In this guide we'll reveal what you can see in the night sky tonight, and throughout the month.
Those of us who enjoy stargazing and observing the night sky can't always plan when and where we're going to get the chance to gaze upwards.
Busy schedules, light pollution, the weather: sometimes finding even just 30 minutes to stand and stare up at a clear, dark night sky and take in the planets, stars and constellations can be a feat in itself.
So when you do find the time, you'll need to know what's visible in the night sky tonight, and the best things to look out for when stargazing.
Complete newcomer? Read our guides to the best telescopes for beginners and astronomy for beginners.
Here's our stargazing guide to what you can see in the night sky tonight.
Our guide is centred around what's visible from the UK, but all northern hemisphere observers should be able to use it, with the odd adjustment to stated times.
In our guide, we use Universal Time (UT) and British Summer Time (BST). UT is the standard time used by astronomers around the world. BST is one hour ahead of UT
We also use RA (Right ascension)and dec. (declination).
These coordinates are the night sky’s equivalent of longitude and latitude, describing where an object is on the celestial ‘globe’.
For help with these, read our guide to celestial coordinates.
For more advice, read our guide on how to stargaze or sign up to receive the BBC Sky at Night Magazine e-newsletter for weekly tips delivered directly to your email inbox.
If you're south of the equator, find out what you can see in the Southern Hemisphere night sky tonight.
What's in the night sky tonight?
September astronomy highlights
- 7 September: Total lunar eclipse at moonrise (evening twilight)
- 12 September: Moon occults the Pleiades (evening)
- 19 September: Daylight lunar occultation of Venus
- 20 September: Titan and its shadow transit Saturn together (from 05:13 BST (04:13 UT))
- 21 September: Saturn at opposition
Night expands at its fastest rate as Earth experiences its second annual equinox on 22 September. It’s a good job too, as there is a lot going on!
Lunar eclipse
On 7 September 2025 the rising Moon will look redder than usual. A low Moon naturally looks red due to the thick atmosphere near the horizon scattering a lot of its blue light.
However, as the Moon rises on 7 September, it’s also totally eclipsed by Earth’s shadow.
Exciting though this sounds, it’ll make identifying the Moon initially tricky, its dimmed light lost in atmospheric murk.
Rising above the eastern horizon at 19:45 BST (18:45 UT), a few minutes after this you’ll see an odd-shaped object in the sky just above the horizon, the bright portion of the Moon slowly being released from the umbral shadow, the eclipsed part hard to see at first.
This now partial phase of the eclipse ends at 20:56 BST (19:56 UT), the Moon’s altitude being 10°.
Lunar occultations
Five days later, on 12 September, the Moon occults the Pleiades open cluster.
This occurs from moonrise at 21:00 BST (20:00 UT) to around midnight BST (23:00 UT).
The 68%-lit waning gibbous Moon should be obvious soon after rising, but the Pleiades may require a bit of altitude before they can be seen.
Yet another big lunar event occurs on 19 September when the Moon occults Venus.
Again, circumstances aren’t perfect as the event occurs during daylight.
With clear skies, Venus should be easy to see, but the 5%-lit waning crescent Moon harder to spot.
The occultation is between 12:48 BST (11:48 UT) and 14:07 BST (13:07 UT), Venus shining at mag. -3.8, appearing 11 arcseconds across with an 88%-lit phase.
Gas giant moon events
On 20 September it’s a different moon grabbing attention. Between 05:13-09:27 BST (04:13-08:27 UT) Saturn’s largest moon Titan transits the planet along with its shadow.
It’s not often you get to see Titan and its shadow transiting Saturn together.
Being so close to Saturn’s opposition on 21 September, the shadow will almost appear to touch Titan. From the UK, Saturn sets at 07:02 BST (06:02 UT) before the event concludes.
Bright Jupiter has a couple of interesting moon events too. On 15 September a very infrequent transit of Callisto’s shadow can be seen between 02:02-05:10 BST (01:02-04:10 UT).
