- Autumnal Equinox on Sept 22: At 18:19 UTC (2:19 p.m. EDT) on September 22, Earth reaches the autumnal equinox, marking the first day of fall in the Northern Hemisphere (spring in the Southern) and a time of nearly equal day and night worldwide earthsky.org earthsky.org.
- Aurora Borealis Boost: Skywatchers have a Northern Lights alert – NOAA forecasts minor geomagnetic storms (G1 level) around Sept 21–23, meaning auroras could glow farther south than usual (potentially reaching northern-tier U.S. states and similar latitudes in Europe) during the equinox period czen.org czen.org.
- Saturn at Peak Brightness:Saturn just hit opposition (Sept 21), lining up with Earth and the Sun. The ringed planet is now at its closest and brightest of the year, rising at sunset and visible all night – even small telescopes can reveal its famous rings science.nasa.gov science.nasa.gov.
- Partial Solar Eclipse Recap: A deep partial solar eclipse on Sept 21–22 wowed skywatchers in parts of New Zealand, Antarctica, and the South Pacific. At maximum, the moon covered 85% of the Sun’s disk earthsky.org, dimming the daylight (this was the last eclipse of 2025 earthsky.org).
- Rocket Launches & ISS Flyovers: Keep an eye out for human-made sky shows too! On Sept 23 before dawn, a SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch NASA’s IMAP solar probe from Florida space.com, and on Sept 22 evening Rocket Lab plans a launch from Virginia space.com – these could produce visible glowing trails in the sky for early risers or after-dark watchers. Plus, the International Space Station is making bright flyovers this week (visible as a fast-moving “star” after sunset) – check NASA’s Spot the Station for viewing times nasa.gov.
Equinox Brings Autumn – And an Aurora Opportunity
Monday, September 22 marks the autumnal equinox, the moment the Sun crosses Earth’s equator. Day and night are nearly equal in length across the globe during an equinox earthsky.org. In 2025 this happens at 18:19 UTC on Sept 22 (which is 8:19 p.m. in Warsaw, or 2:19 p.m. EDT) earthsky.org earthsky.org. For the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the first day of autumn; for the Southern Hemisphere, spring begins earthsky.org. Equinoxes are more than just a date on the calendar – they also have an interesting side effect for skywatchers: an “equinox effect” that can amplify the Northern Lights!
Around the fall equinox, Earth’s orientation to the Sun can make our planet’s magnetic field “slightly ajar,” allowing more solar wind particles to stream in and spark auroras czen.org. In other words, Earth’s magnetic shield lines up just right to let some extra solar energy slip through “cracks” in our magnetosphere, resulting in brighter, more widespread auroras than usual for a given solar activity level czen.org czen.org. This is a well-known phenomenon (scientists call it the Russell–McPherron effect), and 2025’s strong solar cycle adds fuel to the fire for potential aurora displays czen.org czen.org.
NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center has issued forecasts for minor geomagnetic storms (G1) around September 21–23 czen.org. G1 is the lowest storm rating, but it’s still enough to make the aurora borealis visible much farther south than normal. In fact, forecasters say people in up to 14 U.S. states (as far south as, say, Illinois) might glimpse the Northern Lights due to this equinox geomagnetic boost czen.org czen.org. Northern Europe at similar latitudes could see auroras low on the horizon as well. The peak storm activity is expected around the nights of Sept 21 and 22, but aurora chances could linger through mid-week if solar conditions remain favorable czen.org.
Viewing tips: If you’re in a mid- to high-latitude location, check the northern sky on the nights around Sept 22. Find a dark spot away from city lights and look for faint green, red, or purple glows or ripples, especially around local midnight. Even at G1 levels the aurora might appear as a gentle glow on the horizon, but any increase toward a G2 storm could bring dancing lights overhead. Be patient and give your eyes time to adjust to the dark. And don’t forget your camera – long exposure shots can capture auroras that are too faint to see clearly with the naked eye. Keep an eye on NOAA’s aurora forecast updates and clear skies permitting, you just might catch the Northern Lights marking the start of the new season czen.org czen.org!
Saturn Shines All Night (Planetary Parade in the Sky)
Hot on the heels of the equinox, Saturn is stealing the spotlight in the night sky. On September 21, Saturn reached opposition, meaning Earth swung directly between Saturn and the Sun science.nasa.gov. This alignment puts Saturn on the opposite side of the sky from the Sun, so it rises at sunset and shines all night until sunrise. More importantly for observers, opposition is when Saturn comes closest to Earth for the year, making it appear brighter than at any other time science.nasa.gov. In fact, Saturn is currently “incredibly bright in the… evening sky”, according to NASA, outshining most stars around it science.nasa.gov.
Look toward the east after dusk and you’ll spot Saturn as a steady, golden-white point of light. It will climb high through the night and be visible toward the west by early morning science.nasa.gov. You can’t miss it – no telescope needed to enjoy Saturn’s beacon-like glow. However, if you do have access to binoculars or a small telescope, now is the time to use them: Saturn’s rings are tilted open and on display, and even a modest scope will reveal that Saturn isn’t a star at all but a tiny orb with “ears”! NASA notes that with a basic telescope “you might be able to see its rings” during opposition science.nasa.gov. You may also glimpse Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, as a faint point nearby.
