Star Almanack
Alexander Ferrari Miller

ISO 2025-W38

Week begins: Monday, September 15, 2025

Notation:

Calendar

DateZodiac dayEvents
Mon, Sep 15, 2025♍ 25
Finest NGC 107 / NGC 6939 · Collinder 423 — Telescope 10 — Northern Summer
Tue, Sep 16, 2025♍ 26
C47 / NGC 6934 — Telescope 9 — Tropical Summer
Finest NGC 106 / NGC 6940 · Collinder 424 — Telescope 7 — Northern Summer
C12 / NGC 6946 / Finest NGC 108 / NGC 6946 · Fireworks Galaxy; Arp 29 — Telescope 10 — Northern Summer
Wed, Sep 17, 2025♍ 27
Rotanev (β Del) — Binoculars 4 — Tropical Summer
α Ind — Naked eye 3 — Southern Summer
Sualocin (α Del) — Binoculars 4 — Tropical Summer
Thu, Sep 18, 2025♍ 28
Deneb (α Cyg) / Deneb (α Cygni) — Naked eye 1 — Northern Summer — in the Milky Way
Fri, Sep 19, 2025♍ 29
β Pav — Naked eye 3 — Southern Summer
C34 / NGC 6960 · Western Veil Nebula / Finest NGC 99b / NGC 6960 · Veil Nebula (West) — Telescope — Northern Summer
Aljanah (ε Cyg) — Naked eye 2 — Northern Summer
Sat, Sep 20, 2025♍ 30
α Mic — Binoculars 5 — Southern Summer
Sun, Sep 21, 2025♍ 31
🌑 New Moon — 19:54:08 UTC
β Mic — Binoculars 6 — Southern Summer
M72 — Telescope 9 — Tropical Summer
β Ind — Binoculars 4 — Southern Summer

Weekly Solar-System Ephemeris

Snapshot: Week begins September 15, 2025, 00:00 UTC.

(-90° to +90°; defaults +45°, 21:00 LAT)

Notation:
Body☉︎☽︎☿︎♀︎♂︎♃︎♄︎
Ecliptic♍︎ 22°25′
β +0°00′		♊︎ 29°42′
β +5°11′		♍︎ 23°47′
β +1°31′		♌︎ 24°29′
β +0°46′		♎︎ 25°06′
β +0°06′		♋︎ 20°14′
β −0°01′		♓︎ 29°00′
β −2°30′
ObservingNightNaked eye -9.9☉︎Naked eye -3.9Naked eye 1.6Naked eye -2.0Naked eye 0.6
Rise05:4322:1005:4803:1408:3600:1618:36
Set18:1714:4318:2717:1819:2615:3406:20

Extended targets:

Body⚳︎♅︎♆︎♇︎
Ecliptic♈︎ 13°22′
β −15°04′		♊︎ 1°26′
β −0°13′		♈︎ 1°00′
β −1°22′		♒︎ 1°34′
β −3°47′
ObservingTelescope 7.8Binoculars 5.7Telescope 7.7TelescopeTelescope 14.5
Rise20:1320:5518:3516:26
Set07:0811:5506:3301:07

β = ecliptic latitude (+ north, − south).
Rise and set are Local Apparent Time for the selected latitude.
Naked-eye observing uses the Sun’s altitude at the selected Monday observer time: Daylight (Sun ≥ −0.833°), Civil twilight (−0.833° to −6°), Nautical twilight (−6° to −12°), Astronomical twilight (−12° to −18°), and Night (below −18°).
Solar Glare identifies a body too close to the Sun when the sky-state rule does not already supersede its naked-eye classification.
The Sun’s observing status uses this same five-state sky classification.

Notation:

Planet Finder

Planet Finder — Greek / Symbols
Greek / Symbols
Planet Finder — English
English
Planet Finder — Mixed Learner
Mixed Learner

Sky Notes

Kilroy: Sky Notes · generated 2026-10-23 16:16:46 UTC

View:

ISO 2025-W38 runs from September 15 through September 21. Mars is about 1.3° in ecliptic longitude from Spica in Virgo. Saturn and Neptune are separated by about 2.0° in geocentric ecliptic longitude at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot.

