Visible planets and night sky guide for August and September

August 29 evening: Moon near Zubenelgenubi
A hemisphere, the moon, approaches and passes a dot, the star Zubenelgenubi. They lie above a wavy line, the horizon. This evening, August 29, the waxing crescent moon will float near a star with a strange-sounding name – Zubenelgenubi – low in the south. It’s the 2nd-brightest star in the constellation Libra the Scales. They’ll set a few hours after sunset. Chart via EarthSky.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

August 29: Moon reaches apogee

The moon will reach apogee – its farthest distance from Earth for the second time this month in its elliptical orbit – at 16 UTC on August 29, 2025, when it’s 251,374 miles (404,548 km) away.

Look for planets in the morning sky!
Sphere chart showing a small dot, Mercury, just above a wavy line, the horizon. Above it is a starred dot, Venus, then a dot, Jupiter. Almost completely across the sphere is a dot, Saturn. The most stargazing fun to be had right now is in the morning sky. Especially look east before sunrise! Here’s the view of Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn as seen from the Northern Hemisphere. You can easily catch Venus and Jupiter before dawn, and it’s been wonderful in recent days to watch Jupiter pulling away from Venus, after their great conjunction on August 12, 2025. Mercury is tough to see in the morning twilight, but it’s still there, shining bravely near the place where the sun will rise. Saturn is visible most the night. It’s high in the west at dawn. And the planets all lie along the ecliptic, the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Chart via EarthSky.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

Photos of last week’s planet parade

Did you see last week’s planetary parade featuring the moon, 5 planets and many bright stars? Observers of the early eastern morning sky witnessed the moon gracefully moving in concert with Jupiter and Venus. On August 19, the trio formed a line in the sky. Then the moon and planets formed a triangle on the morning of August 20. The constellations Gemini, with its bright stars Castor and Pollux, and Orion the Hunter, were a wonderful addition to this amazing show. Plus, elusive Mercury shone near the horizon. Uranus and Neptune were present too, but not visible to the unaided eye. Did you miss the show? Enjoy this video gallery from the past days and keep looking up!

August 30 and 31 evenings: Moon pairs up with Antares
A hemisphere, the moon, is west of a dot, Antares. On the next evening, it is east of the dot. On the evenings of August 30 and 31, the approximately half-lit moon will approach and then pass the bright red star Antares. What’s more, a few lucky observers in parts of Africa, Madagascar, Kerguelen Islands, Antarctica and New Zealand will see the moon occult – or pass in front of – Antares at 11 UTC on August 31. If you look outside then and don’t see Antares … that might be because it’s behind the moon! Details on the occultation here. But if you don’t live where the occultation is happening and still can’t see Antares, try positioning yourself so the moon lies behind a utility pole. Now see if the star pops into view! They’ll set before midnight. Chart via EarthSky.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

August 31: 1st quarter moon

The moment of 1st quarter moon will fall at 6:25 UTC on August 31, 2025. That’s 1:25 a.m. CDT. Did you know you can see an X and V on the 1st quarter moon? Here’s how to see them. A 1st quarter moon rises around noon your local time and sets around midnight. Watch for a 1st quarter moon high in the sky at sundown.

Want more? Here are 4 keys to understanding the moon’s phases.

September 1 morning: Venus buzzes the Beehive
Chart for Northern Hemisphere viewers showing a starred dot, Venus, far above a small dot, Mercury. Both are above the wavy line of the eastern horizon. Before dawn on September 1, Venus will pass close to the Beehive star cluster. Mercury will lie low in the bright morning twilight shortly before sunrise. Plus, you might spot the star Regulus closer to the horizon. Chart via EarthSky.
Binocular view of Venus and the Beehive
A starred dot, Venus lies right of many tiny dots, the stars of the Beehive cluster. On the morning of September 1, brilliant Venus will lie close to the Beehive star cluster. Here’s a binocular view of the dim star cluster next to the brilliant planet. Chart via EarthSky.
September 1 and 2 evenings: Moon visits the Teapot
A fat hemisphere, the moon, is west of eight small dots, the Teapot asterism of Sagittarius. Then it lies among those eight dots. They are all above a wavy line, the southern horizon. On September 1 and 2, the waxing gibbous moon will glow low in the south, and it will move in front of the Teapot, an asterism of Sagittarius the Archer. The moon’s glow may make spotting the Teapot’s stars difficult. They’ll set around midnight. Chart via EarthSky.

