Skywatchers will view a stellar show this month as Mars and Venus will appear so close to each other above the crescent moon on September 11.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) officer-in-charge Dr. Graciano Yumul Jr. said Mars and Venus and the crescent moon will be found close to each other at around 6:41 p.m. on September 11, while Saturn will be found low in the western horizon.

Mars and Venus will be visible throughout the month while Saturn will gradually cease from being visible as days pass by, he added.

Furthermore, Mercury will lie low in the eastern horizon before sunrise throughout the month and will be located 10 degrees above the eastern horizon in the middle of the month.

“At around 7 p.m. on September 23, Jupiter will be 0.9 degree (almost twice the width of the moon) to the south of Uranus,” Yumul said.

“Both planet will be found at 18 degrees above the eastern horizon and will be glowing at magnitude -2.8 and +5.7, respectively,” he added.

Jupiter and Uranus will lie among the background stars of the constellation Pisces, the Fish.

“Under perfectly cloudless dark sky condition in rural locations, Uranus can be spotted by people with good eyesight and who knows the exact position,” he pointed out.

PAGASA said a few people have actually seen it without the aid of a binocular or telescope. Longer nights

Likewise, during this month, Philippine nights will be longer as the sun approaches the celestial equator.

Longer nights begin after the autumnal equinox on September 23 when day and night will have equal length on Earth.

Every year, equal lengths of day and night happen twice a year during the vernal and autumnal equinox, on March and September, respectively.