Weekend Skywatch Alert: Blood Moon Eclipse, Auroras & Shooting Stars Collide (Sept 6

Key Facts

Aurora Borealis/Australis on Alert: A G1-class geomagnetic storm watch is in effect for Sept. 6–7, with NOAA predicting Kp 5 (Minor storm) conditions. High-speed solar wind from a Sun coronal hole – and a recent CME from Sept. 4 – could trigger northern lights visible far beyond polar regions ^[1] ^[2]. In North America, skywatchers as far south as Iowa and New York may glimpse auroras on Saturday night ^[3]. Southern Hemisphere observers at high latitudes (e.g. Tasmania, NZ) should also watch for aurora australis if conditions intensify.
Total “Blood Moon” Eclipse: On the evening of Sept. 7, the full Moon will turn copper-red during the longest total lunar eclipse since 2022 ^[4]. Totality lasts about 82 minutes (17:30–18:52 GMT) and is visible across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia – about 85% of the world’s population has a chance to see it ^[5] ^[6]. Europe will catch the eclipse at moonrise (the Moon rises already eclipsed), offering a dramatic red Moon on the horizon ^[7]. This eclipse occurs on the September full Corn Moon and will be widely viewable (except the Americas) with no eye protection needed.
Meteor Showers Under Moonlight: Two minor meteor showers – the Aurigids and September ε-Perseids – are active, but the bright Moon will severely hamper them. The Aurigids peaked around Sept. 1 (~10 meteors/hour) under a half-lit moon ^[8], and the ε-Perseids peak Sept. 9 with only ~5 meteors/hour under post-full-moon glare ^[9]. Astronomers note the ε-Perseids “won’t put on much of a show” as moonlight will wash out all but the brightest shooting stars ^[10]. Still, a few slow-moving meteors could streak across pre-dawn skies from Perseus if you’re patient.
Planets on Parade:Saturn is stealing the show this month – visible all night and nearing its Sept. 21 opposition when it’s closest and brightest for 2025 ^[11]. Even now, Saturn shines at ~magnitude +0.6–0.7 in the southeast after dusk ^[12], bright enough to see with the naked eye (and a small telescope will reveal its rings ^[13]). Jupiter (magnitude –2) rises around midnight and dominates the late-night sky until dawn ^[14]. In the east before sunrise, Venus blazes as the “Morning Star” at an eye-popping magnitude –3.9 ^[15], alongside the bright star Regulus. (Mark your calendar: on Sept. 19, a thin crescent Moon will even occult Venus for some observers ^[16]!) Mars and Mercury, however, are out of view – Mars is fading into the sunset glare and Mercury is lost behind the Sun ^[17].
Satellite Spectacles – ISS, Tiangong & Starlink: The International Space Station (ISS) and China’s Tiangong station continue to make prominent passes in the dawn and dusk sky. The ISS is the brightest man-made object overhead – on favorable passes it can outshine Venus by 2–3× and even momentarily flare to an incredible magnitude –8 (about 19× brighter than Venus!) ^[18]. It moves across the sky in ~4–6 minutes, like a swift bright star. Tiangong, though smaller, can appear as bright as Venus (≈ –4) on a good pass ^[19]. Check NASA’s Spot the Station or Heavens-Above for exact times in your location ^[20] ^[21]. Also keep an eye out for “trains” of Starlink satellites: SpaceX is launching a new batch of Starlink on Sept. 6 from California (Vandenberg SFB, ~03:42 GMT Sept. 7) ^[22]. In the days following launch, these satellites will appear as a line of moving lights shortly after sunset or before sunrise – a dazzling but short-lived sight before they disperse ^[23].
Rocket Launch Roundup: Besides SpaceX’s Starlink mission, China is scheduled to launch a Long March 6A rocket on Sept. 6 (~16:35 GMT) from Taiyuan, China ^[24]. Its payload is undisclosed, but observers near the launch site might witness the daytime liftoff. Looking ahead, another SpaceX Falcon 9 is targeting Sept. 8 (23:52 GMT) to deploy the Nusantara Lima telecom satellite from Florida ^[25]. While these launches themselves aren’t directly visible to most skywatchers, keep watch for any unusual glowing cloud effects at twilight – past SpaceX launches have created ghostly “space jellyfish” plumes when sunlit high in the atmosphere.

