Starwatch: young moon heads for encounter with Jupiter and Saturn

Starwatch chart 2 September 2019 Jupiter Saturn Moon

At the beginning of this week, keep a watch out for a young moon. The lunar month began on 30 August, and from tonight it should be relatively easy to see a thin crescent moon. It will appear low in the west shortly after sunset. Find an unobstructed western horizon, preferably on a hill, or the top of a building, and start looking as soon as the sun disappears below the horizon. As the week progresses, the moon becomes easier to spot as the crescent grows in size and it appears higher in the sky at dusk. On 5 September, the moon will pass close to the bright planet of Jupiter in the south-west. As the weekend begins, the moon will continue to grow, passing its “half moon” first quarter phase on 6 September. It then heads for a close encounter with Saturn on 6 and 7 September. The chart shows the positions of Jupiter, Saturn and the moon on 6 September, when the moon is partway between the two planets.