Naked Eye Astronomy – September 2026
📝 Steven Burr
Full Moon (Photo: John F. Foster)
The Moon
Just prior to sunrise on the 3rd, we are treated to the waning gibbous moon in the (M45) Pleiades star cluster. The last quarter moon arrives on the 4th followed by a close encounter with Mars 3° south of the moon on the 6th of the month. Jupiter and the waning crescent moon pass close to each other in the pre-dawn sky on the 8th. The new moon arrives on the 11th followed by a rendezvous with Venus just after sunset on the 14th. The first quarter moon arrives on the 18th followed by the Full Corn Moon on the 26th. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the name originates from the traditional period of harvesting corn. Other names include the Autumn Moon (Cree), Falling Leaves Moon (Ojibwe), Leaves Turning Moon (Anishinaabe), Moon of Brown Leaves (Lakota), and Yellow Leaf Moon (Assiniboine).
The Planets
Venus is now very low on the western horizon just after sunset. Mars is still visible in the early morning hours prior to sunrise. Jupiter continues to rise higher in the pre-dawn skies. Saturn remains well positioned for observing all night long.
Zodiacal Light & Autumnal Equinox
Starting around the 9th of the month, Zodiacal light will be visible for two weeks in the east just prior to the morning twilight. It will appear to be a cone of light above the Eastern horizon originating from sunlight reflecting off dust grains that orbit the sun in the inner solar system. Zodiacal light will appear closest to the Equinoxes as Earth is at an extreme angle to the ecliptic from which light from the Sun passes. The autumn equinox falls on the 22nd September and arrives at 8:05 pm for the Quinte area. It is at this time; the sun passes directly over the earth’s equator providing equal length of day and night.
Constellation Capricornis (Source: Urania’s Mirror 1825)
Constellation Capricornus
Below and to the east of Aquila we find the constellation Capricornus, the sea goat. According to Greek mythology, it is the goat that suckled Zeus and aided in the defeat of the Titans. As a result, Capricornus was placed among the stars. The Babylonians called this constellation the Goatfish, the god of fertile waters. The Goatfish brought flowing waters that created marshes, apples, grapes, cucumbers and grain.
Astronomy Events - August
Fall’N’Stars!
11 to 13 September – Johnsons RV Park
Camping and Observing all weekend
This September, the South Shore once again hosts Fall’N’Stars, Prince Edward County’s fall star party. Starting on Friday 11th September and running through to Sunday 13th September, camp under the rural dark sky or just come for an evening. What is a Star Party? It is a gathering of amateur astronomers and enthusiasts who meet to observe, photograph, and learn about the night sky. Members of RASC Belleville and Kingston will be on hand to assist you if you are new to observing the night sky. Do you own a telescope and are not sure how to use it? This is the weekend to come out to learn and dive deep into the universe. Registration available at https://rascbelleville.ca/. See you under the Stars!
Fall’N’Stars Guest Speaker - Dr. Robin Metcalfe
The guest speaker for Fall’N’Stars 2026 is Robin Metcalf. She will be providing her presentation ‘Chasing Aurorae across Time.’
Robin Metcalfe
Robin Metcalfe is an associate professor at York University in Toronto, where she has been teaching physics and astronomy for over 25 years. Her PhD research pertained to the field of Extragalactic Astronomy and involved a study of the formation of sheet-like distributions of galaxies – the walls of the “cosmic web” - found throughout the Universe in both visible and dark matter.
Dr. Robin Metcalfe (York U.)
Chasing Aurorae across Time
Historical records as old as the first millennium BCE contain reports of mysterious glowing lights in the night sky, some of which have been attributed to aurorae. But how do we know that celestial phenomena described vaguely as an “unusual red glow,” “a pre-dawn rainbow” or “a five-coloured light” can definitively be connected to auroral activity? In this talk, we will see that aurorae leave behind breadcrumbs in unusual places, enabling us to chase them across time, both deep into the past and far into the future. We will also discuss how our ability to predict their likelihood has enabled us to capture their ethereal beauty with nothing more than a mobile phone.
Aurora Borealis (Photo: Steven Burr)
Milford Fair
19 September 2026 - Milford Fair Grounds
Booth and Solar Viewing - 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Meet with members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada to learn more about the night sky, light pollution and our closest star, the sun. Members of the local club will be on hand to answer your questions, and weather permitting, you can see the surface of the sun safely. Don’t miss out!
19 September 2026 - Mariners Park Museum
Night Sky Observing with RASC - 7 pm to 10 pm
Join with members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and observe the Moon through one of the club’s telescopes. On the 19th of September we are near the first quarter moon, which is one of the best times to observe the moon’s surface details. During this moon phase, the terminator line (line between light and dark) provides the best contrast to observe craters, mountains and valleys. Don’t miss out on viewing our closest celestial neighbour up close and personal!
References (for August/September blogs):
August 12th, Total Solar Eclipse – Picton Ontario [online]. Timeanddate, [cited 1 February 2026]. Available from: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@6104215?iso=20260812.
August 27th, Partial Lunar Eclipse – Picton Ontario [online]. Timeanddate, [cited 1 February 2026]. Available from: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@6104215?iso=20260828.
Perseids Meteor Shower 2026 [online]. Timeanddate, [cited 3 January 2026]. Available from: https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/perseid.html
Boeckmann, Catherine, Full Moon Names 2026 [online]. Almanac, updated 31 December 2025 [cited 3 January 2026]. Available from: https://www.almanac.com/full-moon-names
Edgar, James S. ed., RASC Observer’s Handbook 2026, ed. by James S. Edgar (Toronto: Marquis Book Printing, 2025)
Hard, Robin, Eratosthenes & Hyginus: Constellation Myths (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015)
Mortillaro, Nicole, Night Sky Guide 2026 (Richmond Hill: Firefly Books, 2025)
White, Gavin, Babylonian Star-Lore: An Illustrated Guide to the Star-Lore & Constellations of Ancient Babylonia (London: Solaria Publications, 2014)
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