Constellations by month

Constellations of September

The 10 constellations at their best in September are Aquila, Capricornus, Cygnus, Delphinus, Equuleus, Indus, Microscopium, Pavo, Sagitta and Vulpecula. The charts show the whole sky at 9 pm on September 15 from 40°N and 35°S. The September epsilon Perseids and Aurigids peak this month.

The sky at 9 pm in mid-September from 40°N CYGNUS AQUILA CAPRICORNUS VULPECULA MICROSCOPIUM DELPHINUS EQUULEUS HERCULES PEGASUS DRACO AQUARIUS OPHIUCHUS BOÖTES PISCES SAGITTARIUS CAMELOPARDALIS ANDROMEDA SERPENS PERSEUS CASSIOPEIA CEPHEUS CANES VENATICI ARIES LYRA URSA MINOR PISCIS AUSTRINUS LACERTA CORONA BOREALIS TRIANGULUM CORONA AUSTRALIS SCUTUM N S E W
From 40°N (the United States, southern Europe, northern China, Japan). North at top; turn the chart so the direction you face is at the bottom.
The sky at 9 pm in mid-September from 35°S AQUILA CAPRICORNUS PAVO INDUS VULPECULA MICROSCOPIUM DELPHINUS SAGITTA EQUULEUS CETUS PEGASUS CENTAURUS AQUARIUS OPHIUCHUS PISCES SAGITTARIUS SERPENS LIBRA SCORPIUS CARINA SCULPTOR PHOENIX FORNAX GRUS LUPUS TUCANA OCTANS LYRA HOROLOGIUM HYDRUS ARA APUS DORADO NORMA MENSA VOLANS MUSCA CORONA AUSTRALIS RETICULUM SCUTUM CRUX S N W E
From 35°S (Sydney, Cape Town, Buenos Aires). South at top; the center is overhead and the rim is the horizon.

Bright lines and names: constellations at their best in September. Gold dashes: the ecliptic, where the Moon and planets travel. 9 pm local standard time on September 15; the same view comes an hour earlier at the end of the month and an hour later at the start. Click a name to open its chart.

Aquila, Capricornus, Cygnus, Delphinus, Equuleus, Indus, Microscopium, Pavo, Sagitta and Vulpecula are at their best in September

A constellation is at its best when it stands highest in the evening, due south from the northern hemisphere or due north from the southern. The last two columns give its height above the horizon at 9 pm in mid-September.

ConstellationMeaningHemisphereBrightest starMessierAt 40°NAt 35°S
AquilaEagleNorthernAltair54°44°
CapricornusGoatSouthernDeneb Algedi128°76°
CygnusSwanNorthernDeneb280°5°
DelphinusDolphinNorthernRotanev56°49°
EquuleusPonyNorthernKitalpha60°42°
IndusIndianSouthernPersianbelow horizon69°
MicroscopiumMicroscopeSouthernGamma Microscopii13°84°
PavoPeacockSouthernPeacockbelow horizon62°
SagittaArrowNorthernGamma Sagittae163°34°
VulpeculaFoxNorthernAnser168°33°

Constellations more than 20° high at 9 pm in September

Measured at the center of each constellation. Large constellations can be partly visible when their center is lower.

From 40°N: 25 constellations

From 35°S: 37 constellations

Meteor showers peaking in September

Rates are the zenithal hourly rate, the count one observer would see under a dark sky with the radiant overhead; real counts are lower. Peak dates move by about a day from year to year.

ShowerPeakActiveRate per hourRadiantParent body
September epsilon PerseidsSep 9Sep 5 - Sep 218Perseus
AurigidsSep 1Aug 28 - Sep 56AurigaC/1911 N1 (Kiess)
September LyncidsSep 13Sep 10 - Oct 83Lynx
Northern PiscidsSep 25

Video: September stargazing

September Stargazing: Constellations · Watch on YouTube

Constellations month by month

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