Naked eye: 🌑 New Moon — 19:54:08 UTC. The dark Moon favors faint targets and extended star fields. Use α Ind, Deneb, β Pav, Aljanah as the week’s fixed-sky framework.

Alpha Ind: The Brightest Beacon in Indus — A luminous star guiding astronomers and stargazers alike, Alpha Ind holds a prominent place in its constellation.

The bright star that should not look this bright — Deneb looks comparable to Vega and Altair in the Summer Triangle, but it is vastly farther away and therefore enormously more luminous.

Beta Pav: A Shining Beacon in the Pav Constellation — An overview of Beta Pav, its celestial characteristics, and its place in the night sky.

Aljanah: A Bright Beacon in the Northern Sky — An exploration of Aljanah, a prominent star nestled near the Northern Cross, whose steady glow has guided astronomers and stargazers alike.

Planets: Moon: Naked eye; magnitude -9.9; direct motion; 43.8% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Solar conjunction in ecliptic longitude Sep 21 19:54 UTC. Conjunction with Venus in ecliptic longitude Sep 19 12:21 UTC. Conjunction with Jupiter in ecliptic longitude Sep 16 12:18 UTC. Mercury: In solar glare; magnitude -1.6; direct motion; 99.8% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Venus: Naked eye; magnitude -3.9; direct motion; 87.8% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Sep 19 12:21 UTC. Mars: Naked eye; magnitude 1.6; direct motion; 96.9% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Ceres: Telescope; magnitude 7.8; retrograde motion; 99.5% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Jupiter: Naked eye; magnitude -2.0; direct motion; 99.3% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Sep 16 12:18 UTC. Saturn: Naked eye; magnitude 0.6; retrograde motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Opposition in ecliptic longitude Sep 21 05:45 UTC. Uranus: Binoculars; magnitude 5.7; retrograde motion; 99.9% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Neptune: Telescope; magnitude 7.7; retrograde motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Pluto: Substantial telescope; magnitude 14.5; retrograde motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot.

Binoculars: Trace Delphinus’s charted figure in the finder, then identify Rotanev at its charted position. Trace Delphinus’s charted figure in the finder, then identify Sualocin at its charted position. Trace Microscopium’s charted figure in the finder, then identify α Mic at its charted position. Trace Microscopium’s charted figure in the finder, then identify β Mic at its charted position. Trace Indus’s diamond-shaped figure in the finder, then identify β Ind at its charted position.

Rotanev: The Guardian Star of Delphinus — An exploration of the star commonly known as Rotanev, its celestial context, and its significance within the constellation Delphinus.

Sualocin: A Bright Beacon in Delphinus — Discover the characteristics and significance of this notable star, also known as Alpha Delphini.

Alpha Microscopii: The Bright Beacon in Microscopium — A detailed look at the stellar jewel in the constellation Microscopium, its place in the night sky and scientific significance.

Beta Mic: A Bright Beacon in the Constellation Microscopica — Discover the characteristics and significance of this notable star within the Mic constellation.

Beta Ind: A Bright Point in the Southern Sky — An overview of Beta Ind, a notable star in the constellation Indus, offering insights into its characteristics and significance.

Small telescope: Collinder 423: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; NGC 6934: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; Collinder 424: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; Fireworks Galaxy; Arp 29: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; Western Veil Nebula: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; M72: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance

Collinder 423: A Prominent Open Cluster in Cepheus — An overview of this intriguing stellar grouping, its characteristics, and observational significance.

Delphini Star Cluster: A Globular Jewel of the Constellation Delphinus — An enduring target for observers, this globular cluster offers insight into ancient stellar populations.

Collinder 424: A Bright Open Cluster in Vulpecula — Discover the characteristics and significance of this intriguing stellar grouping.

