Summer Triangle - As darkness falls, look South and search for three bright stars forming a giant triangle across the sky. Astronomers call this ‘The Summer Triangle’ and it's one of the easiest star patterns to find. Formed by the bright stars Vega, Deneb and Altair these stars belong to the constellations Lyra (The Harp), Cygnus (The Swan) and Aquila (The Eagle). 

Pegasus - Rising in the East is the Great Square of Pegasus, one of the largest and most recognisable patterns in the night sky. Four bright stars outline an enormous square. Named after the famous winged horse from Greek mythology this constellation announces the arrival of autumn skies as it rises higher every night this month. 

PLANET WATCH 

Saturn steals the show - The ringed planet shines brightly in the evening sky and is visible for most of the night. Rising in the East this is the easiest planet to spot this month. If you know someone with a telescope, ask them for a quick look to see its magnificent rings. 

Jupiter returns - The largest planet in our solar system is visible low in the eastern sky before dawn and our Gas Giant becomes increasingly prominent throughout the course of month as it rises a little earlier each night. Telescope observers will be rewarded with views of its four largest moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede & Callisto which were first discovered by Galileo in 1610. 

THE HARVEST MOON 

September's Full Moon is known as the Harvest Moon, a name that dates back centuries to a time when farmers relied on its bright light to continue gathering crops after sunset. Unlike most Full Moons, the Harvest Moon seems to rise at almost the same time for several evenings in a row which provided extra evening light when it was needed most. 

The Moon's phases for September are: 

• New Moon: 11 September 

• First Quarter: 18 September 

• Full Moon (Harvest Moon): 26 September 

This year, it shares the sky with Saturn, creating a striking celestial pairing above the eastern horizon.  

ASTRONOMICAL HIGHLIGHTS 

The Autumnal Equinox Arrives - At 2:05am on 23 September, the Autumnal Equinox marks the official start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. Day and night are approximately equal in length and from this point onward, darkness starts to gain the upper hand as days start becoming shorter. 

FACT OF THE MONTH: 

Why Is the Sky Dark at Night? - It might seem like a strange question, but if the Universe is filled with countless stars, why isn't the whole sky bright? If the Universe contains billions of stars and galaxies, you might expect the entire night sky to be blazing with light. The reason it isn't is because the Universe has a beginning and a finite age. Light from many of the most distant stars simply hasn't had enough time to reach us yet, leaving much of the night sky wonderfully dark. 

LOOKING AHEAD: 

As September draws to a close and the nights become noticeably longer. The Milky Way begins to sink towards the western horizon while the great autumn constellations begin to dominate our sky. October will bring with it more Meteor showers and the return of a famous constellation. Can you guess which one it is?  

 For more astronomy updates and local stargazing content, follow @Gibnebula on Instagram & Facebook.