Now, let’s dive deeper into what you can see and how to make the most of this exciting weekend in the sky…

In-Depth Report

Aurora Alert: Geomagnetic Storm Likely

If you live in mid to high latitudes, you could be in for a treat this weekend: the Northern (and even Southern) Lights might come out to play. Space weather forecasters at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center have issued a G1 geomagnetic storm watch for September 6–7 due to a high-speed solar wind stream buffeting Earth’s magnetic field ^[26]. This solar wind surge comes from a “positive polarity” coronal hole on the Sun – essentially an open magnetic gap in the Sun’s atmosphere unleashing fast-moving particles toward Earth ^[27]. NOAA has classified the event as a G1 (Minor) storm with an expected Kp index of 5, meaning auroras could dip much farther south than usual ^[28].

Adding to the excitement, on Sept. 4 the Sun also hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) our way ^[29] ^[30]. Models predict this CME will arrive by Sept. 7, potentially boosting auroral activity even more – possibly into G2 (Moderate storm) levels ^[31]. In fact, space weather experts note this impact could coincide with Sunday’s lunar eclipse, meaning some lucky skywatchers might see a red “Blood Moon” and the aurora at the same time ^[32]!

“Heads up for aurora hunters. Clear skies and good luck!” the EarthSky team advised, as the G1 storm watch was announced ^[33]. The official NOAA Aurora Forecast and dashboard confirm the heightened chance of northern lights across a broad area late Friday into Saturday ^[34] ^[35].

Where will the aurora be visible? Under a G1–G2 storm, auroras are likely overhead in the usual high-latitude locales (Canada, Alaska, Northern Europe), but may also be glimpsed low on the horizon much farther south. In North America, the NOAA forecast suggests auroral glows might reach a band of states from the Pacific Northwest through the Upper Midwest and New England ^[36] ^[37]. That includes places like Washington, Montana, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, and even Iowa on the southern fringe ^[38]. Imagine stepping outside in Minnesota or Maine and seeing green and purple curtains dancing in the northern sky – it could happen if the storm reaches its expected Kp 5. Across the Atlantic, Scotland, Scandinavia, the Baltics, and maybe Germany or Poland could get auroras in Europe, especially under dark rural skies. And in the Southern Hemisphere, high-latitude regions (southern Australia, Tasmania, the South Island of NZ, Patagonia) have a shot at the aurora australis during this disturbance.

To maximize your chances: get away from city lights, look northward (southward in the Southern Hemisphere) and be patient between 10 PM and 2 AM local time, when geomagnetic activity often peaks ^[39]. Even if a full-on auroral display doesn’t materialize, you might notice a diffuse greenish glow or slight ripples near the horizon. Real-time aurora apps and alerts (such as NOAA’s aurora dashboard, or apps like My Aurora Forecast and Hello Aurora) can send notifications when the geomagnetic activity spikes ^[40]. And remember, cameras can often pick up faint auroras before your eyes do – so it’s worth snapping some long exposures if you suspect something.

If you do catch the northern or southern lights this weekend, you’ll be witnessing a beautiful side effect of our Sun’s increasing activity. Solar cycle 25 is nearing its peak (expected ~2025–2026), and indeed auroras have become more frequent and intense. NOAA and NASA note that solar activity is ramping up toward solar maximum, meaning more flares, CMEs, and geomagnetic storms in the coming year ^[41]. In fact, just last year a “once-in-a-lifetime” aurora display was visible as far south as Florida and Texas during a strong storm ^[42]. So even a minor G1 event is worth watching – you never know when the Sun might over-achieve!

Total Lunar Eclipse: The “Blood Moon” Rises

Get ready for a must-see celestial event on Sunday, September 7: a Total Lunar Eclipse will turn the full Moon a eerie reddish color in what’s often dubbed a “Blood Moon”. This eclipse is special for several reasons. First, it’s the longest total lunar eclipse in 3 years, with totality lasting about 82–83 minutes ^[43] ^[44]. And second, it’s visible to an enormous swath of the world – virtually everyone except those in the Americas will get at least a partial view ^[45]. From Europe and Africa to Asia, Australia, and the Pacific, billions of people can watch Earth’s shadow engulf the Moon.