The Fireworks Galaxy: A Stellar Spectacle in Cygnus — An exploration of the intriguing galaxy also known as Arp 29, situated in the constellation Cygnus.

The Western Veil Nebula: A Glimpse into a Supernova's Remnant — An enduring emblem of cosmic cataclysm, exploring the Western Veil Nebula in Cygnus.

One of Messier’s farthest star cities — M72 is one of the most remote globular clusters in the Messier catalog, about 50,000 light-years from Earth.

Substantial telescope: No fixed-sky Calendar object is classified as requiring a substantial telescope this week.

Other objects listed this week: None

Mercury

Mercury: in solar glare at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Rises 05:48; sets 18:27 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -1.6. The disk is 99.8% illuminated (nearly full). It is 2.0° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 1.845° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Zavijava, 3.8° away. Mercury: 3.8° from Zavijava in the Pathfinder.

Venus

Venus: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 28.3° below the horizon. Rises 03:14; sets 17:18 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -3.9. The disk is 87.8% illuminated (gibbous). It is 27.9° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 1.217° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Regulus, 5.7° away. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Sep 19 12:21 UTC. Venus: 5.7° from Regulus in the Pathfinder.

Moon

Moon: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 8.5° below the horizon. Rises 22:10; sets 14:43 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -9.9. The disk is 43.8% illuminated (waning crescent). It is 82.7° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 13.912° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Elnath, 6.7° away. Solar conjunction in ecliptic longitude Sep 21 19:54 UTC. Conjunction with Venus in ecliptic longitude Sep 19 12:21 UTC. Conjunction with Jupiter in ecliptic longitude Sep 16 12:18 UTC. Moon: 6.7° from Elnath in the Pathfinder.

Mars

Mars: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 17.1° below the horizon. Rises 08:36; sets 19:26 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 1.6. The disk is 96.9% illuminated (gibbous). It is 32.7° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.664° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Spica, 2.3° away. Mars: 2.3° from Spica in the Pathfinder.

Jupiter

Jupiter: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 21.4° below the horizon. Rises 00:16; sets 15:34 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -2.0. The disk is 99.3% illuminated (nearly full). It is 62.2° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 0.156° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Pollux, 7.5° away. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Sep 16 12:18 UTC. Jupiter: 7.5° from Pollux in the Pathfinder.

Saturn

Saturn: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 23.5° above the horizon. Rises 18:36; sets 06:20 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 0.6. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 173.0° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is retrograde at 0.077° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Fumalsamakah, 15.3° away. Neptune is 2.3° away at the snapshot. Opposition in ecliptic longitude Sep 21 05:45 UTC. Saturn: 15.3° from Fumalsamakah in the Pathfinder.

Uranus

Uranus: binoculars at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 0.2° above the horizon. Rises 20:55; sets 11:55 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 5.7. The disk is 99.9% illuminated (nearly full). It is 111.0° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is retrograde at 0.007° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Aldebaran, 10.2° away. Uranus: 10.2° from Aldebaran in the Pathfinder.

Neptune

Neptune: telescope at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 24.1° above the horizon. Rises 18:35; sets 06:33 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 7.7. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 171.3° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is retrograde at 0.027° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Fumalsamakah, 15.9° away. Saturn is 2.3° away at the snapshot. Neptune: 15.9° from Fumalsamakah in the Pathfinder.

Ceres

Ceres: telescope at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 7.5° above the horizon. Rises 20:13; sets 07:08 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 7.8. The disk is 99.5% illuminated (nearly full). It is 154.4° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is retrograde at 0.190° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Diphda, 11.4° away. Ceres: 11.4° from Diphda in the Pathfinder.

Pluto

Pluto: substantial telescope at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 21.3° above the horizon. Rises 16:26; sets 01:07 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 14.5. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 129.0° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is retrograde at 0.013° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Dabih, 8.8° away. Pluto: 8.8° from Dabih in the Pathfinder.