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Sky watchers across the country have an opportunity to see Venus “outshining every star around it,” with the planet set to reach peak brilliance on Friday.
The display is just one of many celestial events scheduled for the remainder of the month, according to NASA’s September skywatching guide—among them the equinox and the emergence of the Harvest Moon alongside Neptune and Saturn.
When Is Venus’ Peak Brilliance?
NASA says September 18 is when Venus will reach peak brilliance.
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EarthSky puts the event’s precise peak at around 11 p.m. UTC, or 7 p.m. EDT.
According to the publication, it will shine at a magnitude of -4.8, which it said was “much, much brighter than any star.”
In astronomy, apparent magnitude measures a celestial object’s degree of brightness as it appears from Earth. The scale runs in reverse, meaning that lower numbers indicate brighter objects.
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How Can You View Venus' Peak Brilliance?
NASA advises those hoping to witness the event to look west shortly after sunset, where the planet will “stand out as a brilliant point of light above the western horizon, outshining every star around it.”
The agency adds that a clear view of the horizon offers the best chance to catch Venus before it sets.
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. NASA says the planet also has a comparable size and structure to Earth and is the third-brightest object in the sky, after the Sun and Moon.
"Venus peaks in brightness when it is ending its evening visibility or starting its morning one," astronomer Gianluca Masi previously told Newsweek. "Because Venus' orbit is entirely inside that of the Earth, we see it only for some time after sunset or before sunrise."
When Is the Next Full Moon?
According to NASA, the next full moon will occur on September 26. It said the Harvest Moon will rise in the east shortly after sunset.
The term “Harvest Moon” has agricultural origins, and refers to a time when farmers would depend on its bright light to extend the workday after sunset, helping them to gather ripening crops, as explained by NASA.
The agency added that this year’s Harvest Moon will be flanked by Neptune and Saturn, which it said will appear in a “wide triangle” in the sky.
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While the agency said Saturn would be visible with the unaided eye, Neptune, at around magnitude 8, would require binoculars or a telescope to be seen.
“Darker skies and good observing conditions can help bring it into view,” NASA added.
Where to See These Events
NASA said Venus will be in the west after sunset on September 18, while the Harvest Moon is set to rise in the east later in the month, on September 26.
For local conditions, viewers could consult the National Weather Service’s sky-cover forecasts.
Other Celestial Highlights This Month
NASA’s September skywatching guide also highlighted the September equinox on September 22, when fall officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere while the Southern Hemisphere welcomes spring.
The event marks the point at which the Sun is located directly over the Earth’s equator, and day and night are approximately equal in length around the globe, according to the agency.
“From there, daylight keeps getting shorter in the Northern Hemisphere and longer in the Southern Hemisphere,” NASA wrote.
Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Matthew Robinson and Anthony Murray.
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