Early September mornings: A trio of bright planets
Sphere chart showing a starred dot, Venus, and above it another dot, Jupiter. Below them both is a wavy line, the eastern horizon. Much farther from the starred dot is a small dot, Saturn. Below it is a wavy line, the western horizon. In the first few weeks of September, there will be 3 visible planets in the morning sky. Here’s the view from the Northern Hemisphere. You can catch Venus and Jupiter before dawn, as they drift apart from their recent conjunction. And Saturn will be visible in the west. The planets all lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Chart via EarthSky.
Early September mornings challenge: 5 planets with optical aid
Sphere chart showing a starred dot, Venus, close to a wavy line the eastern horizon. Just above it is a dot, Jupiter. Much higher than the dot is a plus sign, Uranus. Farther still is another plus sign, Neptune, next to a small dot, Saturn. In early September, for those with binoculars or a telescope, there will be 5 planets in the morning sky. Venus, Jupiter and Saturn are visible with your eyes alone. But to see Uranus and Neptune, you’ll need binoculars or a small telescope. Uranus lies between Venus and Saturn. And Neptune lies close to Saturn. The planets all lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Chart via EarthSky.
September 7: Full Corn Moon and total lunar eclipse
Star chart showing a circle for Earth's shadow and 3 different colored circles for the moon's location during the eclipse. The crest of the full Corn Moon occurs at 18:09 UTC on September 7 (12:09 p.m. CDT). And a total lunar eclipse will start at 17:30 UTC, when the full moon will start to pass through the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, the umbra. The moon will be totally eclipsed from 17:30 UTC to 18:53 UTC. The moment of greatest eclipse is 18:11 UTC. By 19:56 UTC, the moon will have completely left the umbral shadow. The total lunar eclipse will sweep across Antarctica, Australia, Asia, the western Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, Europe, the eastern Atlantic Ocean and Africa. The moon will be visible all night and will be close to Saturn that evening. Chart via EarthSky.

September 7 and 8 evenings: Full Corn Moon and Saturn
A disk, the full moon, is west of a dot, Saturn. On the next night, it lies east of that dot. They are all above a wavy line, the southeastern horizon. The bright full Corn Moon will float near Saturn after sunset on September 7. They’ll be visible all night. And some parts of the globe will be treated to a total lunar eclipse on September 7. Then on September 8, the waning gibbous moon will float near Saturn. Chart via EarthSky.
September 10: Moon reaches perigee

The moon will reach perigee – its closest point to us in its elliptical orbit around Earth – at 12 UTC on September 10, 2025, when it’s 226,661 miles (364,777 km) away.

September 12 and 13 mornings: Moon and Pleiades
A hemisphere, the moon, passes five small dots, the Pleiades, on September 12 and 13. They are above another dot, the star Aldebaran. On the mornings of September 12 and 13, the waning gibbous moon will pass the Pleiades star cluster. The orangish star Aldebaran is nearby. It’s the brightest star in Taurus the Bull. Follow them from late the night before through dawn. Chart via EarthSky.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

September 13: Mercury in superior conjunction
Chart with ellipses and arrows showing Earth's and Mercury's orbits around the sun. A disk, Earth, is almost in front of a large starred dot, the sun. It is in turn almost in front of a small dot, Mercury. Mercury will lie on the far side of the sun on at 11 UTC on September 13, reaching the point in its orbit known as superior conjunction. Since it is behind the sun, it can’t be seen. Chart via EarthSky.
September 14: Watch for the last quarter moon

The moment of last quarter moon will fall at 10:33 UTC on September 14, 2025. That’s 5:33 a.m. CDT. It’ll rise after midnight your local time and set around noon. Look for it high in the sky before dawn.

Want more? Here are 4 keys to understanding the moon’s phases.