When and where to look: The eclipse unfolds on the night of Sept. 7 (or early Sept. 8 local time in East Asia/Australia). It begins with the Moon entering Earth’s faint outer shadow (penumbra) at ~15:28 UTC, though the noticeable darkening really starts with the partial phase at ~16:26 UTC ^[46]. Totality – when the Moon is fully in Earth’s dark umbra – runs from 17:30 UTC until 18:53 UTC, with the peak (max eclipse) at 18:11 UTC ^[47] ^[48]. For time zone context, that peak is 19:11 BST in London, 20:11 CEST in Warsaw, 21:11 MSK in Moscow, 1:41 AM IST in New Delhi, and 3:11 AM JST in Tokyo (in the wee hours of Sept. 8). If you’re in Australia (e.g. Perth), it’s about 1:30–2:52 AM AWST for totality ^[49].

Europe and Africa: Note that for Western Europe and western Africa, the eclipse will already be underway at moonrise. That means on Sept. 7 evening, the Moon will rise already looking dim and red – a striking (if challenging) view, since the Moon will be low on the horizon and darkened ^[50]. For example, in Paris and London the Moon rises during totality, so you might see a faint amber orb creeping up if your eastern horizon is clear. Farther east (Central/Eastern Europe, Eastern Africa), you’ll catch most or all of totality higher in the sky as darkness falls. Observers in Asia and Australia are especially lucky: they get to see the entire eclipse high in the middle of the night, from start to finish ^[51]. Only North and South America miss out entirely (the Moon is below the horizon during the eclipse there), but don’t worry, Americans – your turn comes in March 2026 ^[52].

As the Earth’s shadow covers the Moon, the bright lunar disk will turn from pearl-white to a dusky reddish-orange. This happens because sunlight is being filtered and refracted through Earth’s atmosphere, scattering out blue light and leaving only dim red hues to bathe the Moon. Every eclipse’s exact color and darkness is a bit different – some turn a deep copper or even brownish-red if there are lots of volcanic dust or aerosols in Earth’s atmosphere, while others are a lighter rust color. We’ll have to see what this Full Corn Moon eclipse looks like; it could be bright orange or a dark “blood” red depending on atmospheric conditions ^[53] ^[54].

One exciting coincidence: During this eclipse the Moon lies in front of the constellation Aquarius, not far from bright Saturn in the sky ^[55]. Normally a full Moon overwhelms most nearby stars and planets with its glare – but during totality, the Moon’s brightness drops ~10,000-fold, effectively turning off that glare. Saturn, along with stars like Fomalhaut, will pop into view right next to the dim Moon during totality ^[56] ^[57]. So eclipse watchers can enjoy a rare sight: a red Moon and Saturn’s steady golden point of light hanging together. In fact, as soon as the Moon enters total eclipse and the sky darkens, try to spot Saturn just a few degrees away – it’ll be visible to the naked eye, and a telescope might even show Saturn’s rings while the eclipse is ongoing!

Viewing a lunar eclipse is easy and completely safe – unlike solar eclipses, no special filters or glasses are needed. You can look directly at the Moon. Binoculars or a telescope will enhance the view, bringing out the Moon’s craters in eerie coloration, but even with unaided eyes you’ll witness the transformation. Make it an event: bring friends or family outside, let your eyes adjust to the dark, and enjoy the cosmic show. Total lunar eclipses are among the most accessible astronomical events, and this one being so long and widely visible makes it a highlight of 2025’s sky calendar ^[58].

Fun fact: Because this eclipse happens in September, some are calling it the “Harvest Moon Eclipse,” since the full Moon nearest the equinox is traditionally the Harvest Moon. However, by some definitions the Harvest Moon this year will actually be the early October full moon, making the Sept. 7 full moon the “Corn Moon” ^[59]. Regardless of name, it’s rare to have the Harvest/Corn Moon itself eclipsed – giving skywatchers a doubly special full Moon night.

