Labor Day brings best planetary alignment of September
The crescent moon will fall in line with Mars and Jupiter early Monday morning, with a famous constellation shining nearby.
AccuWeather’s Anna Azallion shares the top astronomy events for the month of September, which include a celestial meetup of Mars and Jupiter, the fall equinox and the Harvest Moon.
The extended Labor Day weekend will bring the first major astronomy event of September, but people will need to wake up early to catch it.
Before sunrise Monday, the crescent moon will appear between Mars and Jupiter in the eastern sky, creating an easy-to-see scene for anyone with a cloud-free view of the horizon.
The best sights will come about an hour before sunrise. No telescope or binoculars are needed. Sky gazers should try to find a spot away from trees, buildings and bright lights that could block the low eastern sky.
As a bonus, the famous constellation Orion will appear just to the right of the celestial scene. Orion is seldom seen during the summer months because it appears in the same part of the sky as the sun, but it returns to the night sky around the start of autumn.
The crescent moon may also show a faint glow on its dark side, a subtle effect known as earthshine. It happens when sunlight reflects off Earth and faintly lights up the part of the moon not directly illuminated by the sun.
People who miss the show Monday will have another chance before daybreak Tuesday, when the moon will appear as a thinner crescent near Jupiter.
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