The year has already reached the climax of its second half and with it new astronomical phenomena arrive to observe in the sky. The September equinox will be placed as the most important stone in the astronomical calendar for the month of 2022, as it will mark the entry of autumn in the north and spring in the south.
Astronomical calendar September 2022
September 10: Full Harvest Moon
The calendar will open with the Moon located on the opposite side of the Earth from the perspective of the Sun, which means that we will have a full moon where the satellite will show the power of its completely illuminated face.
The change to full phase will occur at exactly 9:58 UTC on September 10, producing the Harvest Moon. This moon receives its name thanks to the Native American tribes who knew the corn cycle and knew that the September season was the perfect time to harvest the ears, so the full moon was called the Harvest Moon, which occurs every year with year and is the closest to .
September 16: Neptune in opposition
The blue giant will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be completely illuminated by the Sun. It will appear brighter than at any other time of the year throughout the night. This date is the best time to look for it in the sky, although due to its distance from Earth, it will only appear as a small blue dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.
September 22: Autumn Equinox
The most important astronomical phenomenon in September is undoubtedly the equinox that prepares us for a change of season. September 22 at 8:04 p.m. CDT will mark the beginning of autumn for the northern hemisphere and spring for the southern hemisphere.
Equinox, whose term comes from the Latin ‘aequinoctium’ means ‘equal night’ and is designated to name the day in which sunlight and sunlight last exactly the same. This happens thanks to the fact that the Sun hits the Earth exactly on the line of the Sun and therefore, the South Pole and the North Pole are at the same distance from the Large Star, receiving the same amount of light. During the September equinox the length of day and night will be practically the same.
September 26: Jupiter in opposition
The largest planet in the Solar System will approach its closest approach to Earth and will be seen much more illuminated than at any other time of the year. Moon lovers will have the opportunity to photograph it, as well as capture at least four of its largest moons. For the latter, a pair of powerful binoculars will suffice.
Keep an eye on any celestial events and check out 2022, where you can find all the dates and details about the planetary aspects throughout the year.