In September, a series of celestial events will take place, including the Pleiades conjunction with the Moon, the Moon occulting Venus, the Mid-Autumn Moon, and Neptune at opposition. Among them, the Mid-Autumn Moon, which has attracted much attention, will not be full on the 15th or 16th of the lunar month, but rather on the 17th, a rather rare occurrence.

"Starry Night Fairy Tale" is a monthly event. From September 7th to 17th, the moon will successively approach Mars, Jupiter, Venus, and Antares. Among them, the most worthwhile for the public to enjoy is the conjunction of Venus and the moon on the 14th. The observation conditions in southern my country will be even better during this conjunction.

It's worth mentioning that people in parts of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi in my country may also be able to observe the lunar occultation of Venus on the horizon. Yang Jing, a member of the Chinese Astronomical Society and director of the Tianjin Astronomical Society, said that although the observation is quite difficult, it is definitely worth trying. At that time, Venus's phase will be similar to that of the crescent moon, and through a telescope, one can see the interesting scene of a "big moon" and a "small moon" vying for brilliance.

Venus's spectacular display is not yet over. On September 19th, Venus will reach its brightest point of the year as the "Evening Star," with a magnitude of -4.8, shining brightly in the southwestern sky like a jewel. Yang Jing explained that, weather permitting, interested members of the public can choose an open location in the southwest without tall buildings obstructing the view. Venus will be visible low in the sky, and the best viewing time is within one hour after sunset until dark.

Coincidentally, the smallest waxing crescent moon of the year will also appear in the sky on September 19. Weather permitting, the public in my country can observe this "D"-shaped moon in the southwestern sky that evening.

The Mid-Autumn Festival will arrive on September 25th. This year, the Mid-Autumn Moon will be fullest on the 17th day of the lunar month, with the fullest moment occurring at 00:49 on September 27th. Yang Jing reminds everyone that there's no need to focus on the exact moment of fullness when appreciating the moon; the moon will appear very similar to the naked eye on the nights of the 25th, 26th, and 27th, making all three suitable for viewing.

On September 26, Neptune will be at opposition. Neptune at opposition occurs when Neptune and the Sun are on opposite sides of the Earth, almost in a straight line, and the side of Neptune illuminated by the Sun will face Earth directly.

“During opposition, Neptune is closest to Earth and its apparent diameter is at its maximum, making it the best time to observe it. However, Neptune itself is dim, and this opposition coincides with a full moon, resulting in significant moonlight interference, making it difficult to spot even with a telescope. We recommend that interested members of the public avoid observing during the days of the full moon,” said Yang Jing.

(Source: Xinhua News Agency; Authors: Liu Yang, Zhou Runjian)