September 16 and 17 mornings: Moon, Jupiter and 3 bright stars
A thick crescent shape, the moon, passes three dots representing Jupiter, Castor, and Pollux. On the next morning, the crescent shape lies below the three dots. On the morning of September 16, the thick waning crescent moon will lie between bright Jupiter and the twin stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux. The bright star Procyon is nearby. Then on the following morning, September 17, a slightly thinner crescent moon will float a bit farther away from them. Look for them before dawn. Chart via EarthSky.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

September 18 and 19 morning: Moon, Venus, Regulus and the Beehive
A crescent shape, the moon, moves below a circle representing the Beehive star cluster. They both lie above a starred dot and a small dot, Venus and Regulus. On the next morning, the crescent shape is next to the starred dot, Venus, and the small dot, Regulus. They are all above a wavy line, the horizon. As eastern twilight begins to brighten on September 18, the waning crescent moon will be near the faint Beehive star cluster. And lower in the sky you’ll spot brilliant Venus and the star Regulus. On the following morning, September 19, the crescent moon will float next to Venus and Regulus. What’s more, a few lucky observers in parts of Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa will see the moon occult – or pass in front of – Venus at 12 UTC on September 19. If you look outside then and don’t see Venus … that might be because it’s behind the moon! Details on the occultation here. Chart via EarthSky.
September 19 morning: Binocular view of moon, Venus and Regulus
Within a large circle representing the field through binoculars, a crescent shape, the moon, is next to a starred dot, Venus, and a small dot, Regulus. Here’s the binocular view for September 19. Use binoculars for a closer look at the waning crescent moon, Venus and Regulus that morning. What’s more, a few lucky observers in parts of Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa will see the moon occult – or pass in front of – Venus at 12 UTC on September 19. If you look outside then and don’t see Venus … that might be because it’s behind the moon! Details on the occultation here. Chart via EarthSky.
Watch for the zodiacal light
False dawn in the east before morning twilight View larger. Ken Christison of North Carolina, USA, caught the zodiacal light (false dawn) on October 28, 2019, at 6:23 a.m. EDT. Because Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion, sits almost exactly on the ecliptic (center line of the zodiac), the tip of this cone of light points right at the bright star Regulus. Thank you Ken! The zodiacal light may be visible before morning twilight for Northern Hemisphere observers in dark skies around the September equinox. Southern Hemisphere observers? Look for it as darkness falls.
September 20 morning: Moon, Venus and Regulus
A crescent shape, the moon, lies below a starred dot, Venus, and a dot, Regulus. They all are above a wavy line, the eastern horizon. About 40 minutes before sunrise on the morning of September 20, the very thin waning crescent moon will hang below brilliant Venus and Regulus in the east. Chart via EarthSky.
Late September mornings: 3 visible planets
Sphere chart showing a starred dot, Venus, and above it another dot, Jupiter. Below them both is a wavy line, the eastern horizon. Much farther from the starred dot is a small dot, Saturn. Below it is a wavy line, the western horizon. In late September, there will be 3 visible planets in the morning sky. Here’s the view from the Northern Hemisphere. You can catch Venus and Jupiter before dawn, as they continue to drift apart from their recent conjunction. And Saturn will be visible all night. The planets all lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Chart via EarthSky.
Late September mornings: Planet parade challenge
Sphere chart showing a starred dot, Venus, close to a wavy line, the eastern horizon. Just above it is a dot, Jupiter. Much higher than the dot is a plus sign, Uranus. Farther still is another plus sign, Neptune, next to a small dot, Saturn. In late September, for those with binoculars or a telescope, there will be 5 planets in the morning sky. Venus, Jupiter and Saturn are visible with your eyes alone. But to see Uranus and Neptune, you’ll need binoculars or a small telescope. Uranus lies between Venus and Saturn. And Neptune lies close to Saturn. The planets all lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Chart via EarthSky.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

