The less light is reflected back, the darker the skies are. The amount of sunlight reflected back to the earth off the lunar surface decreases during these phases of the moon. If you enjoy observing the moon through a telescope or binoculars, it is better to wait until morning just before sunrise rather than staying up past 3 AM to get a glimpse. The moon will be finishing off its waning crescent phase this week as it hits new moon Sunday, September 25th.

For the upcoming clear skies, be on the lookout for the waning crescent moon, the equal day and night of the autumnal equinox, the faint zodiacal light, and evening gas giants. Sunset this week is around 7:30 PM, so have your telescopes and stargazing partners ready by 8:30 PM. Be expecting a handful of clear nights that will be on the cooler side, starting at around 70☏ at sunset and slowly dropping into the low 60s and even 50s on some nights. This week will bring us officially into Autumn, although, the weather doesn’t necessarily reflect that.

Stellarium landscapes cloudy nights