If clouds spoil your view locally, many observatories and websites will stream the eclipse live (e.g. Timeanddate and NASA have feeds). But if skies are clear, don’t miss stepping outside! There won’t be another total lunar eclipse visible in Europe or Africa until 2028, so this is a great opportunity ^[60].

Meteor Showers: Aurigids & Epsilon Perseids

September is not known for major meteor showers, but there are a couple of minor showers active that intrepid observers might attempt – with tempered expectations. The Aurigids and the September Epsilon Perseids are both in play during the first week of September, but bright moonlight will significantly reduce visible meteors.

Aurigids: This small shower, emanating from the constellation Auriga, peaked on September 1 this year. Under ideal conditions, the Aurigid peak might produce around 5–10 meteors per hour ^[61]. In fact, the Aurigids occasionally surprise with rare outbursts (in 2021, an outburst yielded ~80 meteors/hour for a brief burst ^[62]). However, in 2025 the peak fell just after the August Full Moon, meaning the sky was flooded with moonlight most of the night. As a result, only the brightest few “shooting stars” would have been visible ^[63] ^[64]. By Sept. 6–7, the Aurigid activity is diminishing – the shower is essentially over a few days post-peak, though you might still catch an occasional stray Aurigid meteor in the early evening (its radiant sets relatively early in the night).

September ε-Perseids: This meteor shower is active from Sept. 5–21 and peaks around Sept. 9 ^[65] ^[66]. It’s sometimes called the Epsilon Perseids because the meteors appear to radiate near the star epsilon Persei in the constellation Perseus. The bad news is this is a very weak shower – the zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) at peak is only ~5 meteors/hour ^[67]. And like the Aurigids, its timing in 2025 is unlucky with regard to the Moon: peak night falls just two days after a Full Moon (which is Sept. 7) ^[68] ^[69]. In other words, moonlight will wash out all but the brightest meteors. Even under perfect dark-sky conditions, observers would normally only see a few “shooters” per hour from this shower; with a near-full moon in the sky, the numbers will be even fewer. An analysis by In-The-Sky.org estimates maybe 4 meteors per hour could be seen at best in the pre-dawn of Sept. 9, accounting for real-world conditions ^[70] ^[71].

That said, sporadic meteors (random background shooting stars not belonging to any shower) occur every night of the year. On any clear night, especially after midnight, you might see a handful of meteors if you watch the sky long enough. NASA’s all-sky meteor network actually detected 14 fireballs over the U.S. on Sept. 4 (mostly random “sporadics”) ^[72]. So while organized showers are quiet now, there’s always a chance of catching a few meteors streaking by – and the advantage of the Full Moon is that if you time it during the lunar eclipse (17:30–18:53 UTC on Sept. 7 when the Moon is darkened), the sky will briefly be much darker, potentially allowing a rare meteor sighting during an eclipse!

Tips: To try meteor watching, pick the pre-dawn hours (after 4 AM local time) when the shower radiants (Perseus for the ε-Perseids) are high in the sky and Earth is plowing head-on into the meteor stream. Find a safe, dark location, lie back and let your eyes adapt. Shield the Moon from view (when it’s not eclipsed) by maybe standing near a building or tree so the Moon is blocked, improving your night vision ^[73]. Even if the meteor count is low, you’ll still enjoy the stars – and you might catch a “wow” moment if a random fireball lights up. As always, no telescopes or binoculars are needed for meteors – just your eyes.

Looking ahead, more rewarding meteor showers are on the horizon: October brings the Draconids (around Oct. 8) and the Orionids (peaking Oct. 21) ^[74]. So consider this weekend a warm-up for meteor hunting in the fall!