On 27 September between 05:54-06:41 BST (04:54-05:41 UT) Io and Europa’s shadows both cross Jupiter’s disc at the same time in a double shadow transit event.
Stars and constellations
In the background, the stars of summer are slowly but surely drifting westward.
At the southern end of the Northern Cross asterism in Cygnus, head southeast from Albireo (Beta (β) Cygni) to pass through Vulpecula, the Fox, with the relatively bright Dumbbell Nebula M27, along with the asterism known as the Coathanger Cluster or Collinder 399.
Keep heading southeast and you’ll pass through the small distinctive shape of Sagitta the arrow – it does look just like an arrow.
The progression of small constellations continues southeast through Delphinus, the Dolphin, which looks like a diamond with a small tail.
Finally, there’s Equuleus, the Foal, a small, faint quadrilateral easily overlooked.
The foal leads the way towards Pegasus, the Flying Horse immediately east, a sure sign that autumn is on the way.
Night sky in September 2025, night-by-night
Tuesday 2 September
The Lunar X and V clair-obscur effects can be seen on this evening’s Moon. Your best view will be around 23:41 BST (22:41 UT).
Thursday 4 September
This morning, Titan’s shadow transits Saturn’s globe, visible in brightening twilight from 05:38 BST (04:38 UT) until Saturn sets at 08:16 BST (07:16 UT).
Sunday 7 September
A total lunar eclipse occurs this evening, the Moon rising at sunset, fully immersed in Earth’s shadow.
Monday 8 September
This evening, Saturn appears 3.3° south of the 98%-lit waning gibbous Moon.
Friday 12 September
Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, is eclipsed by the planet’s shadow at 04:10 BST (03:10 UT).
At 21:00 BST (20:00 UT), the rising Moon occults the Pleiades.
Monday 15 September
As Jupiter is becoming edge-on to Earth, its interactions with the outer Galilean moon, Callisto, are becoming visible. In the early hours this morning, see its shadow cross Jupiter’s disc between 02:30 and 05:13 BST (01:30–04:13 UT).
Tuesday 16 September
If you can find the 28%-lit crescent Moon in daylight this morning, with a small scope or binoculars try spotting mag. –1.9 Jupiter 4.3° south of the Moon’s centre.
At 11:00 BST (10:00 UT), the Moon will be 55° above the southwest horizon.
Wednesday 17 September
The Moon is now sufficiently out of the way to observe some deep-sky objects with your telescope.
Friday 19 September
Early risers can see brilliant mag. –3.8 Venus just 0.8° from mag. +1.0 Regulus (Alpha (α) Leonis), joined by a 6%-lit crescent Moon.
The Moon continues closing on Venus, occulting the planet at 12:48– 14:07 BST (11:48–13:07 UT).
Saturday 20 September
Titan and its shadow are in sync as they transit Saturn’s disc from 05:13 BST (04:13 UT) until Saturn sets around 07:00 BST (06:00 UT).
Sunday 21 September
Saturn reaches opposition today and is visible from dusk until dawn.
Monday 22 September
The Northern Hemisphere’s autumn equinox occurs today.
Tuesday 23 September
Neptune reaches opposition, lying close to Saturn but much fainter.
Thursday 25 September
Jupiter’s largest moon, Ganymede, is eclipsed by the shadow of Jupiter at 05:08 BST (04:08 UT).
Saturday 27 September
A double shadow transit can be seen on Jupiter this morning. The shadows of moons Io and Europa will appear to pass across the planet’s globe between 05:54 and 06:41 BST (04:54–05:41 UT).
Sunday 28 September
The moon Titan is occulted by Saturn’s disc at 02:30 BST (01:30 UT).
Monday 29 September
At 00:26 BST (23:26 UT on 28 September), Io’s shadow and Ganymede cross Jupiter’s disc together, with Io itself joining in at 01:38 BST (00:38 UT).
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