Look up! 7 Unique Cosmic September Events You Shouldn't Miss

Although the summer of supermoons and meteor showers may be over, fall brings new experiences, from unique space missions to incredible phenomena. Edition Travel and Leisure talked about events that should not be missed.

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This month marks the beginning of the northern lights season in regions of the far north such as Alaska, Iceland and Norway. Of course, the appearance of auroras cannot be predicted - this is their charm. And there are ways to increase the chances of seeing this spectacle.

Finding a dark sky location with minimal obstructions and light pollution increases your chances of seeing the Northern Lights. Apps like Space Weather Live and My Aurora Forecast are two of the most popular aurora forecasters, but nothing beats monitoring the night sky on your own.

That's not all that can be found in the September night sky. Planetary observations and NASA's first-of-its-kind asteroid impact mission are ahead.

3 (or 5) September: launch of a spacecraft for a mission to the moon

The launch of the Orion spacecraft using the Space Launch System (SLS) carrier rocket to the Moon as part of the American Artemis-1 mission is scheduled for September 3, writes Interfax.

“We are planning to launch the Artemis-1 mission to the Moon on September 3rd. The two-hour launch window will open at 14:17 pm ET,” NASA said.

Ранее the launch of the mission was planned to be carried out on August 29, however the countdown was stopped 40 minutes before the start and then cancelled. NASA explained that the reason for the cancellation was a liquid hydrogen leak discovered during the refueling of the new American super-heavy launch vehicle SLS.

SLS program manager John Honeycutt noted that the data on engine problems could appear due to a malfunction of the sensor installed on it. He added that the team of specialists continues to analyze the data and finalize the launch plan.

In case of bad weather on the planned launch day, NASA considers September 5 as the next launch date.

The launch is scheduled to take place from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39B at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

On the subject: Cosmic birthday: new service from NASA shows what the Hubble telescope saw on your celebration

September 14: Moon occultation of Uranus

If you are in Africa, Asia or Europe on September 14th, look up at the sky to see the unique encounter of the planet with the Moon: the Moon will pass in front of Uranus. An eclipse (the technical term for one object passing in front of another) is hard to see from Earth's surface given our planet's proximity to the Moon, but it's a fascinating exception. Check out the map on In-the-Sky.org to see where and when you can spot it.

September 16: Neptune at Opposition

On September 16, Earth will pass between Neptune and the Sun. This event, known as opposition or opposition, coincides with the planet's closest approach to the Sun (called perigee). According to SeaSky.org, Neptune will be the brightest and most visible. Of course, the distant planet will still appear small - just like a tiny blue dot even in powerful telescopes - but it's worth seeing.

September 22: autumnal equinox

Autumn officially arrives in the northern hemisphere at 21:04 pm ET on September 22nd. After that, the days become shorter and the nights longer, a welcome change in the world of stargazing. The September equinox is one of the busiest times for the Northern Lights, so if the Northern Lights are on your wish list, plan your hunting trip now.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

September 26: NASA DART asteroid crash

On September 26, there will be an event straight from the realm of science fiction - NASA's first mission to deviate an asteroid from the course will take place. During a mission known as the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), a DART spacecraft launched in November 2021 will collide with an asteroid that is not dangerous to Earth. This is a test to determine whether such an approach can successfully change the speed and course of any future asteroids that may collide with our planet. Follow NASA's social media accounts for the latest news and live content.

September 26: Jupiter at Opposition

From the evening of September 26, stargazers can admire Jupiter at opposition in the constellation Pisces. By midnight on the east coast, it reaches its highest point in the sky. Jupiter will be closest to Earth at this point, so grab your binoculars and look up.

September 29: NASA's Juno mission to fly over Europe

In 2021, NASA extended the mission of its Juno spacecraft, which has been orbiting the planet Jupiter since 2016. On September 29, Juno will fly past Jupiter's moon Europa, which may be the best place in our solar system to look for signs of alien life. The ship will hover just 221 miles (355 km) above the surface of Europa. Such an event would likely show more stunning images from the planet and its moon, as was the case in early 2021. These photos will help in future missions to Jupiter.

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