Moon Passes 1.1 Degrees From Pleiades on Sept. 3 as Venus Nears 2026 Peak Brightness

Q: What secret star cluster will the waxing moon nearly swallow up in the night sky this September?

It will be the **Pleiades star cluster**, also known as **the Seven Sisters** or **M45**. According to the skywatching forecast, the waxing moon will pass very close to the Pleiades on **Sept. 3**, with another close pairing on **Sept. 30**. The cluster lies in **Taurus** and is bright enough to be seen with the naked eye under decent skies, though **binoculars** will reveal many more stars. The phrase that the moon might “nearly swallow up” the cluster fits because the Pleiades sit near the **ecliptic**, so the moon often passes extremely close to them and can even **occult** some of the stars from certain locations. In this September event, the moon will appear only about **1 degree to 1.1 degrees** from the cluster, making it a notably tight and photogenic encounter.

Q: Why does this month's Harvest Moon appear so massive and orange, and what hidden planet lurks nearby?

The Harvest Moon only appears unusually huge and orange; it is not actually larger or changing color. Near the horizon, the “moon illusion” makes it seem oversized because the brain compares it with trees, buildings and the landscape. Its orange or reddish tint comes from moonlight passing through a thicker slice of Earth’s atmosphere, which scatters away more blue light and lets longer red and orange wavelengths dominate. This year’s Harvest Moon, the full moon nearest the September equinox, peaks on Sept. 26 and is best watched as it rises around sunset. That timing enhances both effects: the low angle near the horizon makes the color warmer and the apparent size more dramatic. The Harvest Moon is also known for rising at nearly the same time over several evenings, which historically gave farmers extra evening light. The nearby “hidden” planet is Neptune. It reaches opposition on Sept. 26 as well, making it one of the best nights of the year to look for it. Neptune will be in Pisces and up for much of the night, but it is too faint to see with the naked eye, so a telescope or at least binoculars plus a good star chart are needed. Saturn will also be nearby and is much easier to spot without equipment, while Neptune lurks fainter in the same part of the sky.

Q: While Venus blazes brilliantly after sunset, what distant, invisible giant is secretly hiding in the dark?

It is Neptune, the distant ice giant that reaches opposition late in the month. While Venus is the obvious evening showpiece, Neptune is the “hidden” giant because it cannot be seen with the naked eye. Around Sept. 25–26, Neptune reaches opposition in Pisces, meaning Earth lies roughly between Neptune and the Sun. That makes it one of the best times of the year to observe the planet because it is up for much of the night and at its brightest for the year. Even then, Neptune remains faint at about magnitude 7.7 to 7.8, so observers will need at least binoculars under dark skies, and more reliably a telescope plus a detailed star chart or sky app to locate it. It appears as a tiny bluish disk rather than a bright point. Neptune is the solar system’s outermost known planet and a true giant: about 58 Earths could fit inside it. It sits roughly 2.7 billion miles from the Sun, making it a striking contrast to Venus, which blazes low in the western sky after sunset at about magnitude -4.8. So the answer is Neptune: bright to astronomers, but effectively invisible without optical aid, hiding in the dark while Venus steals the spotlight.

3 articles · Updated · WIRED · Sep 1

September 3 will bring the month’s standout skywatching event, with a 59%-illuminated moon appearing about 1.1 degrees from the Pleiades, close enough to frame both in the same patch of sky.
The cluster—also called the Seven Sisters—can show six or seven stars to the naked eye under good conditions, while binoculars should reveal many more beside the waning moon.
September opens with Venus passing Spica on September 1-2 at roughly 1.5 degrees separation, then the Epsilon Perseids peak on September 9-10 with up to eight meteors an hour under dark skies.
Later in the month, Venus reaches magnitude -4.8 on September 22, the September equinox falls on September 23, and Neptune reaches opposition on September 26 for one of 2026’s best telescope views.

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Moon to Appear Near Pleiades Star Cluster on September 3

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Moon meets the Pleiades on September 3, 2026

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Tomorrow morning, the almost-last quarter #moon will approach the #Pleiades star cluster. Watch them from midnight through dawn. Watch this video for more information, and find more sky events in EarthSky's night

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What secret star cluster will the waxing moon nearly swallow up in the night sky this September?

Why does this month's Harvest Moon appear so massive and orange, and what hidden planet lurks nearby?

While Venus blazes brilliantly after sunset, what distant, invisible giant is secretly hiding in the dark?

Moon Passes 1.1 Degrees From Pleiades on Sept. 3 as Venus Nears 2026 Peak Brightness

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