September 2025 Skywatch: Celestial Events To Look Out For

From a total lunar eclipse that will turn the Moon red to planets lining up close to each other, skygazers will witness some rare celestial events in September.

Also on display in the night sky will be distant galaxies and star clusters that usually go unnoticed.

September 7: Total Lunar Eclipse

A total lunar eclipse will occur on September 7, during which the Moon will appear red or coppery, earning it the name Blood Moon. This happens when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, casting its shadow on the Moon, according to National Geographic.

Duration: The eclipse will last about 82 minutes.

Time: The partial eclipse starts at 8.58 pm IST, the total eclipse begins at 11.00 pm IST, the total eclipse ends at 12.22 am IST, and the partial eclipse ends at 2.25 am IST.

Visibility: It will be fully visible in most of Asia, the east coast of Africa, and western Australia and partially visible in Europe, parts of Africa, and Oceania.

September 8: Moon, Saturn, Neptune Alignment

On the night of September 8, the Moon, Saturn and Neptune will appear close to each other in the sky.

Visibility: Saturn will shine the brightest and can be seen with the naked eye, whereas Neptune will appear much dimmer and will require binoculars or a telescope to spot it.

Time: The three will reach their maximum point in the sky about 1-2 hours after midnight, but the alignment remains visible all night.

September 16: Moon And Jupiter Conjunction

The crescent Moon will appear very close to Jupiter, within about 4.5 degrees, in the early hours of September 16, according to Universe Magazine.

Visibility: Jupiter can be seen with the naked eye. With the help of a telescope, you may also get to see Jupiter's Galilean moons.

Time: They may be visible after midnight.

September 19: Venus Passes Behind Moon

Venus will pass directly behind the Moon, a phenomenon known as an occultation. The planet will appear very close to the Moon in the predawn sky.

Visibility: It will be visible across Europe, Greenland, parts of Canada and Africa. 

September 21: Prime Stargazing Views, Saturn At Its Brightest

Two celestial events will occur on September 21. With no moonlight in the night, it is ideal for stargazing and astrophotography. You can look for the Milky Way Galaxy, star clusters and the bright galactic core. 

In addition to this, Saturn will reach opposite the Sun, making it look brighter than usual. But it will be difficult to spot Saturn's rings at this point.

Time: Saturn will be visible most of the night. 

September 22: Partial Solar Eclipse

A partial solar eclipse will occur on September 22. It happens when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, blocking only 85 per cent of it. 

Visibility: It will be visible in the South Pacific and parts of Antarctica. 

September 23: Neptune At Its Brightest

Neptune will be directly opposite the Sun in the sky and will shine the brightest. The planet will reach its closest to Earth. Since Neptune is the farthest planet in the solar system, it cannot be seen with the naked eye, according to The Planetary Society.

September 24: String Of Pearls Galaxy At Its Best

Stargazers will have the opportunity to observe NGC 55, a galaxy also known as Caldwell 72 or the String of Pearls galaxy. It is known as a string of pearls because it has an elongated shape that resembles a line of pearls.

It will reach its highest point in the sky on September 24 at midnight.

Visibility: People in the Southern Hemisphere and low Northern Hemisphere latitudes will be able to witness the event.

September 27: Globular Cluster 47 Tuc Shines Brightest

The globular cluster 47 Tucanae, commonly called 47 Tuc, is the second brightest globular cluster in the night sky. It will reach its highest point in the sky around midnight local time.

To the naked eye, 47 Tuc appears as a faint, fuzzy patch of light in the sky. But with binoculars or a telescope, the cluster becomes a glittering sphere, made up of hundreds of thousands of stars tightly packed together.

Visibility: It will only be visible to people in the Southern Hemisphere.