Stargazing 20 August 2025 - 4 October 2025

A G3 geomagnetic storm on Oct. 1–2 pushed auroras into mid-latitudes; NOAA expects only minor storming by Oct. 3. SpaceX Starlink launches on Oct. 2 and 5 will create visible satellite trains. The waxing gibbous Moon nears full on Oct. 6, passing Saturn on Oct. 4–5. Two new comets, Lemmon and SWAN, brighten in the morning sky this month.

Earth’s magnetic field is unusually sensitive to solar wind near the September equinox, raising the chance of minor auroras at high latitudes, though no major geomagnetic storms are forecast. Saturn is at its brightest of the year after reaching opposition September 21, visible all night. Newly discovered comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) is now visible in evening skies, best from the Southern Hemisphere. The Moon and Mars appear close together at sunset on September 25.

A partial solar eclipse will occur on Sept. 21, 2025, with peak visibility in southern New Zealand and coastal Antarctica, where up to 86% of the sun will be obscured at sunrise. The event begins at 17:29 UTC and ends by 21:53 UTC, just hours before the September equinox. Eastern Australia will see only a thin sliver covered. Proper eye protection is required for safe viewing.

A deep partial solar eclipse will cover up to 85% of the Sun at sunrise on Sept. 21, visible in New Zealand, Antarctica, and eastern Australia. Saturn reaches opposition the same day, appearing brightest and closest this year. A rare fireball exploded over New Delhi on Sept. 19. Forecasters warn of possible auroras Sept. 22 as solar wind increases.

A crescent moon will closely align with Venus and Regulus before dawn Sept. 19, with parts of Europe, Africa, and the North Atlantic seeing the moon occult Venus around 12:00 UTC. Saturn reaches opposition and its brightest point overnight Sept. 20–21. The New Moon on Sept. 21 brings dark skies and a partial solar eclipse at sunrise in New Zealand, Australia, and Antarctica. Venus and Jupiter remain prominent in the morning sky.

The crescent moon, Venus, and star Regulus will cluster within half a degree before sunrise on September 19, 2025, forming a rare triple conjunction visible to the naked eye. The alignment will be best seen low in the east about 60–90 minutes before sunrise worldwide. In some regions, the Moon will briefly cover Venus after sunrise. Venus will outshine Regulus by over 100 times.

NOAA has issued a G1 geomagnetic storm watch for Sept. 6–7, with auroras possibly visible as far south as Iowa and New York. A total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7 will turn the Moon red for 82 minutes, visible across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Saturn is prominent all night, while Jupiter and Venus dominate the late and early skies. Meteor showers will be faint due to moonlight.

A rare Black Moon this week left skies unusually dark on Aug 29–30, aiding stargazing. The Aurigid meteor shower peaks around Sept 1 with up to 10 meteors per hour possible. All five naked-eye planets are visible this weekend, with Mars low after sunset and Saturn shining all night. Aurora sightings were possible at high latitudes Aug 27–28 after solar flares, but geomagnetic activity is now quiet.

A rare Black Moon on August 23, 2025, created exceptionally dark skies for August 24–26. The Perseid meteor shower’s peak was heavily obscured by moonlight earlier in the month, with observed rates dropping to about 15 per hour. Venus and Jupiter appeared close together before dawn, while Saturn, Mars, and Mercury were also visible. A NASA Wallops rocket launch was scheduled for late August 25.