Overview

• On Sept. 8, the waning gibbous Moon passed about 4° north of Saturn at 4 p.m. EDT and 3° north of Neptune at 6 p.m. EDT, creating notable pairings in Pisces.
• Saturn is easily visible to the naked eye and is nearing its Sept. 21 opposition, while faint Neptune requires binoculars or a telescope ahead of its Sept. 23 opposition.
• A five-planet lineup before sunrise—Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus—remains visible for several weeks and is not expected to recur in this form until October 2028.
• Only Venus, Jupiter and Saturn are bright enough for unaided viewing, with Uranus and Neptune best sought using optics during the dark pre-dawn window.
• A total lunar eclipse produced a ‘blood moon’ for observers on one side of the globe, followed by North America’s full Corn Moon on Sept. 7.