Corn Moon, Lunar Eclipse, and Algol's Flicker Light Up September Skies

From Perseus' variable star to a total eclipse, this week brings lunar wonders and planetary motion Created for znamenski.spacecom@blogger.com | Web Version   September 1, 2025 FOLLOW US FOLLOW US   Just Look Up! SIGN UP ⋅   SHARE   What's Up This Week? Hello Skywatchers! September opens with a rich week of celestial sights. On Tuesday, variable star Algol dims and brightens in real time, a rare chance to watch a star's heartbeat with the naked eye. Midweek, the waxing gibbous moon highlights dramatic features like Mare Imbrium, the Aristarchus Plateau, and Grimaldi basin. Saturday sees Uranus reverse direction in the sky, while Sunday delivers a double treat — the bright full Corn Moon and a total lunar eclipse visible across much of the Eastern Hemisphere. Whether you're scanning lunar landscapes, watching planets, or hoping for a blood moon, there's plenty to enjoy. Here's what to watch for this week. Clear skies, Daisy Reference Editor, Space.com   (Starry Night) Tuesday, Sept. 2 — Watch Algol Brighten (evening) Algol, the "Demon Star" in Perseus, fades and brightens every 2 days and 20 hours. On Tuesday evening, it dims to magnitude 3.4 around 9:15 p.m. EDT (0115 GMT on Sept. 3), then recovers within hours — visible to the naked eye. Full Story: Space (10/1) (Starry Night) Wednesday, Sept. 3 — Mare Imbrium (evening) The Sea of Rains, the moon's largest impact basin, is fully illuminated tonight. Telescope views reveal craters Aristillus and Archimedes, ghost craters Cassini and Wallace, and delicate wrinkle ridges. Full Story: Space (10/1) (Starry Night) Thursday, Sept. 4 — The Aristarchus Plateau (all night) On the moon's western edge, the brilliant crater Aristarchus sits beside Vallis Schröteri, a winding rille often called the "Cobra Head." High magnification reveals vivid features in this geologically colorful region. Full Story: Space (10/1) (Starry Night) Friday, Sept. 5 — Grimaldi Graces the Edge (all night) The oval Grimaldi basin, near the moon's western edge, appears dark and distinct. Through binoculars, spot its rugged rim; telescopes show its wrinkle ridges and the fresh crater Grimaldi B. Full Story: Space (10/1) (Starry Night) Saturday, Sept. 6 — Uranus Reverses Course (evening) Uranus halts its eastward drift and begins a retrograde loop lasting until February. Look with binoculars four finger-widths below the Pleiades. At magnitude +5.7, it's faint but visible under dark skies. Full Story: Space (10/1) (Starry Night) Sunday, Sept. 7 — Full Corn Moon (evening) The moon reaches full at 2:09 p.m. EDT (1809 GMT), shining in Aquarius and Pisces. Known as the Corn Moon or Barley Moon, it rises nearly full on both Saturday and Sunday evenings. Full Story: Space (10/1) (Starry Night) Sunday, Sept. 7 — Total Lunar Eclipse (afternoon/evening in Eastern Hemisphere) Observers from Eastern Africa to Asia and Australia can see a total eclipse, with the moon turning red from 17:31 to 18:53 GMT. Europe and parts of Oceania will catch partial stages at moonrise or moonset. Full Story: Space (10/1) Moon Calendar (Copyright Crezalyn Nerona Uratsuji/Getty Images) Notable Moon Phase This Week: Full Corn Moon The Corn Moon rises fully illuminated on Sunday, Sept. 7, the final full moon before the autumn equinox. Traditionally tied to harvests, it also carries Indigenous names such as Waatebagaa-giizis (Leaves Turning Moon) and Nimitahamowipisim (Rutting Moon). This year, it comes with the added spectacle of a total lunar eclipse for much of the Eastern Hemisphere, when Earth's shadow transforms the moon into a glowing orange-red orb. Want to explore more? 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