This Saturn sighting comes at a perfect time – the Moon is just coming off new moon (which occurred Sept 21), so on the nights of Sept 22–23 there’s little to no moonlight to wash out the stars. Dark skies will make Saturn’s presence even more striking. The new moon also means it’s a great time to appreciate fainter cosmic sights: the misty band of the Milky Way arching overhead and maybe even a few “shooting stars.” (We’re between major meteor showers at the moment – the next big meteor display will be the Draconids in early October earthsky.org – but you can always catch some sporadic meteors on any clear night.)
Saturn might be the headliner, but it’s not the only planet on stage. In the pre-dawn hours, Venus and Jupiter are putting on a show of their own. Venus currently blazes as the “Morning Star” – the brightest point of light in the eastern sky before sunrise – while Jupiter shines high above it, slightly less bright but still unmistakable planetary.org. Both planets are hard to miss if you’re up early: Venus is super-bright and silvery, and Jupiter is the second-brightest dot in that part of the sky planetary.org. (If you have a telescope, Jupiter’s cloud bands and its four big moons are beautiful in the morning darkness.)
Meanwhile, Mars is becoming trickier to observe. The red planet has been hanging out low in the west after sunset, but each week it’s getting dimmer and sinking closer to the horizon planetary.org. By the end of September, Mars will likely vanish into the Sun’s glare, not to reappear until it emerges in the morning sky later this year. If you want to try spotting Mars, use the very thin crescent Moon as a guide: on Sept 24, the Moon reappears in the evening sky and will be near Mars in the constellation Virgo highpointscientific.com. Mars will look like a faint reddish point to the upper right of the Moon – a last hurrah for die-hards before Mars slips away.
In summary, these nights offer a planet parade: Saturn ruling the evening, Jupiter late at night, and Venus greeting early risers. All three are bright enough to enjoy with just your eyes. Grab a jacket, a pair of binoculars if you have them, and enjoy planets cruising across the crisp equinox sky planetary.org planetary.org!
Deep Partial Eclipse Down Under (Sep 21–22)
While much of the world was preparing for the equinox, folks in New Zealand and parts of the far southern globe were treated to a spectacular (if localized) celestial event: a partial solar eclipse. On September 21 (which was early morning September 22 local time in New Zealand), the Moon passed in front of the Sun, taking a sizeable “bite” out of the solar disk. At the peak of this eclipse, around 19:41 UTC, about 85% of the Sun was covered by the Moon earthsky.org – a very deep partial eclipse. In southern New Zealand (e.g. Stewart Island) observers saw the Sun turn into a slim crescent as the Moon obscured most of it en.wikipedia.org. Parts of eastern Australia (especially Tasmania and coastal areas of Victoria/New South Wales) also saw a smaller partial eclipse at sunset, while Antarctica and Pacific islands within the visibility zone caught the Sun being significantly obscured space.com.
This eclipse was notable for being “the last eclipse of 2025” earthsky.org. It came two weeks after a Total Lunar Eclipse (the “Blood Moon” of September 7), as part of the year’s second eclipse season. Because it was a partial (not total) solar eclipse, no locations saw the Sun completely covered – it was a crescent Sun everywhere in the eclipse path. However, a maximum coverage of 85% is enough to noticeably dim the daylight and drop the temperature. Birds and animals in the path likely grew confused at “false dawn” lighting during the peak.
If you weren’t in the eclipse zone, you may have caught live streams online. Timeanddate.com hosted a live webcast of the eclipse as seen from New Zealand’s morning skies earthsky.org, allowing people worldwide to experience the event. The imagery showed a dramatic Sun with a huge chunk missing, sunrise turning into an eerie partial sunset look due to the Moon’s shadow. Local news in New Zealand reported excited stargazers gathering with eclipse glasses at dawn on the 22nd to witness the rare spectacle.
Safety tip: Even though this eclipse has passed, it’s worth a reminder for future celestial events – never look at the Sun without proper protection, even during a partial eclipse. Experts stress using special solar viewing glasses or filters whenever any part of the Sun is visible earthsky.org. Partial eclipses require the same precautions as total eclipses (until totality) to avoid serious eye injury. So keep those eclipse glasses handy; the next time the Sun and Moon cross paths, you’ll be ready to watch safely.
Looking ahead, the next solar eclipse will occur in 2026, but it’s never too early to start planning if you’re an eclipse chaser! In the meantime, it’s fun to realize that as the Moon’s shadow was crossing Earth’s far southern regions on Sept 21, Saturn was at its brightest and the equinox was about to occur – the cosmos often syncs up multiple events at once, giving skywatchers plenty to celebrate.
