 | | Created for znamenski.spacecom@blogger.com | Web Version | | | |  | What's Up This Week? 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) | 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. | |  | | (Starry Night) | 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. | |  | | (Starry 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. | |  | | (Starry 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. | |  | | (Starry Night) | 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. | |  | | (Starry Night) | 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. | |  | | (Starry Night) | 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. | | | | Moon Calendar  | | (Copyright Crezalyn Nerona Uratsuji/Getty Images) | 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? Check out our ultimate guide to observing the moon for tips and tools to get the most out of each phase. | | | | In The News | The James Webb Space Telescope has joined the study of the interstellar invader 3I/ATLAS, uncovering secrets that could reveal more about the planetary system in which it formed. | | | | Lunar Eclipse | A total lunar eclipse will take place on Sept. 7-8, creating a spectacular blood moon effect. | | | The second total lunar eclipse of 2025 will be visible from Europe, Asia and western Australia on Sept. 7-8, 2025. | | | | Northern Lights Forecast | Auroras may be visible from Alaska to Illinois as an incoming solar storm could spark geomagnetic storm conditions this Labor Day. | | | The latest aurora forecast for tonight help you make sure you're in the right place at the right time to see the northern lights. | | | | Astronomy Kit and Accessories | We've rounded up the best budget telescopes under $500 so you can survey the night sky regardless of your budget. | | | Your new favorite lightweight spotting companion — the Noca Provisions Zero Tube. | | |  | |  | Follow Night Sky This Week |  |  |  |  | | | | | Future US LLC © | | Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036. | | | | |
