LOS ANGELES, 10 September 2003 — Mars continues to shine more brilliantly than any other planet or any star in our evening sky this month.
The red planet has passed the point at which it was closest to the Earth — on Aug. 26 it was closer than it had been in 60,000 years and closer than it will be again until the year 2287. The planet, however, remains bright early in September before beginning to dim late in the month.
Mars is in the southeast sky after sunset. The nearly full moon will appear with it next week. The full moon in September is called the harvest moon because it appears quite bright several nights in a row, and its light makes it easier for farmers to get the hay crop in.
Mars will be to the left of the moon Sept. 6 through 8 and to its right on the nights of Sept. 9 and 10, when the moon will be full.
No other planet is visible in the evening sky this month. Saturn rises about 1:30 a.m. (EDT) now and will be up about midnight at month’s end. It appears in the constellation Gemini, the Twins. The moon will cross the sky near Saturn the night of Sept. 20.
Saturn is in the southeast sky before dawn. Jupiter rises about 5:30 a.m. (EDT) now and will be in the eastern sky before dawn. Mercury also will appear in the predawn sky late in the month.
Mercury will be visible after about midmonth, rising higher above the eastern horizon each morning until the 24th, then beginning to slip back toward the horizon. Mercury will appear below Jupiter. A waning crescent moon will appear above Jupiter on Sept. 23 and between Jupiter and Mercury one morning later.
The autumnal equinox occurs Sept. 23 at 6:47 a.m. (EDT). At this time, the sun will be immediately over the equator, so the day and night will be equally long. Since the vernal, or spring, equinox in March, the Earth has been passing through the part of its orbit in which the North Pole is tipped more toward the sun, allowing the sun’s energy to strike the Northern Hemisphere most directly, bringing warmth to this part of the globe.
After the autumnal equinox, the Southern Hemisphere will receive the sun’s rays more directly, resulting in cooling in the Northern Hemisphere.