Artificial Lights in the Sky: Satellites, Rockets, and Space Station
Not all sky highlights this week are natural – human activity in space is also creating some visible spectacles on Sept 22–23. Here are a few things to watch for:
- Rocket launches: Two rocket launches are scheduled that may be observable to those nearby (or even from farther away, as glowing streaks). First, on Sept 22 evening, Rocket Lab will launch a suborbital HASTE rocket from Wallops Island, Virginia around 7:45 p.m. EDT space.com. This launch, carrying a classified “JAKE 4” payload for the U.S. government, is suborbital (a test flight) but the rocket’s flame could be visible along parts of the U.S. East Coast shortly after sunset. If you live in the mid-Atlantic region, look toward the southeastern horizon around that time for a brief bright trail climbing upward – essentially a fast-moving “artificial meteor” created by the rocket’s ascent. A few minutes of engine burn may produce a white or orange streak and, if conditions are right, a glowing exhaust plume against the twilight sky. Just a few hours later (in the wee hours of Sept 23), SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, at around 7:32 a.m. EDT space.com. This mission carries NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) and a couple of smaller payloads (including one for NOAA) toward deep space space.com space.com. Liftoff comes just after sunrise in Florida, so the sky will be bright – meaning the rocket’s fiery plume might be harder to spot except for those very close to the launch site. However, early risers along Florida’s Space Coast could glimpse the bright flare of the Falcon 9 low on the horizon and possibly a contrail as it heads upward. Space enthusiasts worldwide can also watch via NASA/SpaceX live streams. This launch is significant: IMAP will venture to the edge of the Sun’s influence (the heliosphere) to study the solar wind and cosmic rays, helping scientists understand how solar activity interacts with the space environment that surrounds our solar system space.com. So as you’re having your morning coffee on the 23rd, know that a rocket is piercing the sky, sending a new explorer to literally map the boundaries of our cosmic neighborhood!
- Satellite “flares” and trains: If you’re out during dawn or dusk, you might catch an unexpected flash or a line of moving lights crossing the sky. These are caused by satellites. Certain satellites can reflect sunlight briefly and brightly – a phenomenon known as a satellite flare. (The now-retired Iridium satellites were famous for this, but even today other satellites can glint.) If you see a sudden gleam that lasts a second or two and then vanishes, it could be one of these reflections. There’s not a specific predicted flare for these dates, but it’s something to be aware of whenever you skywatch near twilight. Also, SpaceX’s continuous launches of Starlink internet satellites often result in a “string of pearls” effect: a train of bright dots moving in a line. One batch of Starlink satellites was launched from Florida on Sept 21 space.com, so over the next few days, people in various regions might notice this satellite train shortly after sunset or before sunrise. They look like a slow-moving parade of stars, and while they dim as they disperse, right after launch they can be quite striking (and sometimes mistaken for UFOs!). If you spot a set of evenly spaced lights gliding silently overhead, you’re likely witnessing Elon Musk’s Starlink convoy climbing to orbit.
- International Space Station flyovers: The ISS, humanity’s bright outpost in orbit, continues to make regular passes over different parts of the world. This week, many locations will have evening flyovers – the ISS appears shortly after sunset, reflecting sunlight while the ground is in darkness. It looks like an unblinking, fast-moving star cruising from west to east. For example, in mid-northern latitudes the Station has been visible around 8 PM local time on recent nights facebook.com, and similar opportunities should continue over Sept 22–23. Each pass lasts only a few minutes, but it’s a delight to see. No telescope is needed; just use your eyes (or binoculars for a brighter view). If you want to know exactly when and where to look, NASA’s Spot the Station service provides custom timings – you can enter your city and get a schedule of upcoming ISS sightings nasa.gov. If you haven’t seen the ISS before, give it a try! It’s the third brightest object in the sky most nights, after the Sun and Moon, and knowing that there are astronauts aboard that bright dot often gives watchers a little thrill.
Pro tip: Make a checklist of what to spot on these nights. For Sept 22–23, a perfect evening could include: watching sunset leading into the equinoctial dusk, finding Saturn rising and focusing in on its rings, catching the ISS flyby a bit later, then staying out longer under dark moonless skies to maybe notice a satellite flare or stray meteor. Set an alarm to wake up early and enjoy Venus and Jupiter shining before dawn, and if you’re in an aurora-friendly latitude, peeking north for any green auroral glow. There’s truly a feast of sky events on the menu this week.
Sources: This skywatch alert compiles information from NASA’s skywatching bulletins, NOAA space-weather forecasts, and expert astronomy guides. Key details on the equinox and aurora forecasts were drawn from NOAA and astrophotography experts czen.org czen.org. Planetary scientists at NASA and The Planetary Society provided insight on Saturn’s opposition and the visibility of planets science.nasa.gov planetary.org. Eclipse facts come from EarthSky’s coverage of the September 21–22 solar eclipse earthsky.org earthsky.org. Rocket launch schedules and details were confirmed via Space.com’s launch calendar space.com space.com. For real-time updates and viewing specifics (like aurora alerts or ISS pass times), check the linked resources and official agency websites. Here’s wishing you clear skies and happy gazing during this special equinox week!