Late September evenings: 2 visible planets
Sphere chart showing a starred dot on its left edge, Saturn. It is above a wavy line, the eastern horizon. On the right edge of the chart is a small dot, Mars, above a wavy line, the western horizon. Starting the last few weeks of September, there will be 2 visible planets in the evening sky. Here’s the view from the Northern Hemisphere. You can catch Mars low in the western evening twilight. And Saturn is rising in the east as darkness falls. Saturn will reach opposition on September 21 and will be visible all night. The planets lie along the path the sun travels in the daytime (the green line on our chart). Chart via EarthSky.
September 21: Saturn at opposition
A dot, Saturn, is above a wavy line, the horizon. You can spot Saturn in the south in the evening hours of September. It will reach opposition — when Earth flies between Saturn and the sun — at 6 UTC on September 21. Saturn is rising in the east at sunset and is visible all night. Afterward, for the rest of 2025, Saturn will remain visible in the evening sky. It’ll finally disappear in the sunset glare in February 2025. Chart via EarthSky.
September 21: New moon and partial solar eclipse

The moment of new moon will fall at 19:54 UTC on September 21, 2025. That’s 2:54 p.m. CDT. New moons rise and set with the sun. Nights around the new moon are perfect for stargazing. See EarthSky’s best places to stargaze. Plus, there’s a partial solar eclipse visible in the South Pacific including New Zealand, eastern Melanesia, southern Polynesia and western Antarctica. The partial eclipse starts at sunrise at 17:29 UTC. The partial eclipse remains visible through 21:53 UTC when the shadow leaves Earth. It’s the last eclipse of 2025.

September 22: September equinox
Drawing of a yellow sun in space, with an oval shape around it (an orbital path). Two titled Earths are located opposite each other on the orbital path. Happy equinox! The 2025 September equinox will fall at 18:19 UTC (1:19 p.m. CDT) on September 22, 2025. On this day, days and nights are approximately (but not exactly) equal in length for everyone across the globe. This artist’s concept of the September and March equinoxes isn’t to scale. But it illustrates the fact that every equinox is a milestone in Earth’s orbit around the sun. And it shows that, at the equinoxes, Earth’s Northern and Southern Hemispheres receive nearly equal amounts of daylight. Image via NASA/ GSFC/ Genna Duberstein.

September 24 and 25 evenings: Moon and Mars
A crescent shape, the moon, lies above a wavy line, the southwestern horizon. To its upper right is a dot, Mars. On the next night, the crescent shape has moved to the upper left. Shortly after sunset on September 24, the thin waxing crescent moon will hang low above the western horizon. And it’ll be close to the planet Mars. The next evening, September 25, the lit portion of the growing crescent moon will point at Mars. They’ll set not long after sunset. Chart via EarthSky.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

September 26: Moon reaches apogee

The moon will reach apogee – its farthest distance from Earth in its elliptical orbit – at 10 UTC on September 26, 2025, when it’s 251,995 miles (405,548 km) away.

September 26 and 27 evenings: Moon pairs up with Antares and Scorpius
A crescent shape, the moon, lies next to three small dots. On the next night, it is next to a large dot, Antares, and a number of small dots representing the rest of the stars of Scorpius. They are all above a wavy line, the southwestern horizon. On September 26, the waxing crescent moon will begin moving through Scorpius the Scorpion. Then on the next evening, September 27, it will lie close to the brightest star in Scorpius, Antares. What’s more, a few lucky observers in parts of the Easter Islands, South America, Antarctica, Kerguelen Islands and Marion Island will see the moon occult – or pass in front of – Antares at 18 UTC on September 27. If you look outside then and don’t see Antares … that might be because it’s behind the moon! Details on the occultation here. They’ll set a few hours after sunset. Chart via EarthSky.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

September 28, 29 and 30 evenings: Moon visits the Teapot
A hemisphere, the moon, is west of a mark indicating the center of the Milky Way which, in turn, is west of eight small dots representing the Teapot asterism of Sagittarius. On the next night the hemisphere is among those eight dots. and on the following night, it is left of the eight dots. They are all above a wavy line, the southern horizon. On the evening of September 28, the fat waxing crescent moon will float near the direction of the center of the Milky Way galaxy and the Teapot asterism of Sagittarius the Archer. On the following evening, September 29, the 1st quarter moon will float among the stars of the Teapot, most likely drowning them out. Then on September 30, the waxing gibbous moon will lie near the Teapot’s handle. Because the moon’s glow makes spotting the Teapot’s stars difficult, wait until it has passed on to see the Teapot shape. Chart via EarthSky.
September 29: 1st quarter moon

The moment of 1st quarter moon will fall at 23:54 UTC on September 29, 2025. That’s 7:41 a.m. CDT. Did you know you can see an X and V on the 1st quarter moon? Here’s how to see them. A 1st quarter moon rises around noon your local time and sets around midnight. Watch for a 1st quarter moon high in the sky at sundown.