Planets & Alignments: Saturn Shines, Venus Dawns

If meteors and eclipses weren’t enough, the planets themselves are putting on a show in early September. The big headline is Saturn, but other planets are visible too at certain hours:

Saturn – King of the Night: The ringed planet is visible all night long this month, rising around sunset in the east and setting near sunrise in the west. Saturn is approaching opposition on Sept. 21, when Earth will lie directly between Saturn and the Sun ^[75]. Around opposition, Saturn is at its closest (approximately 8.8 AU or ~1.3 billion km away) and brightest of the year. Already this weekend Saturn is dazzling at about magnitude +0.6 – bright enough to see easily with the naked eye, shining with a steady golden light in the constellation Pisces ^[76]. It’s not quite as brilliant as Jupiter or Venus, but it outshines all the stars in its area. Look for Saturn in the southeast after dusk – by midnight it will be high in the south, an inviting target. If you have a small telescope, take a peek! Saturn’s rings are nearly edge-on this year (tilted only ~2°), but you can still discern the ring system as a thin line or oval encircling the planet ^[77]. Even binoculars might hint at Saturn’s oval shape due to the rings. NASA encourages skywatchers to check out Saturn this month, noting “Saturn will be putting on an out-of-this-world performance… visible with just your eyes, but with a small telescope, you might see its rings!” ^[78] ^[79]. Also, during the lunar eclipse on the 7th, Saturn will appear near the eclipsed Moon, as mentioned – a lovely conjunction to observe with or without optics ^[80].
Jupiter – Late Night Beacon: Jupiter is the only planet that can rival Venus in brightness right now, shining at about mag –2.0 in early September ^[81]. However, it rises late. Look for Jupiter emerging in the east after 11 PM or midnight local time (the exact time depends on your location). By the pre-dawn hours (~4–5 AM), Jupiter is high in the southern sky, outshining every star. It resides in the constellation Gemini, not far from the twin stars Castor and Pollux. Through binoculars or a telescope, you can spot Jupiter’s four Galilean moons – little star-like points lined up near the planet. If you’re up in the very early morning, note that on Sept. 16–17 the waning crescent Moon will pass near Jupiter, along with Castor and Pollux, making a pretty grouping ^[82].
Venus – Morning Star: After spending a couple months out of view during its inferior conjunction, Venus is back and blazing in the pre-dawn eastern sky. It rises around 3–4 AM local time and by an hour before sunrise it is unmistakable – a searingly bright star low in the east, magnitude –3.9 (the brightest planet of all) ^[83]. Venus in September is often called the “Morning Star” because it’s so prominent at dawn. Many early risers might even mistake it for a distant airplane or an approaching headlight – it’s that bright! Aim binoculars at Venus and you’ll see it in a crescent phase now (since it’s on the far side of its orbit relative to Earth). Later in the month, Venus will have a spectacular close pairing with the Moon and the star Regulus: on Sept. 19, a delicate crescent Moon will meet Venus in the dawn sky, and in some parts of the world the Moon will actually cover Venus (an occultation) in daylight ^[84]. That’s beyond our weekend window, but it illustrates how Venus is climbing higher each morning. For now, simply enjoy Venus as the last “star” to fade out in the morning sunlight. It’s a gorgeous sight to accompany any early dog-walk or commute.
Mercury & Mars – Out of Sight: Mercury is essentially unobservable in early September. It’s just past its superior conjunction (Sept. 13) behind the Sun ^[85]. It will reappear in the evening sky by late month for the Southern Hemisphere, but this weekend Mercury is lost in the Sun’s glare. Mars, meanwhile, has faded and is very low in the west after sunset ^[86]. It’s technically still in the sky at magnitude +1.6, but just barely above the horizon at dusk and soon disappearing entirely behind the Sun (Mars will be in conjunction next month). We’ll have to wait until late winter/spring for Mars to become prominent in the morning sky again.

In summary, Saturn and Jupiter rule the night, and Venus rules the morning. If you have clear skies, you could conceivably observe all three in one “night”: watch Saturn in the evening, catch Jupiter around midnight, and see Venus before sunrise. (And during the eclipse, you might see Saturn and Jupiter plus a Blood Moon simultaneously – a planet/moon feast!) With the autumnal equinox approaching on Sept. 22, nights are gradually getting longer in the Northern Hemisphere, giving more opportunities for planet watching. Enjoy the planetary parade – it’s a great time to acquaint yourself with these distant worlds shining in our skies.

