The moon is near Saturn, September 7 and 8

On Aug 30, 2022

Gibbous moon near Saturn on 2 nights. — On the evenings of September 7 and 8, 2022, Saturn is the bright object near the waxing gibbous moon. They will be in the southeast as night begins and cross the sky throughout the night. They are following the same path the sun travels during the day. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.

The moon is near Saturn on September 7 and 8 evenings

A bright waxing gibbous moon passes by Saturn on the evenings of September 7 and 8, 2022.

And then, the September full moon occurs a few days later. The crest of the full moon falls at 9:59 UTC (4:59 a.m. CDT) on September 10. So, the full moon occurs before sunrise while the moon is still shining above the western horizon.

By the way, the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox is called the Harvest Moon. This year, the equinox occurs at 1:04 UTC on September 23, making the September 2022 full moon the Harvest moon.

Saturn is visible all night and perfect for observing

Although Saturn is shining brightly at a +0.4 magnitude, this marvelous ringed world might be difficult to see in the moon’s glare. If so, try placing your finger over the bright moon for a better view of Saturn.

Since Saturn reached opposition last month, it is now rising before sunset and visible until a few hours before sunrise. So, Saturn is highest in the sky around local midnight.

Even small telescopes will reveal Saturn’s glorious rings. Plus, you might catch a glimpse of one or more of Saturn’s 82 moons.

Let the moon near Saturn guide you to Capricornus

Also, the waxing gibbous moon and Saturn can help you locate the faint constellation Capricornus. Capricornus is one of the constellations of the zodiac.

The faint stars of Capricornus form an arrowhead, but they might be hard to see with the bright moon nearby. That’s because the stars making up the arrowhead are only 3rd and 4th magnitude.

Bottom line: Look for the bright waxing gibbous moon near Saturn on the evenings of September 7 and 8, 2022. Also, look for the arrowhead shape of stars by Saturn, that is the constellation Capricornus.

For more great observing events in the coming weeks, visit EarthSky’s night sky guide

Marcy Curran

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About the Author:

Marcy Curran has enjoyed star gazing since she was a young girl going on family camping trips under the dark skies of Wyoming. She bought her first telescope in time to see Halley’s comet in 1985 on its way in to another close encounter with the sun. Her passion for astronomy eventually led her to being a co-founder of a local astronomical society. Marcy remains active in her astronomy club including being the editor of a monthly newsletter. She also contributes a monthly article to her local newspaper focusing on the stars, planets and objects currently visible in the nighttime sky. Marcy taught astronomy at her local community college for over 20 years. Marcy retired in December 2021 and is delighted to join Earthsky.org as an editor of night sky articles. Her hobbies – other than star gazing – include reading, knitting, jigsaw puzzles and photography. Marcy and her husband live in Wyoming.