Want more? Here are 4 keys to understanding the moon’s phases.

August stars and constellations

If you’re out stargazing on any August evening, look for these stars and constellations overhead in the evening sky.

Sky chart showing Cygnus looking like a sideways cross with 2 stars labeled. If you have a dark sky, it’s easy to observe the edgewise view into our own galaxy – our Milky Way – spanning across the heavens. Need help finding it? Look toward the constellation Cygnus the Swan. You might know this constellation by its asterism, the Northern Cross. The Swan swims along the Milky Way. Its brightest star is Deneb, the Swan’s Tail. Additionally, the constellation Cygnus contains one of the most beloved double stars in the sky, Albireo, which appears blue and gold.
Star chart showing constellation Lyra with 4 stars and a nebula labeled. The constellation Lyra the Harp is another summer favorite. It consists of a triangle and a parallelogram. Its brightest star is Vega. Then, look next to it for the famous Epsilon Lyrae, the Double Double Star, really 4 stars in all.
Star chart of a stretched diamond shape with a tail from the wide edge, with labels. Aquila the Eagle is home to the star Altair, which is one of the corners of the Summer Triangle. In addition, you can also use Aquila to starhop your way to the Wild Duck Cluster in Scutum. Image via EarthSky.
Sky chart with large purple triangle with star Vega at top and small constellation Lyra below Vega. This chart shows the 3 stars of the Summer Triangle in the evening sky, looking east. Note the size of Vega’s constellation, Lyra. So the Summer Triangle is big! A 12-inch (1/3-meter) ruler, placed at an arm’s length from your eye, will span the approximate distance from Vega to the star Altair. And an outstretched hand with thumb and pinky spread will fill the gap between Vega and Deneb. You can see the Summer Triangle in the evening from around May through the end of every year.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

Read more about the Summer Triangle

September stars

If you’re out stargazing on any September evening, look for these stars and constellations overhead in the evening sky.

Star chart of Cassiopeia the Queen with stars labeled and two tiny, labeled rings of dots. Any late summer evening and throughout northern autumn, you can find Cassiopeia the Queen high in the northeast sky. The shape of this constellation makes Cassiopeia’s stars very noticeable. Cassiopeia looks like the letter W (or M). She’ll be higher up in the northeast as autumn unfolds. If you have a dark sky, look below Cassiopeia for a famous binocular object. This object is called the Double Cluster in Perseus.
Sky chart showing Cygnus looking like a sideways cross with 2 stars labeled. Cygnus is high overhead in the September evening sky. If you have a dark sky, it’s easy to observe the edgewise view into our own galaxy – our Milky Way – spanning across the heavens. Need help finding it? Look toward the constellation Cygnus the Swan. You might know this constellation by its asterism, the Northern Cross. The Swan swims along the Milky Way. Its brightest star is Deneb, the Swan’s Tail. Additionally, the constellation Cygnus contains one of the most beloved double stars in the sky, Albireo, which appears blue and gold.
Star chart of a stretched diamond shape with a tail from the wide edge, with labels. Aquila the Eagle is home to the star Altair, which is one of the corners of the Summer Triangle. The best time to see Aquila in the evening sky is from July to November as it soars along the Milky Way. And, because our galaxy provides a starry backdrop, many clusters and nebulae lie within its borders. Image via EarthSky.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