Artificial Sky Shows: Satellites, ISS, and Launches

Not all celestial sights this weekend are natural – humanity’s activity in space will also be visible if you know when and where to look. From routine satellite passes to new rocket launches, here’s the lowdown:

Spotting the ISS (and Tiangong): The International Space Station is a crowd favorite for skywatching. Circling ~400 km above us, the ISS looks like a very bright, steady star sliding across the sky. This weekend, the ISS has evening or morning passes visible in many locations (the exact timing varies by your latitude; check NASA’s “Spot the Station” tool ^[87]). When it appears, the station usually takes about 4–6 minutes to cross the sky from horizon to horizon ^[88]. It doesn’t blink (unlike airplanes) and it moves faster than a high jet. On a good pass (when ISS goes nearly overhead around local dawn or dusk), it can become extremely bright – the brightest object in the night sky after the Moon. How bright? Space experts note the ISS, with its house-sized solar panels, can reflect a ton of sunlight: at times it reaches magnitude –4 or even –5, outshining Venus ^[89]. And occasionally, if the geometry is just right, the station will flare – glinting sunlight off a flat surface – to magnitudes as brilliant as –8 for a few seconds ^[90]. That’s on the order of 20 times brighter than Venus, truly eye-popping (though brief). So if you see an “extra star” moving silently across the twilight sky, you’ve likely spotted the ISS. Wave hello – there are currently 7 astronauts up there!

China’s Tiangong space station is also up and visible. Tiangong orbits a bit lower and at a different inclination, but during certain periods it can be seen from many of the same locations as ISS on different tracks. It’s smaller (about one-fifth the ISS’s size), so it generally appears a bit dimmer – typically around magnitude –2 (about as bright as Jupiter), and on the very best passes up to about –4 (Venus-bright) ^[91]. If you happen to catch a bright satellite pass that doesn’t match the ISS’s timing, you might be seeing Tiangong. In early September, ISS and Tiangong are making pre-dawn passes for mid-northern latitudes, due to the season and orbital geometry ^[92] ^[93]. For instance, in Europe or the northern U.S., you might see ISS in the morning sky followed by Tiangong (or vice versa) a short while later – it happened in July and could happen again depending on scheduling ^[94] ^[95]. Use an app or site like Heavens-Above to get precise predictions for both stations ^[96] ^[97]. And remember, every clear evening or morning, dozens of other satellites are also detectable – in fact, if you watch patiently near the start of night, odds are you’ll spot a satellite within minutes (there are over 30,000 tracked objects orbiting Earth) ^[98]!

SpaceX Starlink “Train”: Whenever SpaceX launches a batch of Starlink internet satellites, it creates a temporary spectacle in the sky: a string of bright pearls moving in formation. Such an event is slated for Sept. 6 – a Falcon 9 rocket will lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 11:42 PM EDT (8:42 PM PDT) carrying ~20+ Starlink satellites ^[99]. (That’s 03:42 UTC on Sept. 7.) If the launch goes on schedule, people across parts of California and neighboring states might glimpse the rocket’s ascent that evening – sometimes these launches produce glowing exhaust plumes if timed near dusk. More reliably, in the 1–2 days after launch, the newly deployed Starlink satellites will be in a low orbit and closely bunched together. This is when the famed “Starlink satellite train” can be observed. Shortly after sunset or before sunrise, when the ground is dark but the satellites are still catching sunlight, look for a line of faint star-like dots moving one after another across the sky ^[100]. They won’t twinkle (satellites shine with steady light), and they generally move west-to-east. The whole chain can take a few minutes to pass. As noted, timing is crucial – typically the first evening or two after launch yields the best chance, and you may need to be in the right latitude band. There are websites (e.g. FindStarlink) where you can check if this particular launch’s train will be visible in your area. Don’t be surprised if you see social media buzzing with “UFO sightings” – Starlink trains often startle unprepared observers! Keep in mind, the “train” phenomenon is short-lived; within days the satellites spread out and raise to higher orbits (and also dim due to sunshades, a measure SpaceX uses to reduce their brightness for astronomers ^[101]).

