This month in the sky
The night sky in September 2026
In September 2026 the best-placed deep-sky targets around midnight are M34, M52, M103. The darkest nights fall around the new moon on 11 September. Planets in the night sky: Mars (morning), Jupiter (morning), Saturn (most of the night).
Moon and darkness
| New moon | 11 September |
|---|---|
| Full moon | 26 September |
| Full darkness at 52° N | about 7.3 hours a night |
Plan faint galaxies in the week around new moon; bright nebulae and clusters also work near full moon.
Best placed around midnight
| Target | Type | Size | Sky needed | Highest at 52° N | Highest at 40° N | Frames it best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M34 | open cluster | 35′ | City-friendly | 81° | 87° | DWARF mini |
| M52 | open cluster | 13′ | City-friendly | 80° | 68° | Odyssey |
| M103 | open cluster | 6′ | City-friendly | 81° | 69° | mosaic or too small |
| M76 Little Dumbbell Nebula | planetary nebula | 2′ | City-friendly | 90° | 78° | mosaic or too small |
| M31 Andromeda Galaxy | spiral galaxy | 190′ | Suburban sky | 79° | 89° | mosaic or too small |
| M32 | elliptical galaxy | 9′ | Suburban sky | 79° | 89° | Odyssey |
| M77 Cetus A | spiral galaxy | 7′ | Suburban sky | 38° | 50° | Odyssey |
| M33 Triangulum Galaxy | spiral galaxy | 71′ | Dark sky | 69° | 81° | Seestar S30 Pro |
Already high in the evening
These targets culminate around 22:00 this month: ideal if you do not want to stay up late.
| Target | Type | Size | Sky needed | Highest at 52° N | Highest at 40° N | Frames it best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M39 | open cluster | 32′ | City-friendly | 86° | 82° | DWARF mini |
| M15 | globular cluster | 12′ | City-friendly | 50° | 62° | Odyssey |
| M2 | globular cluster | 13′ | City-friendly | 37° | 49° | Odyssey |
| M30 | globular cluster | 11′ | City-friendly | 15° | 27° | Odyssey |
| M72 | globular cluster | 6′ | City-friendly | 25° | 37° | mosaic or too small |
| M73 Four-star asterism | star group | 1′ | City-friendly | 25° | 37° | mosaic or too small |
Planets
Calculated for the 15th at 52° N: planets at least 10° high while it is dark.
- Mars: morning, up to 34° high
- Jupiter: morning, up to 15° high
- Saturn: most of the night, up to 41° high
Questions and answers
- What is the best smart telescope target in September?
- M34 is among the best-placed targets around midnight, and the DWARF mini frames it best.
- When are the darkest nights in September?
- Around the new moon on 11 September, when moonlight does not brighten the sky.