August morning planets
There are three charts. In the first, a starred dot, Venus, lies above a smaller dot, Jupiter. Both are above a wavy line, the horizon. In the second, the dot and starred dot are near each other with the dot being above the starred dot. In the third, the dot, Jupiter, is quite above the starred dot, Venus. In early August, before sunrise, brilliant Venus will lie in the east above bright Jupiter. They’ll rise a few hours before sunrise. Plus, they’ll make a dynamic duo when they will lie closest to each other around August 12, which, coincidentally, is the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. After their eye-catching close encounter, Jupiter will climb higher each day and move away from brilliant Venus. Both Venus and Jupiter will float among the stars of Gemini the Twins, with Venus moving in front of Cancer the Crab later in the month. Chart via EarthSky.
A dot, Saturn, is below four smaller dots, the stars of the Great Square. In August, Saturn will shine in the south in the morning sky. Saturn is the bright object below the 4 moderately bright stars that make up the Great Square of Pegasus asterism. Saturn will be rising about an hour after sunset by month’s end and shining at 0.7 magnitude. Saturn shines in the constellation of Pisces the Fish this month. And Saturn will reach opposition – when we fly between it and the sun – in September. It’ll be brightest around then and visible all night. Chart via EarthSky.
Star chart for Northern Hemisphere viewers showing a dot, Jupiter, above a starred dot, Venus. Both are above a small dot, Mercury, which lies immediately above the wavy line of the horizon. In late August, for Northern Hemisphere viewers, brilliant Venus and bright Jupiter will lie near Mercury. Mercury will reach its greatest distance from the morning sun – or greatest western elongation – at 10 UTC on August 19. It will be 19 degrees from the sun then. And Mercury moves from the constellation of Cancer the Crab to Leo the Lion this month. Chart via EarthSky.
September evening planets
Two charts showing a dot, Mars, moving closer to another dot, the star Spica. Both are above a wavy line, the horizon. In the 1st week of September, Mars will lie low in the west and near Spica, the brightest star in Virgo the Maiden. You’ll need a clear western horizon to spot them in the evening twilight. Then on September 12, Mars will line up with Spica, which currently shines much brighter than the red planet. After mid-month, Mars will become more difficult to spot low on the western horizon. Mars will be descending more each night this month, setting with the sun by month’s end. Earth is speeding ahead of Mars now in its orbit around the sun. As a result, the distance between us and Mars is increasing, and Mars will shine at 1.6 magnitude all month. Chart via EarthSky.
A dot, Saturn, is above a wavy line, the horizon. You can spot Saturn in the east in the evening hours of September. It will reach opposition — when Earth flies between Saturn and the sun — at 6 UTC on September 21. Saturn is rising in the east at sunset and is visible all night. Saturn will shine at 0.6 magnitude around opposition. It’s among the stars of Pisces the Fish most of the month. Afterward, for the rest of 2025, Saturn will remain visible in the evening sky. It’ll finally disappear in the sunset glare in February 2025. Chart via EarthSky.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

September morning planets
There are three charts. In the first, a starred dot, Venus, lies next to a circle, the Beehive star cluster. Two dots, Mercury and Regulus, are just above a wavy line, the horizon. In the second, the starred dot approaches a dot, Regulus. In the third, the starred dot, Venus, is below the dot, Regulus. Both are above a wavy line, the horizon. On the morning of September 1, brilliant Venus will lie next to the Beehive star cluster. Below them and close to the horizon are Mercury and Regulus. Mercury will be the brighter of the 2, and it’ll slip away at the beginning of the month. As the month goes by, Venus will move closer to the horizon, while Regulus will ascend. In the middle of the month, Venus nears Regulus, passing it on September 19. After that, the 2 will move apart with Regulus climbing higher and Venus sinking closer to the horizon. Venus will float among the stars of Gemini the Twins and move in front of Leo the Lion later in the month. By the end of the month, it’ll rise close to the sunrise and only be visible in morning twilight, shining at -3.9 magnitude. Chart via EarthSky.
A dot, Jupiter, is right of two smaller dots, Castor and Pollux. They are above and to the left of another dot, the star Procyon next to a starred dot, Venus. In the month of September, Jupiter will shine in the east before sunrise and become more prominent the higher it climbs in the sky before sunrise. Jupiter will shine at -2 magnitude by the end of the month. It’ll be near the twin stars of Gemini: Castor and Pollux. The bright star Procyon is nearby. Chart via EarthSky.