Other Rocket Launches: Besides the Starlink mission, a Chinese Long March 6A rocket is set to launch around Sept. 6 16:35 UTC from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center ^[102]. The payload hasn’t been publicized (possibly a satellite for Earth observation or tech demo). This launch will occur in daylight in China, so it won’t create a visible light show for the general public, though locals might see the rocket plume if weather permits. Another launch to note, just beyond our weekend: SpaceX Falcon 9 is targeting Sept. 8 at 7:52 PM EDT to launch the Satelit Nusantara Lima communications satellite for Indonesia ^[103]. If it goes up on time, folks along Florida’s Space Coast might catch a glimpse of the fiery ascent that Monday evening. We mention it because sometimes these launches can be delayed to the backup dates on Sept. 9 or 10, so keep an ear out if you’re a launch fan.

While these rocket launches themselves are fleeting events, the satellites they deploy will join the night sky zoo overhead. Starlink satellites now number over 8,000 in orbit (with ~8,075 currently operational as of August) ^[104], forming an ever-growing megaconstellation. They’ve drawn the ire of astronomers due to light pollution, but SpaceX has been working on darkening them. The sheer number of satellites means that at any given time on a clear night, if you’re away from bright city lights, you can often spot multiple satellites creeping across the stars – some are Starlinks, others might be old rocket bodies, or Iridium communications sats, or even the occasional flare from a dying satellite re-entering. It’s a reminder that the sky is not the pristine wilderness it once was; we’re populating near-Earth space rapidly.

One more atmospheric phenomenon to mention: With the approach of autumn (in the Northern Hemisphere), zodiacal light becomes visible in the early morning sky before dawn. The zodiacal light is a cone of faint, diffuse light caused by sunlight reflecting off interplanetary dust in the plane of the solar system. It looks like a hazy pyramid of light rising from the horizon. Late summer and early fall are good times for Northern Hemisphere observers to see it in the east before morning twilight (and conversely, in spring it’s seen in the west after evening twilight) ^[105]. If you’re in a very dark area (no light pollution) about 60–90 minutes before sunrise, you might notice this ghostly glow tapering upward along the ecliptic – often mistaken for the first sign of dawn, hence the nickname “false dawn.” Around the September equinox the geometry is favorable for it. Give it a try if you’re already out looking for Venus or the ISS in the pre-dawn; it’s a subtle but beautiful sight. (Southern Hemisphere friends, you get the best evening zodiacal light after sunset at this time of year.)

Finally, a note on noctilucent clouds: these electric-blue night clouds are typically a summer phenomenon (late May through July in the Northern Hemisphere) ^[106] ^[107]. By early September, the NLC season is essentially over up north, and not yet begun in the far south. So we don’t expect any sightings of noctilucent clouds this weekend – the mesospheric ice crystals that create them have dissipated until next season. But as the nights lengthen, more common clouds and weather will start to take center stage; crisp autumn evenings often bring great transparency for stargazing, and sometimes colorful sunsets due to changing atmospheric conditions.

In Closing

This first weekend of September 2025 is jam-packed with skywatching thrills: from a rare red Moon eclipse to a possible auroral dance, plus planets galore, the trusty ISS, and even some human-made star-trains crossing the heavens. It’s a great reminder that the night sky is always active – both nature and our spacefaring endeavors provide something to marvel at. As always, check your local weather forecast and aim for clear, dark skies. If cloudy weather foils one night, try the next; many of these phenomena (like the aurora or satellite passes) have some level of unpredictability and multiple chances.

Above all, enjoy the show and share it! Bring family or friends out to look, or join a local astronomy club event if one is happening for the eclipse. There’s something primal and awe-inspiring about watching cosmic events unfold in real time. Whether you’re gazing at the subtle glow of the Milky Way, tracking a SpaceX satellite train, or watching Earth’s shadow creep across the Moon, you’re participating in an age-old human experience – observing the skies and finding wonder in the universe around us.

Clear skies and happy skywatching!

Sources: NASA, NOAA SWPC, EarthSky, Space.com, TimeandDate, StarWalk, International Meteor Organization ^[108] ^[109] ^[110] ^[111] ^[112] ^[113] ^[114] (See links for detailed forecasts and additional info)