If you search for within the night sky simply after sundown tonight (Sept. 5), you would possibly see a trio of sensible lights low on the western horizon they usually’re not all stars. The planets Venus and Mercury will probably be seen together with the brilliant star Spica, climate allowing.
You’ll want a transparent western horizon to identify Venus, Spica and Mercury tonight because the trio will probably be seen extraordinarily low within the western sky, significantly Mercury, which might be exhausting to identify within the fading twilight earlier than it slips beneath the horizon. Venus and Spica — the brightest star (truly it is a binary system) within the Virgo constellation — will seem extraordinarily shut, however you might have to attend a bit to see Spica be part of the view.
Related: The best telescopes of 2021: Top picks to see planets
More: Best night sky events of September 2021 (stargazing maps)
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“At closest approach on Sunday evening Venus will shine only a thumb’s width above (or 1.5 degrees to the celestial north of) Spica, allowing them to appear together in binoculars and low power telescopes (red circle),” novice astronomer Chris Vaughan with the cellular skywatching app SkySafari wrote in our September 2021 night sky guide.
“Venus will pop into view first after sunset — but you’ll need to let the sky darken more to see 100 times fainter Spica with your unaided eyes. Start looking at about 8 p.m. local time.” Be cautious to attend till the sun has totally set earlier than use a telescope or binoculars, he added.
While Mercury will probably be seen to the decrease proper of Venus, tonight’s view is only a preview of sightings of the planets and the moon this month. The moon’s phase is will attain its new moon stage on Monday night time (Sept. 6), however will quickly illuminate right into a crescent later this week.
On Wednesday, Sept. 8, Mercury will seem close to the moon in a conjunction that can largely be seen from the Southern Hemisphere and decrease latitudes within the Northern Hemisphere because it happens at 4:18 p.m. EDT (2018 GMT) when the sun continues to be up.
Then on Friday, Sept. 10, the moon will move Venus, providing a doubtlessly dazzling view as they need to be seen close to one another within the southwestern sky.
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Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or observe him @tariqjmalik. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Instagram.