Where’s Mercury? It’s too close to the sun to see this month. It’ll reappear low in the evening sky in October.

Sky dome map for visible planets and night sky
Circle constellations, planets, the moon, the Milky Way and celestial lines. Here is the sky dome view for August 2025. It shows what is above the horizon at mid-evening for mid-northern latitudes. The view may vary depending on your location. Image via Guy Ottewell’s 2025 Astronomical Calendar.
Here is the sky dome view for September 2025. It shows what is above the horizon at mid-evening for mid-northern latitudes. The view may vary depending on your location. Image via Guy Ottewell’s 2025 Astronomical Calendar.

Heliocentric solar system visible planets and more
Circle with sun at center, planets around, and zodiac names on outer edge. Heliocentric view of solar system, August 2025. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2025 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.
Heliocentric view of solar system, September 2025. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2025 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.

Some resources to enjoy

For more videos of great night sky events, visit EarthSky’s YouTube page.

Don’t miss anything. Subscribe to daily emails from EarthSky. It’s free!

Visit EarthSky’s Best Places to Stargaze to find a dark-sky location near you.

Post your own night sky photos at EarthSky Community Photos.

See the indispensable Observer’s Handbook, from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Visit Stellarium-Web.org for precise views from your location.

Almanac: Bright visible planets (rise and set times for your location).

Visit TheSkyLive for precise views from your location.

Attention amateur astronomers! Guy Ottewell’s popular and informative Astronomical Calendar for 2025 is available in both electronic and printed versions.

Bottom line: Visible planets and night sky guide. This evening, watch for the waxing crescent moon near the star Zubenelgenubi, 2nd-brightest star in Libra the Scales. They’ll set a few hours after sunset.

Marcy Curran
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About the Author:

Meet Marcy Curran, our voice of the night sky on EarthSky YouTube. Check out her popular short videos in the Sky category on our YouTube channel. When she’s not making videos, Marcy is an EarthSky editor, helping to keep our night sky guide up-to-date and just generally helping to keep the wheels turning around here. Marcy has enjoyed stargazing since she was a child, going on family camping trips under the dark skies of Wyoming. She bought her first telescope in time to see Halley’s Comet when it visited the inner solar system in 1986. She co-founded her local astronomy club and remains an active board member. Marcy taught astronomy at her local community college for over 20 years. She and her husband live in Wyoming, in a rural location, with an all-sky camera and super-good horizon views! And, their observatory will soon be ready to photograph the night sky.

John Jardine Goss
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About the Author:

“I can sometimes see the moon in the daytime” was a cosmic revelation that John Jardine Goss first discovered through personal observations at age 6. It shook his young concept of the universe and launched his interest in astronomy and stargazing, a fascination he still holds today. John is past president of the Astronomical League, the largest U.S. federation of astronomical societies, with over 24,000 members. He’s earned the title of Master Observer and is a regular contributor to the video series, “Global Star Party.” He has authored the celestial observing guides “Exploring the Starry Realm,” and “Carpe Lunam,” and “Take Your First Steps, an Introduction to Amateur Astronomy.” John also wrote for twenty years the monthly stargazing column, Roanoke Skies, for the Roanoke Times, and currently writes a bimonthly column, Skywatch, for Blue Ridge Country magazine. He has contributed to Sky and Telescope magazine, the IDA Nightscape, the Astronomical League’s Reflector magazine, and the RASC Observer’s Handbook.

Deborah Byrd
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About the Author:

Our Editor-in-Chief Deborah Byrd works to keep all the astronomy balls in the air between EarthSky’s website, YouTube page and social media platforms. She’s the primary editor of our popular daily newsletter and a frequent host of EarthSky livestreams. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. “Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers,” she says.

Kelly Kizer Whitt
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About the Author:

Kelly Kizer Whitt – EarthSky’s nature and travel vlogger on YouTube – writes and edits some of the most fascinating stories at EarthSky.org. She’s been writing about science, with a focus on astronomy, for decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and made regular contributions to other outlets, including AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club. She has nine published books, including a children’s picture book, Solar System Forecast, and a young adult dystopian novel, A Different Sky.

Visible planets and night sky guide for August and September

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