Home
Weather Dublin
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    September astro outlook: Fourth supermoon and Neptune appears

15:00
2 September 2023

September astro outlook
Fourth supermoon and Neptune appears

star-gazing

September is not the most active month for stargazers, but it does deliver the autumn equinox, ushering in the new season.

The month begins with a new moon on September 15 offering dark skies perfect for those wanting to see fainter objects in the night sky.

Those faint objects will include Neptune in opposition on September 19, though only for those with powerful telescopes.

The furthest planet from the sun will be illuminated by the star on this day, offering the best chance to spot the gas giant.

A few days later, we find Mercury at its greatest western elongation. On September 22, the closest planet to the sun will be visible in the UK and Ireland. Look towards the eastern horizon before sunrise.

A day later, and the autumnal equinox heralds the beginning of astronomical autumn. This year, the equinox takes place on September 23, at 07:50 am BST.

At the equinox the sun will shine directly on the equator, giving us an almost equal number of hours of day and night. In the Southern Hemisphere, this is the spring equinox.

Finally, the month is rounded out by the year's fourth, and final, supermoon. Rising on the evening of September 29, this full moon is dubbed the harvest, or corn, moon.

The closest full moon to the equinox is always referred to as the harvest moon. This year it becomes a supermoon as it arrives in parallel with the moon's perigee, the closest point to Earth in its orbit.

If you head out to capture the supermoon, have a telescope powerful enough to spot Neptune, or use the darkness of the new moon for a spot of stargazing... we would love to see what you capture.

Tap the image icon in the app or use our dedicated uploader.

Tips: Astrophotography with your phoneread more
Ryan Hathaway
More on the topic
Chance of thundery showers breaking out. Over the coming days. . . Tuesday 18 August 2026
Split weather graphic showing a yellow thunderstorm warning across eastern England alongside radar with heavy showers and lightning near Sheffield, Leicester and East Anglia.
Tuesday 18 August 2026

Over the coming days

Chance of thundery showers breaking out
Hottest day of the year so far. Close to August record. . . Thursday 13 August 2026
Temperature map of London showing 38.1°C at Kew Gardens, with surrounding readings of 35–36°C and deep red shading indicating extreme heat.
Thursday 13 August 2026

Close to August record

Hottest day of the year so far
Damage in Germany after severe weather. Several tornadoes formed. . Weather Videos. Thursday 20 August 2026
Split image: Weather map showing thunderstorms and a tornado symbol over western Germany. On the right, severe damage to buildings and rubble on a road can be seen.
Weather VideosThursday 20 August 2026

Several tornadoes formed

Damage in Germany after severe weather
All weather news
This might also interest you
New records for England and Wales. Broken again tomorrow?. . . Thursday 25 June 2026
Temperature map of southwest Britain on 25.06 showing extreme heat across southern Wales and southwest England, with Bute Park in Cardiff highlighted at 34.2°C and Yeovilton at 36.4°C amid widespread deep red heat zones.
Thursday 25 June 2026

Broken again tomorrow?

New records for England and Wales
Flooding, gales, and heavy snow. Storm Chandra. . . Tuesday 27 January 2026
Split image showing aerial flooding in a town with muddy water covering roads on the left, and a rural road on the right blocked by heavy snowfall with vans stopped and a person walking in snow.
Tuesday 27 January 2026

Storm Chandra

Flooding, gales, and heavy snow
Long-term trends need a pinch of salt. 40 °C in July?. . . Tuesday 30 June 2026
Temperature radar of 2022 heatwave where the all-time temperature record in the UK was set. Warning symbol overlain.
Tuesday 30 June 2026

40 °C in July?

Long-term trends need a pinch of salt
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwitteryouTubelinkList