Monday, September 9, 2024

Mercury Raids Regulus (before sunrise)

Skywatchers with a clear view to the east before sunrise on Monday morning, September 9 can use binoculars or a backyard telescope to see the speedy
planet Mercury shining very close to the 7 times fainter, white star Regulus. Mercury's daily descent towards the sun will cause it to approach Regulus
from above on the prior mornings and then drop out of sight about a week
later. On Monday, Mercury will appear just half a degree to Regulus' left
(or celestial north). In a telescope Mercury will display a waxing gibbous phase.

Moon Dances with the Scorpion (early evening)

Once the sky has darkened on Monday evening, September 9, the stars of
Scorpius will appear to the left (or celestial east) of the waxing crescent moon. The bright, reddish star Antares, which marks the heart of the
scorpion, will shine a palm's width to the moon's left. The up-down row of fainter stars that form the claws of the critter will extend upwards through the moon. Observers located in eastern Canada and the northeastern USA can
see the moon occult the magnitude 2.85 claw star Pi Scorpii starting around 23:45 UT. Hours later, on Tuesday evening, observers in a zone west of
central Australia and southeastern Indonesia can watch the moon occult
Antares around 12:30 UT. Starry Night can provide the occultations' circumstances where you live. On Tuesday evening, the moon will hop east to shine to Antares' left.

(Data Courtesy of Starry Night)
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